[Accessibility_sig] Search question

[Jim Thatcher]

Hi James,

I don't think using the title attribute on an input control is a hack. It is
providing additional information in a good way. Window-Eyes and JAWS on
Windows do support title on form controls - as should VoiceOver.

Jim
 
Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
512-306-0931

-----Original Message-----
From: accessibility_sig-bounces at knowbility.org
[mailto:accessibility_sig-bounces at knowbility.org] On Behalf Of James Craig
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 8:18 PM
To: Discussion list for web and software accessibility issues
Subject: Re: [Accessibility_sig] Search question

The title attribute is not read on some screen readers, including the
most recent version of VoiceOver for Mac OS X. The only "hidden label"
trick I know that will work in all known screen readers is the
position-the-label-text-off-screen method. This is a hack too, of
course, but is apparently the lesser of many evil ways to hide form
labels from sighted users and still have them spoken by screen
readers.

James


On Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 12:23 PM, Jim Thatcher <jim at jimthatcher.com> wrote:
> Yup - as Mike says title attribute is fine. Added value is that the title
>  content appears as a text pop-up mouse-over. You should never, IMO, add
>  stuff just to please a backwards tool. Note test #11 at
>  http://jimthatcher.com/testing4.htm.
>
>  Jim
>
>  Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
>  512-306-0931
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: accessibility_sig-bounces at knowbility.org
>  [mailto:accessibility_sig-bounces at knowbility.org] On Behalf Of Moore,
>  Michael
>  Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 2:09 PM
>  To: aronn at knowbility.org; Discussion list for web and software
accessibility
>  issues
>  Subject: Re: [Accessibility_sig] Search question
>
>  Lift looks for a label element.  The search form uses the title
>  attribute to provide accessibility because there is no. There is no
>  accessibility issue. There is not a visible label there to wrap a tag
>  around. Jim Thatcher's book lists this as an acceptable method when a
>  visible label does not exist.    If you really feel that passing lift is
>  important you have two choices.  Add a visible label "Search" to the
>  left of the text input, or create a label and "hide" it using CSS,
>  basically by positioning it off screen. If you do this you will probably
>  want to change the text in the button that launches the search.
>
>  BTW a border is appearing around the field set that contains the search
>  form. I am not sure if you want that.
>
>  mike
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: accessibility_sig-bounces at knowbility.org
>  [mailto:accessibility_sig-bounces at knowbility.org] On Behalf Of Aimee
>  Ronn (Knowbility)
>  Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 1:59 PM
>  To: accessibility_sig at knowbility.org
>  Subject: [Accessibility_sig] Search question
>
>  Knowbility's "Search" form which appears on the top right hand corner of
>  each page is being rated "inaccessible" by LIFT. Is LIFT up-to-date?
>  What would make the "Search" form accessible? Also, via Google, I found
>  several pages recommending what to do, but the newest page was 2006. Any
>  suggestions on where to look and how? Thanks so much.
>
>  Aimee Ronn
>
>  --
>  Aimee Ronn
>  Web Master
>  Knowbility
>
>  aronn at knowbility.org
>  www.knowbility.org
>  voice: 512-305-0312
>  fax: 512-305-0009
>
>

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