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Thread: Tables and low-vision users
Number of posts in this thread: 3 (In chronological order)
From: R Sengers
Date: Mon, Dec 08 2008 7:25PM
Subject: Tables and low-vision users
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Any suggestions for how to make tables of data more accessible to
people with low vision, beyond marking up the code for the header row
and header column, and putting strong visual lines between each row
and column? In particular - what would help someone using a screen
magnifier but not a screen reader?
Thanks,
Rachel
From: Mike Osborne - AccEase
Date: Tue, Dec 09 2008 3:05PM
Subject: Re: Tables and low-vision users
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Hi Rachel
You've asked a tough question - and it's an area that needs more treatment,
in my opinion.
Low vision users can find it difficult to track across no more than three or
four cells - and under high magnification that may be all that is visible
without horizontal scrolling.
In an application we developed we used tables to show only the relevant
columns that helped identify rows of interest (e.g. names) and then the user
selected the row and were presented the detail (rest of the row) in a column
which was easier to follow as a group.
Obviously this limits the ability for a low vision user to compare rows -
but this is difficult anyway with information presented in the common
tabular format.
Providing this kind of alternative view for all tabular data is no small
undertaking.
A clever browser plugin that can transpose tables perhaps? Has it been done
already?
Regards
Mike Osborne
AccEase Ltd
p. 04 934 2821
m. 021 675 010
e. = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
w. www.AccEase.com
From: Christophe Strobbe
Date: Sat, Dec 20 2008 6:45AM
Subject: Re: Tables and low-vision users
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At 23:01 9/12/2008, Mike Osborne wrote:
>Hi Rachel
>
>(...)
>Low vision users can find it difficult to track across no more than three or
>four cells - and under high magnification that may be all that is visible
>without horizontal scrolling.
>
>In an application we developed we used tables to show only the relevant
>columns that helped identify rows of interest (e.g. names) and then the user
>selected the row and were presented the detail (rest of the row) in a column
>which was easier to follow as a group.
>
>Obviously this limits the ability for a low vision user to compare rows -
>but this is difficult anyway with information presented in the common
>tabular format.
>
>Providing this kind of alternative view for all tabular data is no small
>undertaking.
>
>A clever browser plugin that can transpose tables perhaps? Has it been done
>already?
That would be a nice feature for the RNIB Surf Right toolbar
<http://www.rnib.org.uk/wacblog/news/rnib-surf-right-toolbar-beta-version-available/>;,
which is currently available as a beta version.
Best regards,
Christophe
>Regards
>Mike Osborne
>
>AccEase Ltd
>p. 04 934 2821
>m. 021 675 010
>e. = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>w. www.AccEase.com
>
>