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JAWS and Labels

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From: jbastow@westpac.com.au
Date: Feb 9, 2004 11:51PM


Hi All...

The company I work for has just begun to explore addressing our site's
chronic accessibility flaws. As a proof of concept for a full blown
conversion, we are attempting to massage some of our web forms into a more
accessible format, but have run into a problem when reading one of the
forms with JAWS.

Background:
The form in question uses JavaScript validation on submission. Error
feedback is provided by inserting a meaningful error message for each
field in error into a DIV layer at the top of the form. Each error
message inserted is formatted as a link that throws focus into the field
in question.
So, the short of it is that if you fill out the form and there are errors
in the input you will be returned to the same form, but with a list of
links to the fields in error inserted at the top of the form.

Problem:
When the user selects one of these "error links" the focus jumps to the
field in question, but JAWS reads the field label twice in succession
instead of just once. We have followed all the recommendations regarding
use of labels and have used label tags with the 'for' attribute set to
match the field name, etc. and when tabbing normally through the fields
JAWS reads the labels only once, so we are quite perplexed.

If anyone out there is able to shed some light on this situation it would
be much appreciated.

Cheers...

Jon Bastow
Internet Services
Westpac Banking Corporation


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