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Re: th scope=row

for

From: Cliff Tyllick
Date: Apr 6, 2016 12:48PM

"Keep in mind that any cell(s) to the left of the row header cells will not be associated with them, at least a.t. does not communicate that info."

In my experience, data cells to the left of the row headers also confuse the hell out of actual humans. That AT can remove some of that confusion for people who use it is great, but the net result is that the usual situation is reversed: The content is now more accessible to people who can't see it.

And think of the poor person who magnifies the screen and uses a screen reader. They'll see Arbitrary Reference Number in column 1 while the screen reader announces the contents of the cell in a column that isn't on their field of view.

Bottom line: Organize tabular data for the reader. Put the information they know in column 1 and the information they're looking for on that item or topic in the columns to the right.

Some time ago I suggested to an engineer (sorry if you're one, but you probably don't fit the stereotype so well as he did) that he reorganize a table of product codes with the name of the product in column 1. That way, I explained, people completing the form could look for the name of their item in column 1 and then look across that row to find the 5-digit code they needed to enter in the form.

"Then all the codes will be out of order," he said.

"How will they find out what the code they just entered means?"

How, indeed.

If there is an exception, you'll probably recognize it when you encounter it.

Cliff Tyllick
Accessibility Coordinator
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services

Sent from my iPhone
Although its spellcheck often saves me, all goofs in sent messages are its fault.

> On Apr 6, 2016, at 1:03 PM, Birkir R. Gunnarsson < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> Technique H63:
> https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/H63.html
> basically states that scope="row" or scope="col" is required on cells
> if they are not in the first column/row of a table (see note 1 about
> simple data tables).
> They re also required when header cells span multiple columns/rows,
> but that is a whole other kettle of peskiterrian delights we should
> not go into on this thread unless it is relevant.
>
> WCAG Techniques are not normative, but this one fits best with my
> experience accessibility testing and it seems logical.
> If you designate all cels in the second column as row headers, you
> kind of need to use scope="row" to tell assistive technologies that.
> Keep in mind that any cell(s) to the left of the row header cells will
> not be associated with them, at least a.t. does not communicate that
> info.
>
> -B
>
>
>> On 4/6/16, Chagnon | PubCom < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> Birkir wrote: "I approach this more based on content than WCAG criteria.
>> I ask myself, "do I need to know the value of the leftmost cell in this row
>> (or any cell), in order to fully understand the cell I am looking at)?"
>>
>> Thanks, Birkir. That's one of the best pieces of advice I've seen about
>> making accessible tables.
>> The WCAG and PDF/UA standards can't provide that type of experiential
>> guidance. No standards can.
>>
>> Envision what people with disabilities will need to know so that they can
>> more easily understand the data.
>>
>> —Bevi Chagnon
>>
>>
>> >> >> >> >
>
> --
> Work hard. Have fun. Make history.
> > > >