RE: Form labels

Hi Jim

Please post this to the Public comments list so we are sure to cover this.
John I right, it is covered -- but we need to make sure it is clear one way
or the other.  And if you couldn't find it....

So please post it - you can just paste this in as you have it here. 

Thanks 



Gregg

 -- ------------------------------ 
Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D. 
Professor - Ind. Engr. & BioMed Engr.
Director - Trace R & D Center 
University of Wisconsin-Madison 
The Player for my DSS sound file is at http://tinyurl.com/dho6b 

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On Behalf
Of Jim Thatcher
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 7:07 PM
To: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Subject: Form labels


I apologize for raising issues here. 

I am doing final copy editing of a book chapter on forms.

I had talked about how clear the January version of WCAG20 was about forms:

SC 4.1.3 The label of each user interface control in the Web content that
accepts input from the user can be programmatically determined and is
explicitly associated with the control.

But now that has apparently been replaced by:

SC 4.1.2 For all user interface components, the name and role can be
programmatically determined, values that can be set by the user can be
programmatically set, and notification of changes to these items is
available to user agents, including assistive technologies.

The problem is that 4.1.2 is absolutely inadequate. The "Role" of text input
field is "text input"; the name could be "keyinput". 4.1.2 is basic software
accessibility - leaving to the AT the process of figuring out what the
prompt (label) is.

I just talked with John (who sounds terrific) and he pointed out that - 

1.3.1 Information and relationships conveyed through presentation can be
programmatically determined, and notification of changes to these is
available to user agents, including assistive technologies. 

Served the same purpose as 4.1.3 - I agree. But it is abstract. It requires
interpretation. 

With the Last Call version of WCAG 2.0 there is no success criterion that
specifically addresses labeling forms and I think that is a very serious
mistake.

Please reinstate 4.1.3. 

Jim
 
Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
512-306-0931

Received on Wednesday, 24 May 2006 03:59:25 UTC