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Re: data or layout table

for

From: Duff Johnson
Date: Sep 2, 2011 9:21AM

On Sep 2, 2011, at 10:48 AM, Jared Smith wrote:

>> What would be ideal from a screenreader perspective? From a
>> visual browser perspective it's irrelevant what I choose.
>
> If the natural reading order of the table (left to right, top to
> bottom) is logical and makes sense, then I would not add table
> headers. The overhead of the table markup would likely outweigh any
> potential benefit it would provide.

That's interesting... I have a different view... curious to get your thoughts.

1) Leaving aside the matter of non-Western languages, the logical reading order of a table is ambiguous. LRTB in many cases, TBLR in other cases.

Yes, this is a case in which HTML "natural reading order" may be disconnected from the content's "logical reading order" <g>.

2) "Logical and makes sense" isn't good enough to meet an "equivalent access" standard for tables because while the content might be comprehensible, if the logical relationships aren't explicit then the AT user has no way of determining the logical relationships and has no means of navigation.

Accordingly the need for table headers in HTML (and elsewhere), it seems to me, is a function of whether or not headers are logically present in the table, period.

Duff Johnson

US Committee for ISO/DIS 14289 (PDF/UA), Chair

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