RE: A table navigation technique

Hi,
Actually, I found that the linearization of tables often helped visually
impaired to understand the relationships better.  On several occasions,
blind users said that finally the layout and the purpose made
sense.  An option for changing type of annotation depending
on a heuristic which attempted to figure out if the table was for
layout seems to be helpful too.

Scott

> How useful would it be for tables used for page layout?  It could be more
> confusing than helpful.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Gunderson [mailto:jongund@staff.uiuc.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 1998 8:58 AM
> To: w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
> Subject: RE: A table navigation technique
> 
> 
> There has been alot of focus on the blind and linearization of tables.  If
> that was the only group that would benefit from linearization I would have
> a hard time supporting direct implmentation since screen readers could do
> the conversion for the user and those users would need to use a screen
> reader, although I would still rate it as priority 1 item since it is
> needed by the user.  
> 
> But there are other groups that will not be using screen readers to access
> dcouments with tables that could benefit from linearization.  Like people
> with visual impairments and people with some types of learning
> disabilities.  It is most likely that these groups will not be using any
> type of assistive technology that could do the conversion.  
> 
> In a study we did here at UIUC with low vision students.  We found the most
> difficult task we asked them to perform was to find some information in a
> simple data table (3 out of 4 visually impaired students could not complete
> the task).  
> 
> So how do we address the needs of these disabilities related to table
> linearization?
> 
>

Received on Tuesday, 17 November 1998 14:55:27 UTC