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Re: Required Fields and Username / Password on a Website

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From: Rakesh
Date: Jul 25, 2012 8:04AM

Hi,
On a sign in page we will have only "User id and pass word text fields
and they are required for any one who needs to log in to the portal. I
don't think it is necessary to inform the user with "*" or any other
equivalent option.

On 7/25/2012 7:09 PM, Sailesh Panchang wrote:
>> 1. Is it necessary (to meet conformance requirements) to have an
>> asterisk next to Username and Password for a sign-in widget on a website?
> For a log-in form or any other, if there is no indication (via text /
> asterisk / color or other visual cue) to distinguish required and
> optional fields, no user can tell which field is required. The UI
> design / functional specs apparently did not require it. Then where is
> the accessibility probblem?
> In this situation, there is no need for any cue that is available only
> to an AT user or a person with a disability.
> (In case an input validation error is flagged, that should be
> accessible but that is a separate issue).
> On the other hand If a star or text or color or other indicator is
> visibly available to mark required fields, then that must be conveyed
> in a manner that is accessible and programmatically determinable.
> Sailesh Panchang
>
>
> On 7/23/12, Elle< <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> All:
>>
>> We're redesigning our website, and there's discussion about whether any
>> indication of required fields is necessary for "username" and password" to
>> sign into the member portal. All the Section 508 and WCAG 2.0
>> documentation I see seems to state that it's a violation if you don't
>> indicate "this field is required" by either an asterisk, an image, text
>> (ex. "required"), or grouping like fields together by validation. However,
>> the WCAG content seems more for multiple form fields. On the
>> Section508.gov website, the Search text input field responds like a
>> required field (it has a validation / error prompt if you hit Submit
>> without entering text), but there is no indication that Search is a
>> required field to successfully Submit. My UX team is telling me that
>> Username and Password are obviously required if you want to sign in on a
>> website, and that even an asterisk is unnecessary. So, my questions are:
>>
>>
>> 1. Is it necessary (to meet conformance requirements) to have an
>> asterisk next to Username and Password for a sign-in widget on a
>> website?
>> 2. If the guidance text ** Required* exists near the top of the page,
>> can we remove it from a similar sign-in widget on the left rail?
>>
>>
>> Thanks very much,
>> Elle
>> >> >> >>
> > >