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Thread: Accessible Table question
Number of posts in this thread: 3 (In chronological order)
From: Austin, Darrel
Date: Thu, Oct 13 2005 12:00PM
Subject: Accessible Table question
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I'm producing HTML for a designer and came across a table that I'm not
entirely sure how to optimize for accessibility:
http://www.darrelaustin.com/clients/enza/essen_store.html
There's a row across the top for the column headers, which is easy
enough.
The qusestion is regarding the CATEGORY column. I could give each and
every row a category field (which, to me, seems most accessible) but
they're prefer the visual to look as is, where only the first item that
lists the category.
How would you build this?
Some ideas I had:
1)
------------------------
Category | item | detail
---------------
| item | detail
---------------
| item | detail
------------------------
Make the first TD a TD with a rowspan of 3 and a scope of ROW
2)
------------------------
Category | item | detail
------------------------
Category | item | detail
------------------------
Category | item | detail
------------------------
Put the category in each row as a TD, but visually style the subsequent
items so they do not appear visually.
3)
------------------------
Category | item | detail
------------------------
| item | detail
------------------------
| item | detail
------------------------
Give the category TH an axis of 'category'. This is where I get a bit
confused, though, as I'm not sure how axis actually works. And perhaps I
also need a rowgroup here as well?
-Darrel
From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Thu, Oct 13 2005 1:20PM
Subject: RE: Accessible Table question
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I like idea 3--but think about label/ID rather than using scope.
The idea of making an element invisible seems really nice, but coding
invisible things just isn't the way to use the technology because the
further we take that analogy the more work or problems will most like
result.
I would consider talking with the requirements folks again, and explain
that they have conflicting visual needs and accessibility needs. I have
seen more "problems" arise from people only considering visual layout
needs than almost any other web accessibility issue. Visual layout
"needs" are not driven by law--but accessibility needs may be in some
circumstances.
Allen Hoffman
From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Thu, Oct 13 2005 2:00PM
Subject: Re: Accessible Table question
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Austin, Darrel wrote:
> I'm producing HTML for a designer and came across a table that I'm not
> entirely sure how to optimize for accessibility:
>
> http://www.darrelaustin.com/clients/enza/essen_store.html
> How would you build this?
Based on some empirical testing collated by Roger Hudson
http://www.usability.com.au/resources/tables.cfm#conclusion
I'd say go with id/header or, as you Nr 2 suggestion, turn it into
a simple data table and use appropriate styling to hide the repeating
category cells.
--
Patrick H. Lauke
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