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Re: Adding a label to search box

for

From: Joshue O Connor
Date: Apr 12, 2006 10:10AM

Derek Featherstone wrote:

> When a label is not present, the title attribute *will* be read out by
> default (at least in major screen readers[1]).

That interesting. I thought it was the verbosity settings that determined
if the title attribute was read out or not; or tweaking the HTML options.
There is an option in JAWS to modify the Form Field prompt given,
so you can choose a "Use both Label and Title if different" as well
as "Use both Label and Alt if Different".

As you probably know, you can tweak JAWS to focus on various code in different
contexts such as when a button has focus. You can choose if the title, or alt text are read etc.
JAWS 5 even has a "On Mouse over tool Tip option" :)

IMO, the JAWS HTML options are almost too much, as many screen readers users don't go near them. Why do screen reader developers expect ordinary people to understand the subtle differences between a title attribute, a label element or an alt tag?

Asking users to "choose" seems a bit rich when most people don't have a clue about developer speak,
and quite rightly associate navigation with sailing.

Josh

Joshue O Connor

Senior Accessibility Consultant

**Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT)* *
National Council for the Blind of Ireland

Website:http://www.cfit.ie
E-Mail: <EMAIL REMOVED> Tel: +353 1 8821915


> On 4/12/06, Joshue O Connor wrote:
>
>
>>Jim said:
>>
>>
>>>>Use title="search text" on the input element.
>>>>
>>>>It is a no-brainer - no need to hide text and the title is
>>>>supported by screen readers.
>>
>>But can that be relied on? Isn't it true, that many screen readers
>>(well JAWS anyway), may not read out the contents of the title
>>attribute at all (depending on the users verbosity settings).
>
>
> In genera, verbosity settings of screen readers do not impact the title
> attribute on form fields. In general, yes, title attributes cannot be
> relied upon for their use in normal text mode. Their behaviour is
> different though for forms.
>
> When a label is not present, the title attribute *will* be read out by
> default (at least in major screen readers[1]).
>
> I'm still a fan of using an actual label, but the use of title sounds to
> be quite reliable, and I'd like to see some follow up testing and some
> interpretation of the spec so that we know what exactly should be
> happening with User Agents.
>
> [1] see Gez Lemon's "Invisible Form Prompts" and the ensuing comments
> for discussion:
> <http://juicystudio.com/article/invisible-form-prompts.php>;
>
> Cheers,
> Derek.