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Re: Scope-Attribute necessary for TH-Element?

for

From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Jul 17, 2017 9:58AM


> I’m Austrian and try to learn a11y-Slang and therefore misunderstand and missformulate sometimes. You wrote: “Assistive technology support should generally be good but may need to be checked for the technology stack you are trying to support.” Isn’t AT support essential in any technology stack? What did I understand wrong in Your formulation?

All I was trying to say is that in order to make a claim of WCAG conformance you need to define and evaluate whether the techniques used to meet the success criteria are supported by the user agent and assistive technology that you are using to make the claim. That is -- your implementation doesn't have to work with all user agents or assistive technologies -- strictly speak it only has to work with one -- but most experts agree that two is needed -- which assistive technology and user agents are not defined but the access to content should be taken into account during this determination. For example, for an internal site where an organization can control the technology used a smaller set of technology is likely sufficient. However for public access a broader set of technology support is likely needed -- but broad doesn't mean all although the goal is more support by more user agents and assistive technology.

Jonathan

Jonathan Avila
Chief Accessibility Officer
Level Access, inc. (formerly SSB BART Group, inc.)
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-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Wolfgang Berndorfer
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2017 4:47 PM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Scope-Attribute necessary for TH-Element?

Thanks to all!
I distil the following guidelines out of your answers:
- A simple data table with correct col-headings in the first row does not need the scope-attribute.
- The scope-attribute should be used for backwards compatibility, when there are row-headings.
- If a <th> cell spans multiple rows/columns you need to use scope="colgroup"/"rowgroup" along with the colspan/rowspan attribute.
- If the <th> cell is not the first row or column in the table you need the scope attribute. [@Birkir: Have no idea, when this could be needed in a sensefull context.]
- According to the HTML 5 spec scope is not valid on TD elements but it is on TH elements.

@Jonathan:
I’m Austrian and try to learn a11y-Slang and therefore misunderstand and missformulate sometimes. You wrote:
“Assistive technology support should generally be good but may need to be checked for the technology stack you are trying to support.” Isn’t AT support essential in any technology stack? What did I understand wrong in Your formulation?

And what I learned about the a11y scene:
W3schools is often useful but not affiliated with the W3C. And when W3C informations have to be reflected, this has to be noticed by W3C Children and even more by self called W3C adoptees.

Thanks!
Wolfgang

Zweiter Blick - Für ein barrierefreies Web Wolfgang Berndorfer
A-6020 Innsbruck, Schidlachstr. 9/3
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] Im Auftrag von Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Gesendet: Sonntag, 09. Juli 2017 21:09
An: WebAIM Discussion List
Betreff: Re: [WebAIM] Scope-Attribute necessary for TH-Element?

Jonathan described it well.
If your <th> cells span a single column and are in the first row scope="col" is not needed.
Ditto <th> cells in first column spanning a single row, scope="row" is generally not needed.

If a <th> cell spans multiple rows/columns you need to use scope="colgroup"/"rowgroup" along with the colspan/rowspan attribute.
If the <th> cell is not the first row or column in the table you need the scope attribute.



On 7/9/17, Jonathan Avila < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> But I read on w3scholls
>> <https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_td_scope.asp>
>> that the attribute is not supported in HTML5.
>
> According to the HTML 5 spec scope is not valid on TD elements but it
> is
on
> TH elements.
>
> FYI W3schools is not affiliated with the W3C.
>
> Technically when scope is not set it defaults to "auto" which sets the
> header cell to apply to cells in context.
>
> The general rule of thumb is that scope is likely not needed for
> column header cells in the first row of a table but would be needed in
> other situations where lack of scope would be ambiguous how the header
> is
scoped.
> Assistive technology support should generally be good but may need to
> be checked for the technology stack you are trying to support.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Jonathan
>
> Jonathan Avila
> Chief Accessibility Officer
> Level Access, inc. (formerly SSB BART Group, inc.)
> (703) 637-8957
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> Visit us online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Blog
> Looking to boost your accessibility knowledge? Check out our free
webinars!
>
> The information contained in this transmission may be attorney
> privileged and/or confidential information intended for the use of the
> individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not
> the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use,
> dissemination,
distribution
> or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
> Behalf Of Wolfgang Berndorfer
> Sent: Sunday, July 9, 2017 12:47 PM
> To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Scope-Attribute necessary for TH-Element?
>
> Hi!
>
> Are scope-attributes still considered as necessary for <th>-elements
> in
data
> tables?
>
> webaim <http://webaim.org/techniques/tables/data#th>; says Yes. But I
> read on w3scholls <https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_td_scope.asp>
> that the attribute is not supported in HTML5.
>
> And: I just tested a simple data table (with no nested headings for
columns
> or rows): Jaws 17 showed no information or navigation problems, when
> <th> was implemented correctly.
>
> Opinions?
>
> Wolfgang Berndorfer
>
> > > archives
at
> http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> > > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >


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