Re: How to make complex data tables more accessible to screen-reader users

Ian Hickson wrote:
> If the chairs disagree, and believe that this is a non-technical issue, or
> believe that technical issues should be resovled by vote, then I would
> recommend having something like the following options:
>
>   ( ) I support the design of the HTML4 working group.
>       (Including the summary="" attribute on tables.)
>
>   ( ) I support the design currently in Ian's HTML5 proposal.
>       (Suggesting that tables should be described in captions.)
>
>  ( ) I support the design currently in Rob's HTML5 proposal.
>      (Allowing summary="", but saying it doesn't work.)
>
>  ( ) I have another proposal. Describe it below.

Personally, I don't support the idea of combining the summary and 
caption together because their content and purpose are different, and so 
I don't think the spec should encourage it as the preferred solution. 
But I am also strongly opposed to pretending that summary="" is even a 
remotely acceptable solution, at least without any empirical data 
demonstrating that it is.  I think the other solutions described for 
including explanatory text in the surrounding prose are acceptable and 
should be encouraged instead.

-- 
Lachlan Hunt - Opera Software
http://lachy.id.au/
http://www.opera.com/

Received on Sunday, 5 July 2009 12:02:47 UTC