[Athen] Accessible tables in Word

[Brandon Orwig-Price]

One of the easiest ways that I have found is via “Document Accessibility Toolbar” https://www.visionaustralia.org/dat it as an add-on for Word (not sure if it works on mac.) It has many useful features for testing, but my favorite is its ability to edit the underlying XML to properly set the scope for tables. Their site explains it and its various features, it is something I would definitely recommend keeping in your arsenal.
As to the other question, yes screen readers will read the alt text even for tables. Using bookmarks is not something I have ever heard of using, but I found DAT and once the scope is set, any screen reader I have used will read it correctly. Provided it is not an extremely complex table anyways.
In regards to subject vs description on alt text, it depends on how you have the screen reader setup in relation to images. I have it setup on my system to read both.

~Brandon

Brandon Orwig-Price ǀ Access Specialist
Disability Services – Alternate Media
COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
550 East Spring Street, Columbus, OH 43215
(614)287-5418 | borwigprice at cscc.edu<mailto:borwigprice at cscc.edu>

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Jess Thompson
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 4:18 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

I’m so appreciative of this thread as I get questions about alt text for tables quite often!

My thinking has always been that it depends on the context. Christine’s comment about noting extreme values, or those that may be called out as statistically significant (these items usually are marked up with bold or italicized text), is the only occasion for which I understand the value of including alt text. Otherwise it seems the context could be captured with the table caption.

I’ve never heard of adding bookmarks to define scope. The website with instructions Stephen provided didn’t make clear how doing this defines scope. Can someone provide more clarification?

Thanks!
Jess


Jess Thompson
Program Administrator, Accessible Technology Initiatives
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From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of Robert Beach
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 1:02 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

JAWS and NVDA both read the alt text on tables. At least they do on my systems.


Robert Lee Beach
Assistive Technology Specialist
Kansas City Kansas Community College
7250 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS  66112
Phone: 913-288-7671
Email: rbeach at kckcc.edu<mailto:rbeach at kckcc.edu>

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of Christine Robinson
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 2:55 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

I have read that screen readers read the content of the alt text description box in Word, but (like with alt text for images) they do not read the subject line. But what I read, may not be true.

Is there a screen reader expert out there, reading these, who can clarify?

Christine Robinson | Technical Trainer/Writer | Center for Teaching Excellence
Georgia Gwinnett College | 1000 University Center Lane | Lawrenceville, GA 30043

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of S A. Marositz
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 3:46 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

Hi All

There is no reason to include alt-text for tables in your workflow. As far as I know, screen readers do not read the alt-text for tables in word. What is important is to include a bookmark indicating the scope of your column and row headers. Both Jaws and NVD respect this convention.

http://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/digital-transitions/creating-accessible-table-word<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.perkinselearning.org%2Ftechnology%2Fdigital-transitions%2Fcreating-accessible-table-word&data=02%7C01%7Cborwigprice%40cscc.edu%7C73b3edebf9b14a4b135008d6022337bb%7C60a9d377c82741a1bbf01aad34db4c89%7C1%7C0%7C636698747625173534&sdata=bVsh8u2g%2BCLiPE48wM6np0s4vP1D0CywLPn%2BoDc34ao%3D&reserved=0>

I hope this helps

Stephen Alexander Marositz JD, CPACC
Assistive Technology Specialist, Pasadena City College
Phone: (626) 585-7242

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of Christine Robinson
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 12:16 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

Keep in mind that a screen reader will read the content of the table, right to left, top to bottom – and it’ll identify the column headings – so you don’t need to repeat what the screen reader is already going to communicate.

Think about how, when you see a table, the first thing you do is scan for an overall idea of what it’s about and why it’s there.

Also think about what you would say if you were reading the document aloud to someone. Before you read the table contents, you’d probably say a sentence or two about the general content & purpose. Depending on the table, you might also note any extreme values. For example, in a table listing populations of various areas and rates of population growth, you might initially state which had the highest or lowest populations, or the highest or lowest rates of growth. But keep it brief.

That’s how I do it at this point, at least, but I’m always happy to learn better ways!

Christine Robinson | Technical Trainer/Writer | Center for Teaching Excellence | Georgia Gwinnett College | Lawrenceville, GA

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of Robert Beach
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 2:58 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

Just F.Y.I., my understanding is the alt text for tables is going away. But, if you want to use it, I would not include that much detail. I would simply say how many rows and columns are in the table and what the table is supposed to present.


Robert Lee Beach
Assistive Technology Specialist
Kansas City Kansas Community College
7250 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS  66112
Phone: 913-288-7671
Email: rbeach at kckcc.edu<mailto:rbeach at kckcc.edu>

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of Kluesner, Bryon
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 1:51 PM
To: 'athen-list at u.washington.edu' <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: [Athen] Accessible tables in Word

Hi all,

I am familiar with adding alt text to a table in Word to make it accessible for a screen reader. If the table is a 3 column, 3 row table, for example, do I need an alt text to describe the content in row 1, column  1, row 1 column 2, etc?

Thanks,

bryon

Bryon Kluesner, RhD
Adaptive Technology Coordinator
Disability Resource Center
Adjunct Professor
College of Health, Education & Professional Studies

[Power C]

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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