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Additional Resources

Using TH and TD to identify table headers - WAI recommended technique.

Identifying rows and column information - WAI recommended technique.

Separating structure and presentation - WAI recommended technique.

View WAI checkpoint 5.1 - For data tables, identify row and column headers.

View WAI checkpoint 5.2 - For data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells and header cells.

View WAI checkpoint 5.3 - Do not use tables for layout unless the table makes sense when linearized. Otherwise, if the table does not make sense, provide an alternative equivalent.

View WAI checkpoint 5.5 - Provide summaries for tables.

View WAI checkpoint 5.6 - Provide abbreviations for header labels.

Priority 1 Item 13
For data tables, identify row and column headers. Use markup to associate data cells with header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.


(Example Data Table) Daily Time Schedule
 
Morning
Afternoon
Bob
9:00 - 11:30
2:00 - 3:30
Sue
11:30 - noon
4:00 - 6:30

 

 

Do

The HTML

<table width="60%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="2" summary="This table shows the morning and afternoon time schedules for Bob and Sue. width="60%">
<caption>
Daily Time Schedule
</caption>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<th scope="col">Morning</th>
<th scope="col">Afternoon</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Bob</th>
<td>9:00 - 11:30</td>
<td>2:00 - 3:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th scope="row">Sue</th>
<td>11:30 - noon</td>
<td>4:00 - 6:30</td>
</tr>
</table>

Don't Do

The HTML

<table width="60%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="2" width="60%">
<caption>
Daily Time Schedule
</caption>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Morning</td>
<td>Afternoon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bob</td>
<td>9:00 - 11:30</td>
<td>2:00 - 3:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sue</td>
<td>11:30 - noon</td>
<td>4:00 - 6:30</td>
</tr>
</table>