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JAWS and Labels

for

From: jbastow
Date: Feb 10, 2004 6:06PM


Hi All...

Oops...my bad. We do have the Label tags' 'for' attributes set to match
the 'ID' attributes of the corresponding fields. We more have a problem
with JAWS doing too much (i.e. reading each field label twice) rather than
too little (i.e. not reading anything at all).

In case it makes my garbled verbal description any clearer, here is a code
example of the link/field style we are using:

<A HREF='javascript:document.forms[0].elements["firstName"].focus()'
CLASS='ValidationMessage'>First name - please provide details.</A>

<TR VALIGN=top>
<TD WIDTH="570" VALIGN=middle>
<LABEL for="CreditCardNo"><img
src="/images/ss_spacerdot.gif" width="0" height="0" alt="mandatory">Credit
card number:</LABEL>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR VALIGN=top>
<TD WIDTH="570" VALIGN=middle>
<INPUT NAME="p1CreditCardNo" VALUE="" maxlength=16
onBlur="this.value = allTrim(this.value);" ID="CreditCardNo"
CLASS="formsFieldText" STYLE="width=150px">
</TD>
</TR>

As I noted earlier, JAWS for some reason is insisting on reading the given
label twice when focus is thrown to such a field, i.e. it says "Credit
card number colon...Credit card number colon".

Any further comments would be greatly appreciated as I am getting some
pressure over not being able to resolve such a simple issue quickly,
although I can't help but think that what we are trying to do is possibly
confusing JAWS a little bit. A lot of what I am reading online suggests
that, in consideration of screen-reader users, you shouldn't throw the
focus around, etc.. Unfortunately this is the way our style gurus want
this set up, so I am even prepared to look at dirty workarounds if
required.

Cheers...

Jon Bastow
Internet Services
Westpac Banking Corporation
Mobile: 0425 259 571
Phone: (02) 9260 [2] 6078
Fax: (02) 9260 [2] 6593

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