WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Is use of <label> and title redundant?

for

From: Sailesh Panchang
Date: Nov 12, 2012 1:21PM


Patrick,
Screen magnification s/w like Zoomtext expose / speak off-screen text labels.
Simply using the OS' / browser's features to magnify will not expose
off-screen labels.
Off-screen technique should be used only where necessary;
Inappropriate / over usage results in duplication and may not be
available to magnification users in some situations.
Sailesh


On 11/10/12, Patrick Dunphy < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> I practice that there are usually only 2 instances where I consider
> acceptable use of title attributes. First being for Iframe usage & the
> second would be as you mentioned - form controls such as a site's global
> search.
>
> Can you please clarify something you've said? How is an off screen label
> available for magnification users? I wouldn't have thought that to be the
> case. Also curious to hear your thoughts about this being applicable to
> other off screen text usages - making text links understood out of context &
> indicating position within a section nav.
>
> Thanks.
> -PD
>
>
> On 2012-11-10, at 7:53 PM, Sailesh Panchang < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> wrote:
>
>> As per WCAG2 techniques, title on form controls should be used when
>> visible label is not present ... i.e. when purpose of form control is
>> obvious generally to sighted users / as per UI design.
>> (If purpose is not obvious visually, then the fix is to incorporate a
>> visual text label for the benefit of all users).
>>
>> Using title in these situations mainly to convey purpose of control to
>> non-sighted users is well supported by browsers and AT, both recent
>> and legacy ones.
>> Title is also available via mouseover to some sighted users who might
>> need them.
>> I do not recommend using off-screen label: it is more work and code
>> and not available to anyone except screen reader / magnification users
>> unless CSS is turned off.
>> Sailesh Panchang
>> Deque Systems
>>
>>
>> On 11/9/12, Michael R. Burks < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>>> I would like to add that we should code to the standards, not to a
>>> specific
>>> type of Assistive Technology.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Mike Burks
>>>
>>>
>>>