Re: Required Form Fields Question

Easiest way to make sure  screen reader users know a certain field is required, in my opinion, is to add aria-required="true" to the input tag.
For example for a first name text field:
<input id="first-name" type="text" maxlength="50" value="" name="rel_first" aria-required="true" ></input>

I also recommended, here at MD Anderson, since most of our forms can get pretty lengthly, to add at the beginning of the form "All fields are required except those marked as optional.", and then only mark the optional fields with the word "Optional".  Makes it clearer and cleaner.


Geri Druckman
Web Development Specialist - Accessibility
Department of Internet Services
MD Anderson Cancer Center
T 713-792-6293 | F 713-745-8134

From: <Homme>, James <james.homme@highmark.com<mailto:james.homme@highmark.com>>
Date: Thursday, March 6, 2014 10:55 AM
To: "w3c-wai-ig@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>>
Subject: Required Form Fields Question
Resent-From: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>>
Resent-Date: Thursday, March 6, 2014 10:56 AM

Hi,
If a required field symbol is on screen, immediately to the left of a form field, but outside the label tag, so that a screen reader user has to exit Form mode to see it, does that violate that a required field must be programmibly determined?

Thanks.

Jim


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