Does 5.1 absolutely require TH?

Greetings.

I imagine that this has come up before, but I searched for the answer to this question on the WAI site and in the list archives, so you can shame me with a URL, please do so...  This question is currently being discussed on the Section 508 Listserv at Trace if your are subscribed there too.  I would like to take a little different tact on the issue.

> 5.1  For data tables, identify row and column headers.  For example, in HTML, use TD to identify data cells and TH to identify headers.

Does 5.1 require the addition of table cells if the author had not otherwise planned to include headers?

I am thinking of a simple but possibly longish table that just lists addresses.  Such a table linearizes quite nicely and the screen reader user is not really at any disadvantage.  I don't believe I need to resort to the argument that this is layout table to avoid adding code.  Just to be clear, follows is an HTML page fragment of what I have in mind.  In actuality, the list would have many more than three items, not that this should matter.  Does the answer change if the first item in each row is a name?

<!-- begin code example -->
You will find our Bank ATMs at the following locations:
<table>
  <tr><td>123 Main Street</td><td>Albany</td><td>NY</td><td>12345</td></tr>
  <tr><td>456 North South Street</td><td>Baltimore</td><td>MD</td><td>21098</td></tr>
  <tr><td>789 South North Street</td><td>Washington</td><td>DC</td><td>20202</td></tr>
</table>
<!-- end code example -->

Received on Friday, 3 September 2004 16:58:49 UTC