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Thread: Accessible forms question
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From: Brownell, Melody
Date: Tue, May 31 2005 6:28AM
Subject: Accessible forms question
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We have a SS number field on a form that is three text areas rather than one long text field. Because of the back-end processing on our mainframe we can't make it one field - it has to be three separate fields.
Question: How do I associate the label with three different text fields so that the user knows there are three parts to filling in their SS number? They need to know that the first field is for the first three numbers of the SS, the 2nd is for the next three numbers and the 3rd is for the last four.
Thanks for the help.
----------------------------------
Melody Brownell
Sr. Web Consultant
Principal Financial Group
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From: Patrick Lauke
Date: Tue, May 31 2005 6:35AM
Subject: RE: Accessible forms question
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> Brownell, Melody
> We have a SS number field on a form that is three text areas
> rather than one long text field. Because of the back-end
> processing on our mainframe we can't make it one field - it
> has to be three separate fields.
The best solution would be to create a small intermediate bit of
server-side code that breaks up a SS number submitted in a single
field into 3 components, before passing it on to your mainframe.
> Question: How do I associate the label with three different
> text fields so that the user knows there are three parts to
> filling in their SS number?
You can't. You'll need to put a fieldset with appropriate legend
around the three inputs, and ideally have a label (or, failing that,
at least a title) for each of these inputs.
something like
<fieldset>
<legend>Social Security number</legend>
<label for="ss1">first 3 numbers</label>
<input id="ss1" type="text"... />
<label for="ss2">...</label>
<input id="ss2" ... />
<label for="ss3">...</label>
<input id="ss3" ... />
</fieldset>
Patrick
________________________________
Patrick H. Lauke
Webmaster / University of Salford
http://www.salford.ac.uk
From: Jim Thatcher
Date: Tue, May 31 2005 7:53AM
Subject: RE: Accessible forms question
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Melody Brownell:
> Question: How do I associate the label with three different
> text fields so that the user knows there are three parts to
> filling in their SS number?
Patrick Lauke:
You can't. You'll need to put a fieldset with appropriate legend
around the three inputs, and ideally have a label (or, failing that,
at least a title) for each of these inputs.
The social security number in three parts or US zip+4 codes in two parts are
typical of a situation where visual layout replaces on-screen text for
labeling. Use the title attribute on each input element, like title="SSN
Part 1", title="SSN Part 2" and title="SSN Part 3". Have a client side
script that checks the sizes rather burdening the listener - Note that the
sighted user isn't informed about the sizes of the three parts.
Jim
Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
512-306-0931
From: Patrick Lauke
Date: Tue, May 31 2005 8:07AM
Subject: RE: Accessible forms question
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> Jim Thatcher
> The social security number in three parts or US zip+4 codes
> in two parts are
> typical of a situation where visual layout replaces on-screen text for
> labeling.
Fair enough...but I'd still think that having a single input makes
more sense for all users (but admittedly this is a usability issue).
> Have a client side
> script that checks the sizes rather burdening the listener -
Are you suggesting a javascript that automatically sets the focus to
the next segment when a certain character count has been reached? If so,
I thought I'd seen fairly conclusive evidence that this sort of thing
should be avoided, as it can and will cause confusion - going against
expected browser behaviour, often not triggering any indication to
assistive technology that the focus has indeed moved and, when implemented
badly, can prevent users from tabbing back ... or are we just talking about
limiting the number of characters that can be entered (in which case
a simple maxlength attribute on the input would suffice)?
Patrick
________________________________
Patrick H. Lauke
Webmaster / University of Salford
http://www.salford.ac.uk
From: Jim Thatcher
Date: Tue, May 31 2005 8:32AM
Subject: RE: Accessible forms question
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Jim:
> Have a client side
> script that checks the sizes rather burdening the listener -
Patrick:
Are you suggesting a javascript that automatically sets the focus to
the next segment when a certain character count has been reached?
Definitely not. Actually I withdraw the suggestion about checking sizes -
and yes, use max length (3, 2, 3).
The main point is that designers will want to do this kind of thing so a
redesign isn't the best answer; the question is how to provide the
information to a user who doesn't see the layout.
Jim
Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
512-306-0931