Re: PROPOSAL: Checkpoints related to TABLE accessibility

My (rough) comments interspersed - look for CMN:: and JG::

On Fri, 22 Jan 1999, Jon Gunderson wrote:

  This is a proposal for checkpoints related to Table Accessibility for
  Desktop Graphical User Agent and Assistive Techmology Conformance.  The
  conformance checkpoints for each are divided into sections that are clearly
  marked.  There is NO single tables section of the current working draft,
  therefore the checkpoints related to tables are listed under an appropriate
  guideline for that checkpoint.  The guideline a checkpoint is listed under
  is stated as part of this proposal.  
  
  Note: Some checkpoints listed in this proposal are more general than
  providing access to table elements.
  
  Checkpoints related to Assistive Technology Conformance for Tables
  =================================================================
  
  The following checkpoints are proposed for conformance subset for assistive
  technologies for providing access to tables (note the Priority 2 items
  would not be required for conformance):
  
  Under Guideline 4.3 "Allow the user to chose formatting solutions" would
  have the following checkpoints:
  
  Checkpoint 4.3.1 [Priority 1]
  Allow the user to view one table cell at a time with associated header
  information

CMN:: 
I would split this so there is a seperate checkpoint about
associating header information (based on 4.3.3 - see below), which I think
is strictly a P2 (although
only just below P1).
  
  Rationale: Users must have access to the contents of an individual cell and
  know what the associated header information is for that cell.  This can be
  used by speech, Braille or enlargement assistive technologies.
  
  Checkpoint 4.3.2 [Priority 2]
  Allow the user to view one row or one column of a table at a time with
  associated header information

CMN::
I would combine this with checkpoint 5.5.2 (below), and remove the
statement about headers (as discussed in relation to 4.3.1 (above) to give
the following, which probably belongs in section 5.
  
 Charles' revised Checkpoint 5.5.2: Allow the user to navigate between
cells of a table, by row or by column. [priority 1]
 Rationale: the two-dimensional structure of a table is an important part
of the information contained within the table. Navigation of that
structure is the only way to extract that information.
 Techniques: Visual - scrolling up/down and left/right (as provided by
scrollbars). Moving a focus from cell to cell. Presenting individual rows
or columns on request.
 Aural: Moving a focus from cell to cell. presenting individual
rows/columns, cell by cell.
 (There are bound to be others too. These are the ones that spring to
my mind)

JG::
  Rationale: In some cases rendering a row or column of information is
  important for efficiently accessing the information of the document.
  
  Checkpoint 4.3.3 [Priority 1 or 2]
  Allow the user to request assumptions be made about table header
  information when table header information is not available or is incomplete.

CMN::
  Checkpoints which : 
        1. Provide header information for table cells (TH associated by
COL, COLGROUP, ROW, SCOPE, HEADERS, etc.) [P1]
        2. Allow the user to request assumed headers, generated by the
HTML 4.0 algroithm [p3]
        3. Provide an outline view of the document which associates
Headings with following Paragraphs, lists, etc. [P3]
        
 
  Rationale: This is a table repair technique for poorly written documents
  that include tables.  
  
  Underline Guideline 5.5 "Allow keyboard navigation of the document and
  views of the document" would have the following checkpoints:
  
  Checkpoint 5.5.2 [Priority 1]
  Allow users to navigate between cells of a table

CMN::
See comments on 4.3.2 above

JG::  
  Rationale: Basic navigation commands like left/right, up/down and
  beginning/end are needed for efficient access to table information.  The
  concept of a cell focus (point of regard) would be implied by the
  functionality, rather than explicitly stated in the checkpoint.  It is
  important since tables are a unique structure within a document.  The
  guidelines should highlight the unique navigation that is required for
  efficient table element navigation.  
  
  Checkpoint 5.5.3 [Priority 1]
  Allow users to navigate between structural elements of the document
  
  Rationale: This is a general statement on structural navigation of document
  content.  But it relates to tables because it would include the ability to
  move between nested tables, since the nesting is a structural component of
  the document.
  
  Checkpoint 5.2.7 [Priority 1 or 2] (modification of current checkpoint)
  Provide the user with information about the about a table and the current
  table cell
  
  Rationale: The user should be able to ask the system at any time about the
  summary attribute information, the size of the current table, the
  row/column position of the current cell they are viewing in the table and
  if the table is embedded in another table.  This can help the user orient
  to the document structure and plan their navigation strategy.
  
  
  
  
  Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
  Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
  Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
  University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
  1207 S. Oak Street
  Champaign, IL 61820
  
  Voice: 217-244-5870
  Fax: 217-333-0248
  E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu
  WWW:	http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund
  	http://www.als.uiuc.edu/InfoTechAccess
  

--Charles McCathieNevile -  mailto:charles@w3.org
phone: * +1 (617) 258 0992 *  http://purl.oclc.org/net/charles
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative -  http://www.w3.org/WAI
545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, USA

Received on Wednesday, 27 January 1999 12:56:07 UTC