inaccessible tables used in QA weblog (accessified table for ARIA analysis)

aloha!

in order to use the table located at:

http://www.w3.org/QA/2008/05/syntax_for_aria_costbenefit_an.html#table

it was first necessary for me to add:

  1. a summary

  2. headers/id associations

  3. scope associations

  4. use of WCAG2 Technique C7 to provide contextual information to 
     screen-readers and non-CSS-capable browsers for the footnote 
     links

  5. the placement of the "notes" on the table into a TFOOT

this provides the basic level of support so that i, as a totally blind
user, can use my assistive technology to make sense of the data presented
in a tabular form...  i have attached the "accessified" table to this 
post. (note: it validates as XHTML 1.0 Strict according to the W3C 
validator)

i'm quite disappointed that the Q&A weblog (and other "official" W3C 
resources that are generated via templates) do NOT conform to WCAG 1.0; 
tables MUST include, AT THE VERY LEAST:

  1. a summary

  2. headers/id associations

  3. use of the scope attribute

so that one does not need to rely on one's sense of sight and ability to 
visually associate data with its labels...

this isn't just nit-picking; it is an important consideration -- if we 
are to have others do as the W3C says, then it is IMPERATIVE that W3C 
resources be as WCAG-compliant as possible...  there are no ifs, ands,
or buts about it -- all W3C resources should apply WCAG techniques to
ensure the maximum usability and accessibility of W3C materials

thank you,
gregory j. rosmaita
-------------------------------------------------------------------
CYNIC, n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, 
not as they ought to be. Hence the custom among the Scythians of 
plucking out a cynic's eyes to improve his vision.
                         -- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
-------------------------------------------------------------------
          Gregory J. Rosmaita, oedipus@hicom.net
UBATS - United Blind Advocates for Talking Signs: http://ubats.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Received on Tuesday, 20 May 2008 19:46:08 UTC