RE: LC 654: failure due to omitting form labels (once more)

Thanks, John. I'm sending an updated failure with an additional test for 
input of type=radio and type=checkbox. I hope this covers what we want it 
to cover.


Short Name: Failure due to omitting labels for form controls for item 
selection or text input
Technique Category: HTML Techniques
Guideline Reference: content-structure-separation-programmatic
Success Criterion Reference: SC 1.3.1 (and 4.1.2)


Applicability:
HTML and XHTML controls that use external labels


UA Issues:
The HTML specification allows both implicit and explicit labels. However, 
many assistive technologies do not correctly handle implicit labels (for 
example, <label>First name <input type="text" name="firstname" /></label>).

[This is copied from technique H44: Using label elements to associate text 
labels with form controls]


Description:
The objective of this technique is to describe a failure that occurs when 
no label elements are used to explicitly associate a form control with a 
label where the visual design allows the use of labels.

[Notes below are copied from H44.]

Note 1: Elements that use explicitly associated labels are
* input type="text",
* input type="checkbox",
* input type="radio",
* input type="file",
* input type="password",
* textarea,
* select.

Note 2: The label element is not used for the following:
* submit and reset buttons (input type="submit" or input type="reset"),
* image buttons (input type="image"),
* hidden input fields (input type="hidden"),
* script buttons (button elements or <input type="button">).

Note 3: Labels for these elements are implicitly associated via the value 
attribute (for Submit and Reset buttons), the alt attribute (for image 
buttons), or element content (button).


Related Techniques:
H44: Using label elements to associate text labels with form controls
H65: Using the title attribute to identify form controls when the label 
element cannot be used



Test Procedure:
For all input elements of type text, file or password, for all textareas 
and for all select elements in the Web unit:

1. check that the visual design allows the use of labels;
2. if step 1 is true, check that a label element that identifies the 
purpose of the control is associated with the input element;
3. if step 1 is false, check that the input element has a title attribute 
that identifies the purpose of the control.
[Note: for consistency, the procedure of H44 needs to be changed to use 
wording like identifies the purpose of the control" instead of "at least 
one printable character".]


For all input elements of type radio or checkbox in the Web unit:

4. check that a label element that identifies the purpose of the control is 
associated with the input element.


Expected Result:
If step 2, 3 or 4 is false, then this failure condition applies and the 
content fails the success criterion.


Additional Notes:
This also applies to SC 4.1.2. See LC comment 654:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/issue-tracking/viewdata_individual.php?id=654.



Regards,

Christophe


-- 
Christophe Strobbe
K.U.Leuven - Departement of Electrical Engineering - Research Group on 
Document Architectures
Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 - 3001 Leuven-Heverlee - BELGIUM
tel: +32 16 32 85 51
http://www.docarch.be/


Disclaimer: http://www.kuleuven.be/cwis/email_disclaimer.htm

Received on Tuesday, 18 July 2006 12:43:25 UTC