Each of the screen readers handles HTML differently. Basically each uses a
different model for interpreting the underlying code of the specific
graphical presentation that is being encountered. Bottom line on web pages
is too look at the HTML 4.0 specification and follow it to the letter. In
the HTML spec you will find a very good discussion of tags and their
attributes and the subsequent impact on the accessibility of the web pages
being developed.

Ron Stewart

-----Original Message-----
From: Howard Kramer [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 9:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: EASI Digest - 12 Feb 2001 to 13 Feb 2001 (#2001-42)


Hi John,

No, I don't think that wasn't the gist of my question.  I wasn't sure if
other screenreaders behaved like JAWS in this manner.  I've since come to
understand that they may not, therefore the need for the "th" attribute.
If all other technologies did read the first row automatically as a header
row, seems like there wouldn't be a purpose to the extra coding.

Thanks,

Howard


>Date:    Tue, 13 Feb 2001 17:17:19 -0800
>From:    John Gardner <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Need for table headers
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
>I hope you are not equating "correctness" with Jaws.  Jaws essentially
>turns tables into lists for users.  If lists were good enough, nobody would
>need tables.  So mark up information correctly whether or not one
>particular accessibility tool happens to give proper access.  Something
>better than Jaws will eventually come along.
>
>John Gardner
>
>At 05:01 PM 2/13/01 -0700, you wrote:
>>I've noticed that JAWS will read the first row of a table in a Web page as
>>a table header by default regardeless of whether the "th" tag is used for
>>the first row.  Therefore is there a reason to use the "th" tag?  It
>>doesn't seem to serve a purpose (unless you want to use the "abbr" tag).
>>Thanks in advance for any assistance.
>>
>>Howard Kramer
>>Assistive Technology Lab Coordinator
>>Disability Services
>>CU-Boulder, Campus Box 107
>>Boulder, Co  80309
>>303-492-8672
>
>John Gardner
>Professor and Director, Science Access Project
>Department of Physics
>Oregon State University
>Corvallis, OR 97331-6507
>tel: (541) 737 3278
>FAX: (541) 737 1683
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>URL: http://dots.physics.orst.edu
>

Howard Kramer
Assistive Technology Lab Coordinator
Disability Services
CU-Boulder, Campus Box 107
Boulder, Co  80309
303-492-8672