Re: inconsitency with G122

On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 9:22 AM, WCAG 2.0 Comment Form <nobody@w3.org> wrote:
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> Name: Andrew Arch
> Email: andrew@w3.org
> Affiliation: W3C
> Document: TD
> Item Number: G14
> Part of Item: Examples
> Comment Type: technical
> Summary of Issue: inconsitency with G122
> Comment (Including rationale for any proposed change):
> I was looking at WCAG 2.0 forms techniques to see what might apply to older users - went to two different techniques places and found different suggestions in the examples:
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> http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/WD-WCAG20-TECHS-20080430/G14.html
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> Example 4 recommends an "*" for required fields
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> http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/WD-WCAG20-TECHS-20080430/G122.html
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> Example 1 illustrates the better practice of using words (albeit an abbreviation) and recommends "(req)" for required fields
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> The literature is reporting that older users often have difficulty with the "*" solution (as do/did WindowsEyes users and also others with low-vision). Also, better than "(req)" is "(required)" for required fields - no one should be confused then.
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> Proposed Change:
> Both examples should preferably use "(required)", in addition to colour, to indicate mandatory fields.
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>

================================
Response from the Working Group
================================
We changed G122 as you proposed.

The working group felt it was important to include an example that
includes the use of asterisk because we feel that it is sufficient to
meet the success criterion and its use is commonly understood on the
Web today. However, we added a new sufficient technique and a note to
the example in G14 to highlight ways to reduce the accessibility
challenges caused by the asterisk.

We have added the following note to the example in G14 related to asterisks:
@@ include  note from above

We added a new sufficient technique to SC 3.3.2, "Using label elements
to indicate required form controls", where we discuss using a larger
font size for asterisks and alerting the user to its use at the start
of the form.


Loretta Guarino Reid, WCAG WG Co-Chair
Gregg Vanderheiden, WCAG WG Co-Chair
Michael Cooper, WCAG WG Staff Contact

On behalf of the WCAG Working Group

Received on Friday, 8 August 2008 20:02:41 UTC