label placement contradictions

Checkpoint 10.2 has labels preceding fields, which make obvious good sense
for text fields.

However, for radio buttons and checkboxes, which one can think of as
"bullet" controls because they look like bullets, Chuck's curriculum
example has the label following the controls.  See
http://www.starlingweb.com/wai/three/sam75-0.htm

Question: do we change the checkpoint or Chuck's example?

I think we should consider switching to what Chuck has for bullet style
controls.

The first reason is that  I think first of all that we'll get pushback from
designers if we want them to reverse the order.

Second of all, since most pages have the fields following bullet style
controls, it could be that people using screenreaders are accustomed to it,
even if it's non-optimal, and it would actually be confusing to change.

Eventually, when user agents support associations between form controls and
labels, the position will not matter.

I suggest that so few pages will go with the order we recommend before that
time, that we change the recommendation or possibly downgrade to priority 3
for checkboxes and radio buttons.

What do folks who use screenreaders think?

Please note that I am not suggesting this order for text fields.  Only for
bullet style controls.

Anyway, I'll be talking with a bunch of webmasters monday.  I'll let you
know what they think.

Len




-------
Leonard R. Kasday, Ph.D.
Universal Design Engineer, Institute on Disabilities/UAP, and
Adjunct Professor, Electrical Engineering
Temple University

Ritter Hall Annex, Room 423, Philadelphia, PA 19122
kasday@acm.org        
(215} 204-2247 (voice)
(800) 750-7428 (TTY)

Received on Sunday, 13 June 1999 15:52:37 UTC