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From: Angela French
Date: Wed, Nov 14 2012 5:37PM
Subject: sorting column headers
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We are working on a web app that displays data in columns that can be sorted by clicking on the hypertexted label in the table header. Would you say, or not, that a link in a table header is understood by screen reader users to indicate sorting functionality? Or should some onscreen instructions be provided?

Thank you,

Angela French
Internet Specialist
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
360-704-4316
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http://www.checkoutacollege.com/

From: Patrick Dunphy
Date: Wed, Nov 14 2012 5:51PM
Subject: Re: sorting column headers
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I believe additional instructions are necessary as it doesn't behave like a
link behaviour isn't typical.
On Nov 14, 2012 7:37 PM, "Angela French" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> We are working on a web app that displays data in columns that can be
> sorted by clicking on the hypertexted label in the table header. Would you
> say, or not, that a link in a table header is understood by screen reader
> users to indicate sorting functionality? Or should some onscreen
> instructions be provided?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Angela French
> Internet Specialist
> State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
> 360-704-4316
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> http://www.checkoutacollege.com/
>
> > > >

From: Jared Smith
Date: Wed, Nov 14 2012 6:05PM
Subject: Re: sorting column headers
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On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 5:37 PM, Angela French wrote:
> Would you say, or not, that a link in a table header is understood by screen reader users to indicate sorting functionality?

I don't think this is really an accessibility-specific question. Does
the link alone provide sufficient indication to users in general
(whether blind or not) that it would sort the table? If so, why would
a screen reader user require something additional? If not, fix it so
it does.

Certainly it would not be a compliance failure to have a potentially
confusing link presented to everyone - it would be equally
inaccessible to all users. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

If, on the other hand, you are providing a visual indication of sort
functionality (such as an arrow), then it would be necessary for this
information to be presented to all users.

Another thing to consider is efficiency. While it might take some
orientation to learn that a link will sort the table initially, the
burden of this orientation may very well be much less significant than
hearing (or seeing) "sort" for every single table header for the rest
of time.

In short, there's no absolute correct answer to this question.

Jared