The following consensus was reached by Protocols and Formats Working Group during its teleconference of Wednesday, 3 June 2009 …
We note that summary is often used as a technique for accessibility support where governmental regulations require governmental web sites to be accessible. … [link to Guide to the Section 508 Standards for Electronic and Information Technology, Subpart B - Technical Standards, Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (1194.22), Section (g) "Data Table"]
If summary is removed [from HTML 5], U.S. Government web sites, might find it more difficult to conform to HTML 5. We further note that Section 508 regulations apply to U.S. state and local governments, and that similar accessibility requirements are emerging in Canada, the U.K., the E.U., Australia, and elsewhere.
Web developers who are interested in summarizing their tables should consider placing their descriptions either adjacent to their tables or in the body of the table, using such tags as the CAPTION tag.
On June 4, 2009, Ian Hickson, editor of the HTML 5 specification, replied:
As far as I can tell this concern is unfounded; the <caption> attribute is in fact encouraged by the very same government (as quoted above) to be used exactly as HTML5 recommends in a manner consistent with the goals of the summary=”" attribute.
HTML 5, Editor’s Draft as of this writing:
For tables that consist of more than just a grid of cells with headers in the first row and headers in the first column, and for any table in general where the reader might have difficulty understanding the content, authors should include explanatory information introducing the table. This information is useful for all users, but is especially useful for users who cannot see the table, e.g. users of screen readers.
Such explanatory information should introduce the purpose of the table, outline its basic cell structure, highlight any trends or patterns, and generally teach the user how to use the table.
There are a variety of ways to include this information, such as:
- In prose, surrounding the table
- In the table’s caption
- In the table’s caption, in a details element
- Next to the table, in the same figure
- Next to the table, in a figure’s legend
Authors may also use other techniques, or combinations of the above techniques, as appropriate.
If a table element has a summary attribute, the user agent may report the contents of that attribute to the user.
PF responded on these questions formally. We would appreciate the basic human courtessy of acknowledgment. If you don’t like what we said, please speak to that. But kindly don’t simply ignore us. [link to the June 3, 2009 message announcing the consensus of the Protocols and Formats Working Group]
On July 7, 2009, Ian Hickson, editor of the HTML 5 specification, replied:
That e-mail received a reply some weeks ago: [link to Ian Hickson's message of June 4, 2009]
Is there a formal reply to that e-mail?
No, we don’t make formal replies to individuals.
On August 2, 2009, John Foliot wrote:
I maintain that it is not the role of the HTML WG, and the editor in particular, to be offering this guidance, especially when it contradicts the consensus position of the W3C Group chartered to speak on web accessibility issues. Simply put, you are messing in somebody else’s yard, and it is against W3C process to be doing so. If HTML WG feel that they have compelling evidence and data that suggests that the WCAG guidance needs to be reviewed and revised, there is a process for that.
On August 3, 2009, Ian Hickson responded to John Foliot:
I didn’t want to be the one to have to explain this to you, but nobody else is doing so, so here goes: The W3C process doesn’t actually require that working groups agree, or not contradict each other. The WAI’s mission is not binding on other working groups.
On August 3, 2009, at approximately 7:51 pm, Roy Fielding wrote:
I have no opinion on the value of @summary other than noting the likelihood that its support will be required for some FIPS or government statute for accessibility, and therefore deprecating it within HTML5 will just make HTML5 look stupid.
Web developers who are interested in summarizing their tables should consider placing their descriptions either adjacent to their tables or in the body of the table, using such tags as the CAPTION tag.
On August 3, 2009, at approximately 7:59 pm, Roy Fielding wrote:
[A]uthors are clearly not served by a specification that tells them caption and summary are the same and all such information must be relegated to caption. As an implementor of content management systems used by government agencies in several different countries, I will not conform to any HTML specification that deprecates or fails to define @summary.
Web developers who are interested in summarizing their tables should consider placing their descriptions either adjacent to their tables or in the body of the table, using such tags as the CAPTION tag.
On May 23, 2006, Joe Clark wrote:
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group [part of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)] is the worst committee, group, company, or organization I’ve ever worked with. Several of my friends and I were variously ignored; threatened with ejection from the group or actually ejected; and actively harassed.
In response to Joe Clark’s article, John Foliot wrote:
I can attest to knowing a regular participant to the [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines] WG discussion list who has been shut down and ignored on more than one occasion, and I personally have been dismissed by other working groups within the W3C. … So the behavior and treatment described by Joe is not unknown any time you strongly voice an opinion counter to the internal W3C herd.
On August 2, 2009, John Foliot wrote:
I have submitted an alternative [HTML 5] Draft document for consideration; one which I believe rightly returns the role of author guidance for creating accessible content to the W3C WAI – the group officially chartered by the W3C to speak to these matters. It is a question of respect.
On August 4, 2009, Ian Hickson asked:
Are you saying that for you, it is more important that HTML5 not contradict other W3C specifications, than it be that HTML5 address accessibility problems with the HTML language?
On August 4, 2009, John Foliot responded to Ian Hickson:
You needs to stop contradicting WAI, even if you have proof that WAI might need to update their guidance. …
Contradictory information *harms* the overall outreach aspect of teaching people how to create accessible web content, and I speak from the position of one who actually does that for a living, and have been doing so for close to a decade. THE MESSAGE WE SEND TO THE WORLD’S WEB DEVELOPERS MUST BE CONSISTENT!
Web developers who are interested in summarizing their tables should consider placing their descriptions either adjacent to their tables or in the body of the table, using such tags as the CAPTION tag.
On August 3, 2009, Roy Fielding wrote:
John [Foliot]’s point is that the W3C has a group specifically tasked to make accessibility recommendations.
On August 3, 2009, David Baron responded to Roy Fielding:
Has that group weighed in in this debate, in response to the evidence presented? Or is it just that an out-of-date (i.e., not updated in response to newer evidence) recommendation of that group is being cited?
On August 3, 2009, Roy Fielding responded to David Baron:
I don’t know — it isn’t a relevant question. The group exists [link to W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)] and seems to be open for your input.
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