Re: Accessibility and Forms Buttons

> Nancy's explanation of "The browser reads
> the TEXT that indicates what the field is for, then when it
> reaches the field it says "edit", which indicates the field is
> there." only confused me.


I would suggest she is referring to the following:

<p>Name: <input type="text" name="realname"></p>

The browser would say "name", and then "edit".  In which case, you would
know that the purpose of the edit field is to enter your name.


I, too, am interested what reaction a screen reader has when it encounters a
form field.  It doesn't help much to say that submit buttons should be
clearly "labelled".  We need to see some HTML code.

Do we need a clear "NAME" attribute?  Do we need HTML text which  explains
what the button does?  Do we need to use a "LABEL" attribute, or some
non-standard attribute?

Could someone recommend some good screen reading software for us to try out?

Tim





http://www.timbooker.com/







----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Atkinson" <robatkinson(at)nucleus.com>
To: <hwg-techniques(at)mail.hwg.org>
Cc: <hwg-techniques-digest(at)mail.hwg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 9:05 AM
Subject: Accessibility and Forms Buttons


> Ray, thank you for an informative answer based on real-world
> experience. Best kind there is, I think. I would like to delve a
> little more, specifically on "buttons" within FORM tags.
>
> As it is technically incorrect, to use an ALT tag, how does a
> Reader interpret, say... a Submit or Refresh button, when used as
> per current HTML Standards? And when using a "image" in place of
> a "button", within a FORM, are you suggesting it is better for a
> Reader to have an ALT tag to read -- even though technically
> incorrect?
>
> If it helps a Reader -- and therefore the Visitor -- by providing
> more/better information, I would have no problem throwing any
> conflicting "Standards", out the window.
>
> I'm also guessing that an "edit field" and an "input field" as
> being one and the same. Nancy's explanation of "The browser reads
> the TEXT that indicates what the field is for, then when it
> reaches the field it says "edit", which indicates the field is
> there." only confused me.
>
> As "input fields" rely on TYPE, NAME, VALUE, and since the VALUE
> can be left empty (i.e. VALUE="" or left out of the coding
> altogether), most times it is left out. People viewing the page
> with their "eyeballs" prefer (for the most part) not to see words
> within the "input field" and any TEXT put within the "coding" for
> VALUE (i.e. VALUE="Enter your Email address"), will show on the
> Web page. So most of us leave out.
>
>
> Website Rob
> Helping people create a Potent Web Site
>
>
> --------------- Original Message ---------------
>
> Date: Fri, 25 May 2001 23:36:17 -0400
> From: "Ray T. Mahorney" <coffee_head(at)coastalnet.com>
> Subject: Re: accessibility question
>
> As a blind user what I think is meant here is that the graphic
> buttons need labels such as submit button or go button  Edit
> fields should be clearly labeled.  I have run into several sites
> where in
> a group of edit fields was not clearly labeled and all a screen
> reader says when encountering these types of fields are the words
> edit or in the case of the above mentioned buttons it will say
> the
> word button  and nothing else.  If you have links on a page a
> text label which explains what the link is rather than the highly
> uninformative click here legend is most helpful.  HTH
>

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