WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

RE: Why do we need 'Scope' attribute?

for

From: Jim Thatcher
Date: Jul 19, 2005 8:59AM

Christian Heilmann wrote:

>> I advise clients to use TH and scope - but darn it, it is redundant
>> and unnecessary - even silly!
>
> Is that the same logic that makes people use attributes without quotes and
not close tags?
> Most modern browsers display that fine, why bother then? :-)

I don't think it is quite the same because attributes without quotes won't
validate. It is invalid code. A situation for accessibility that is
comparable to quoted attributes is alt-text on "formatting" images. With no
alt-text or with alt="" they are ignored by screen readers but alt="" is
required in order to be valid HTML - so though it makes no difference to
screen readers it still must be done.


And Stephane Deschamps:
> I'm wondering how this would apply to headers-of-headers, namely headers
that span
> several columns. Would the screen reader understand the structure as
clearly without
> the attributes?

I am talking about the simplest of simple tables - headings in row 1 and
column 1. As soon as there is any variation in that I think th's are not
redundant; though scope is debatable.

Jim

Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
512-306-0931