G96: Providing textual identification of items that otherwise rely only on sensory information to be understood

The objective of this technique is to ensure that items within a Web page are referenced in the content not only by shape, size, sound or location, but also in ways that do not depend on that sensory perception. For example, a reference may also describe the function of the item or its label.

Examples

Example 1

A round button is provided on a form to submit the form and move onto the next step in a progression. The button is labeled with the text "go." The instructions state, "to submit the form press the round button labeled go". This includes both shape and textual information to locate the button.

Example 2

Instructions for a Web page providing on-line training state, "Use the list of links to the right with the heading, 'Class Listing' to navigate to the desired on-line course." This description provides location as well as textual clues to help find the correct list of links.

Example 3

The following layout places a button in the lower right corner and indicates it by position. An indication of the text label clarifies which button to use for users who access a linearized version in which the position is not meaningful.

Example Code:


<table>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td colspan="2">Push the lower right [Preview] button.</td>
      <td>
        <span style="background: ButtonFace; color: ButtonText; border: 
        medium outset ButtonShadow; 
        width: 5em; display: block; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
        Print</span>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>
        <span style="background: ButtonFace; color: ButtonText; border: 
        medium outset ButtonShadow; 
        width: 5em; display: block; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
        Cancel</span>
      </td>
      <td>
        <span style="background: ButtonFace; color: ButtonText; border: 
        medium outset ButtonShadow; 
        width: 5em; display: block; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
        OK</span>
      </td>
      <td>
        <span style="background: ButtonFace; color: ButtonText; border: 
        medium outset ButtonShadow; 
        width: 5em; display: block; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">
        Preview</span>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Resources

Related Techniques

Tests

Procedure

Find all references in the Web page that mention the shape, size, or position of an object. For each such item:

Check that the reference contains additional information that allows the item to be located and identified without any knowledge of its shape, size, or relative position.

Expected Results

Check #1 is true.

If this is a sufficient technique for a success criterion, failing this test procedure does not necessarily mean that the success criterion has not been satisfied in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and can not be used to claim conformance.