WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: summary or caption

for

From: Jonathan Metz
Date: Jun 7, 2013 2:37PM

Bevi wrote:

"It's rare that I've found a table where certain information needs to be
given to AT-users and hidden from the rest of the the audience. As I've
reviewed way-too-many tables in my job, I've seen the summary tag misused
for information like this: "This table is compiled from data collected in
2010-2011… That's helpful information for everyone."

See, I think that would be redundant. I believe that a sighted user would
look at a table and be able to understand that the table represents data
collected in 2010-2011 if that’s what the table is structured to be. I’ve
viewed summaries as just that. At first glance, what does this table
represent? This provides a way for someone to just take a peek at a table
without having to go into too much detail about it.

"From what I've heard, current interpretation of Section 508 is that it
applies to public-facing information and internal information that federal
employees need to perform their jobs."

I think you’re getting caught up too much in the legality here. All I was
referring to was that there is one thing that is hidden from a group of
users, which is theoretically discriminatory against that group. But in
reality, it’s a frivolous situation. Besides, Section 508 applies to
people with disabilities, not people without disabilities.

Providing context for a table is the same as providing a means to skip
navigation. Users who don’t require AT can most likely glean what they
need to in both situations without the need to have someone explicitly
tell them that information.


"I think we agree here.”

Totally, but if someone wants to use the Summary, I disagree it’s at a
detriment to others.