Section 4.4: Evaluation approaches

Evaluating accessible data tables

Now that you have your data tables, you want to determine if they comply with accessibility guidelines.

Evaluation Issues for Data Tables

For each data table on the page, you should ask:

1. Is a summary needed? If so, is it provided?
2. Is any additional description necessary to understand the table, either on the page or as link to a longer description?
3. Does each table have a meaningful title next to the table or should a caption be used?
4. Are all row headers marked?
5. Are all column headers marked?
6. If it is a complex table, are there unique id attributes associated with each header, and corresponding headers associated with each data cell (td element)?

Tools for Evaluating Data Tables

There are tools that can be used to identify whether a table has the appropriate markup. However, the need for a summary or other description as well as the appropriateness of the summary and description will require your judgment.

To use an automated tool, you can do either of the following:

1. If you use Internet Explorer, Download and install the Accessibility Toolbar at www.visionaustralia.org.au/ais/toolbar. Read Accessibility toolbar set-up directions. This toolbar offers some different options for checking tables when the table is open in your IE browser.
   1. In the Accessibility Toolbar, there is a button called Structure.
   2. From the choices in the Structures menu, you can select "Simple Data Table" or "Complex Data Table". The page changes to show your page with the Table codes labeled.
   3. In the results you are looking for information about a caption and summary if there are any and if you think they are needed.
   4. Look for whether all the headers in both columns and rows are marked. It will show a th if table headers are marked with the column headers and row headers.
   5. For simple data tables the tool looks for scope attributes and for Complex data tables it looks for scope, header and id attributes.
   
   
   
   OR
2. For Internet Explorer or Firefox, download and install the RampWeb Section 508 Toolbar www.rampweb.com/Accessibility_Resources/Section508/download.asp Read RampWeb toolbar set-up directions. With the table open in your browser:
   1. In the RampWeb Toolbar, select the button "Section 508 tests". Then there is a button called "Structure." Select the right side to dropdown the options
   2. From the choices move to "Structure", then "Tables", and then "Show Table headers". The page changes to show your page with the Table codes labeled.
   3. In the results you are looking for information about a caption and summary if there are any and if you think they are needed.
   4. Look for whether the headers in both columns and rows that should be marked are marked. It will show a th if table headers are marked with the column headers and row headers.
   5. In many cases, for a Simple data table you look for scope attributes, and for Complex data tables, you look for header and id attributes. The header and id attributes can be used for either kind of table but chances are that a Complex table will need both attributes because you have to be more specific about associating a data cell with particular headers.
   
   
   
   

Activity 4: Evaluating the Accessibility of Data Tables

Use the tools discussed to evaluate some tables. See if you can determine if they have some accessibility concerns.

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3