Tables

Provide each data table a relevant title or summary, clearly identify header cells, use an appropriate mechanism to associate data cells with header cells. Ensure that each layout table is correctly linearized.

There are three types of tables:

• Layout tables;
• Data tables (or simple data tables);
• Complex data tables.

Browsing a table for a visually impaired user via assistive technology (text-to-speech) is different from navigating other textual content.

Blind people move through a table in a sequential way, one cell at a time, line by line. Assistive technologies provide improved browsing using directional arrows.

People with mental and cognitive impairments can also have problems understanding a table that is too complex.

Synthesis

• The linearized content of a layout table must be understandable;
• A complex data table must have a relevant summary, correctly associated with the table;
• Header cells on simple and complex data tables must be clearly identified, correctly declared and associated to each content cell.