re: test 59

<Chris wrote>
>59 - INPUT element with type of "image" must have Alt text that describes
>the purpose of the control.
>http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/tests/test59.html
</end Chris >

I hate to advocate not putting alt text on images but I think this should 
be an optional test.  The alt text should only be only necessary if the 
input element does NOT have a label associated with it.   If the label is 
available the alt text should not be necessary to describe the purpose of 
the control - the label should do that.  I know we don't base our testing 
on how particular user agents perform but I did test this with JAWS 5.1 
(with default installation settings).  It will read the label text 
followed by the word "button" for an input element of type image.  It does 
not read the alt text in this case (although I suspect I could change 
settings to make it read the alt text as well).
<label for="inputImg">Input Image Button</label><input type="image" 
id="inputImg"  name="inputImgWithLabel" alt="picture of penguins" 
src="..\images\on the move.jpg" />

Also, I am confused by the example in the test.  The default action of an 
input type="image" is to submit a form.  The pass example does not have 
any event handlers so the default action would be to submit. But, the 
label for this button is "Name" - I don't think this makes sense? 

-becky
Becky Gibson
Web Accessibility Architect
                                                       
IBM Emerging Internet Technologies
5 Technology Park Drive
Westford, MA 01886
Voice: 978 399-6101; t/l 333-6101
Email: gibsonb@us.ibm.com