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Re: Using the Summary attribute in tables

for

From: Jeremy Echols
Date: Jul 20, 2022 12:50PM

I believe I've seen it recommended to use aria-describedby pointing to a separate element that contains your summary text. That way you get the general functionality of a summary element, it's still visible to sighted users, etc.

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Geethavani.Shamanna
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2022 10:33
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Using the Summary attribute in tables

Hi Glen,

The Caption attribute is already being used in tables. However, if the table description is a couple of sentences or a paragraph long, where does that go? Was the Summary attribute replaced with another one in HTML 5?

Thanks.
Geetha
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of glen walker
Sent: 20 July 2022 18:02
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Using the Summary attribute in tables

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Correct, the summary attribute was deprecated in HTML 5. Instead you should use the <caption> element inside a <table>.

Most (all?) screen readers use the caption as the accessible name of the table so that if I navigate using the T shortcut key, the caption will be read.



On Wed, Jul 20, 2022 at 10:14 AM Geethavani.Shamanna < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I recently came across a WAI tutorial on tables recommending the use
> of the Summary attribute to include table description. Is the Summary
> attribute still in use? If it has been deprecated, what is the best
> alternative to add table descriptions?
> Adding a description via a heading above or below the table won't be
> very useful as it won't be directly associated with the table.
>
> Many thanks.
> Geetha
>
>
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