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From: Derek Featherstone
Date: Tue, Sep 21 2004 12:25PM
Subject: Re: Verdict on TITLE attributes for screen readers (WAS Re: Identifying link targets)
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darrel.austin wrote:
> Are title attributes a viable/valid way to uniquely ID multiple links on a
> web page for access via screen readers? Do screen readers read TITLE
> attributes by default? If they do, what type of user turns this option off
> and why?

Hi Darrell,

I was just looking at this the other day -- keep in mind this is for JAWS
4.51. In the JAWS configuration manager the following is presented:

Graphics options:
Use Title
Use Alt Attribute
Use "On mouse over tool tip"
Use Longest
Custom Search string (in which you can specify an order of preference)

Text Link Options:
Use Title
Use Screen Text
Use "on mouse over tool tip"
Use Longest
Custom Search

The "factory settings" are to use the alt attribute for graphics, and use
screen text for text links. Form fields are a different story, it seems, and
we are doing some testing to figure out the details at present... And this
is really only just the beginning. Based on the preferences listed above, it
is possible that a screen reader might read the title attribute text instead
of the link text. It might read whatever is longer. It might ignore the
title attribute text completely.

While pretty much everyone assumes the title attribute is to be used for
advisory text, the definition of what is "advisory" is vague.

Based on this, I've come to believe that just like link text should make
sense out of context, so too should title attribute text -- if you use title
attributes, then try to make them comprehensive enough that they stand alone
to clearly identify the target of the link, because it might be that the
title attribute is the only thing that is read out by a screen reader.

Certainly no "verdict" as you had hoped...

Best regards,
Derek.
--
Derek Featherstone = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
phone: 613.599.9784; toll-free: 1.866.932.4878 (North America)
Web Accessibility: http://www.wats.ca
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