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RE: JAWS and Labels

for

From: Sandy Clark
Date: Feb 10, 2004 9:05AM

the for="" should match the id="" in a label, not the name attribute.
Remember that id attributes are case sensitive and should not contain
spaces.

HTH

Sandra Clark
http://www.shayna.com/blog

_____

From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 1:40 AM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: JAWS and Labels



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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