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

for

From: Sailesh Panchang
Date: Nov 19, 2012 10:12AM

On 11/19/12, GILLENWATER, ZOE M < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hi Sailesh,
>
> I'm afraid I don't understand your feedback. Do you think it's good for a
> screen reader to not read a form field's title text in normal reading mode?
> Or do you think a screen reader shouldn't read a hidden label in normal
> reading mode? Or do you mean something else entirely?
Sailesh: It is generally in situations where the UI design limits the
ability of developers to place a visible text label (like a search
edit box or controls in a table with row/col headers that serve as
'labels') that a title works adequately.
In these situations I am not adversely impacted when the screen
reader does not read the title in browse mode.
So an off-screen label is not a game changer in these circs. It does
not add a whole lot of accessibility benefit.
It is like a data table: the screen reader does not speak row/col
headers unless one is in table-nav mode.
Most screen readers speak the alt for an image in browse mode and do
not speak the title for a form control. It has been so always maybe
for a reason.

If the visible label text is not adequate for non-sighted users,
appending off-screen text to the label is fine.

>
> Even if a label is hidden visually, it's still programmatically connected to
> the field, so I don't understand what you mean by this part of your response
> either...
Sailesh: Sure, but that association kicks-in only in forms mode and
for non-sighted users a label is no different from any other piece of
text on the page in non-forms mode.

Sailesh Panchang
www.deque.com
Tel 703-225-0380 ext 105
>
> Genuinely trying to figure this out and do the right thing!
>
> Thanks,
> Zoe
>
> Zoe Gillenwater
> Web Accessibility Technical Architect
> AT&T Consumer Digital Experience
>
> o: 919-241-4083
> e: <EMAIL REMOVED>
>
> 4625 Creekstone Dr | Durham, NC 27703
>
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