WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: question about data table headers

for

From: Patrick Dunphy
Date: Jul 8, 2011 12:18PM

For the majority of people that visit the pages containing these tables,
they will know what the shorthand represents.

Thanks for your input Jared. As always, much appreciated.

-PD

On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 12:45 PM, Jared Smith < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Are the shorthand versions of the text already known by your users? In
> other words, will sighted users know what they are? If so, then don't
> bother providing additional expansion. I see <abbr> and other
> approaches often taken to provide additional descriptions and
> explanations for screen reader users when they are already well known,
> or at least no less known by blind users than anybody else.
>
> If they are not well known, then you'll want to implement something
> that is useful for all users. <abbr> has marginal usefulness. Most
> screen readers don't read them by default. Many users don't know to
> mouse over the text to get the expansion. Users that are using neither
> a screen reader nor mouse have no access to the expanded text. Both b
> (a text legend in context) and c (a link to a page that contains the
> explanation) would likely work if they really are necessary.
>
> Jared Smith
> WebAIM.org
>