- From: Ian Hickson <ian@hixie.ch>
- Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 05:03:11 +0000 (UTC)
- To: Jeff Schiller <codedread@gmail.com>
- Cc: HTML WG <public-html@w3.org>
On Mon, 3 Aug 2009, Jeff Schiller wrote: > > What is being stated is that there is information pertaining to a table > that would be beneficial to non-sighted users but redundant (and > possibly distracting?) for sighted users. Things like merged > columns/rows, quick synopsis of the 'axis' of a table, etc. Do you > disagree with this? I think it is possible that such information could be constructed, but I think that in practice even accessibility experts are unable to actually draw the line between what fits that bill and what doesn't, and any feature that relies on average authors being able to make that determination is fundamentally too complicated to use, and we should not include it in the language. > > In practice, strictly structural data can be gleaned by navigating the > > table (if you watch usability studies if users with ATs reading > > tables, they quickly get a feel of the table by navigating it, without > > the need for a descripion of the table structure). > > It sounds like you disagree with the idea that spatial/structural > information about a table is useful for non-sighted users because you > watched some usability studies. Please correct my assessment. I think the information is useful, but I don't think in practice it needs to be included explicitly, because the information will, based on usability studies I have seen, be derived by the user from the table structure itself. -- Ian Hickson U+1047E )\._.,--....,'``. fL http://ln.hixie.ch/ U+263A /, _.. \ _\ ;`._ ,. Things that are impossible just take longer. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'
Received on Tuesday, 4 August 2009 05:03:49 UTC