Data table with thead, tfoot but no th Screen reader compatibility

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 64 screen reader / browser combinations

For expected failures, the results show which AT combos the failures affect. Results are recorded from the user's viewpoint, so describe the user impact of authoring errors.

Code used for this test:

		<table>
		  <thead>
			<tr>
			  <td><strong>Morning</strong></td>
			  <td><strong>Afternoon</strong></td>
			</tr>
		  </thead>
		  <tfoot>
			<tr>
			  <td>9am to 12pm</td>
			  <td>2pm to 5pm</td>
			</tr>
		  </tfoot>
		  <tbody>
			<tr>
			  <td>Free</td>
			  <td>Busy</td>
			</tr>
		  </tbody>
		</table>
	

Change History

Last updated: December 12, 2023

• NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
• NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2012.3 to NVDA 2019.2
• NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2012.3 to NVDA 2023.3
• JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
• JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 14.0.9002 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
• JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 14.0.9002 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
• VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.9 to VoiceOver macOS 13.6
• VoiceOver iOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver iOS 8.4, but now OK in VoiceOver iOS 16.6
• WindowEyes with IE Stable - OK from WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
• Dolphin with IE OK in Dolphin SR 15.05
• SaToGo with IE OK in SaToGo 3.4.96.0

SortSite rules: AccHtmlTableNoHeaders

Test notes

All tests were carried out with screen reader factory settings. JAWS in particular has a wide variety of settings controlling exactly what gets spoken.

Screen readers allow users to interact in different modes, and can produce very different results in each mode. The modes used in these tests are:

• Reading Content read using the “read next” command in a screen reader
• Tabbing Content read using the “tab” key in a screen reader
• Heading Content read using the “next heading” key in a screen reader
• Touch Content read when touching an area of screen on a mobile device

In the “What the user hears” column:

• Commas represent short pauses in screen reader voicing
• Full Stops represent places where voicing stops, and the “read next” or “tab” or “next heading” command is pressed again
• Ellipsis … represent a long pause in voicing
• (Brackets) represent voicing that requires a keystroke to hear