New technique: Technique 10.3.1 [priority 3] Generate a linear text alternative for all TABLEs

Michael wrote:
<blockquote>
Checkpoint 10.3 - Until user agents (including assistive technologies) 
render side-by-side text correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on 
the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in 
parallel, word-wrapped columns
New Technique: only trigger if table has been determined to be a layout 
table, and it has more than one column
</blockquote>
This needs to be triggered for all tables, especially data tables.   The 
reason is that, especially for data tables, if a screen reader/user agent 
can not sort out the information cell by cell or row by row, the user may 
not have access to any of the information in a usable form.  Note that this 
is a priority 3.

Thus, I created:
<blockquote>
Technique 10.3.1 [priority 3] Generate a linear text alternative for all TABLEs
Discussion Status:
awaiting discussion
Evaluation:
All TABLE elements will trigger this technique.
Example Language:
Please consult the definition of linearized table. This checkpoint benefits 
people with user agents (such as some screen readers) that are unable to 
handle blocks of text presented side-by-side; the checkpoint should not 
discourage content developers from using tables to represent tabular 
information.
Repair Technique:
If it has been determined that the table is used for layout (see Technique 
5.1.1) then create a linear version of the table by: [@@insert heuristics 
from table linearizer - basically replace TABLE markup with text structural 
markup].
If it has been determined that the table is used for data (see Technique 
5.1.1) then create a linear version of the table by: [@@table linearizer 
heuristics?  basically, for each cell repeat the column and row headers 
associated with it].
Test Files and Discussion Files:
Table linearizer
Trace "HelpDB"
other examples
</blockquote>
--
wendy a chisholm
world wide web consortium
web accessibility initiative
madison, wi usa
tel: +1 608 663 6346
/--

Received on Friday, 28 January 2000 15:40:03 UTC