Summary:
A reviewer suggests that we change information in the tutorial to account for <td scope="row|column"> being used instead of <th> in HTML4.
However, some say this is not best practice. Also, it's not allowed in HTML5.

Location: Multi-directional Tables → Table with an offset column of header cells

Background: The reviewer writes:

If the doctype is HTML4, td with scope is valid and breaks nothing. Please refer to the reasoning in the HTML4 specs . In fact TH in the second column may not be agreeable to some UI designers (even with HTML5) because they may not want centered and bolded content in the middle of a table. Using CSS to do away the visual effect of TH negates the proper use of TH. So when it does not suit UI design, using TD and scope may be the way to go ... sure it may not be valid in HTML5 but that does not fail SC 4.1.1 or any WCAG2 SC.

Further reading: E-mail 6 Jan

Related information:

• F91: Failure of Success Criterion 1.3.1 for not correctly marking up table headers says: (emphasis mine)

  This failure occurs when data tables do not use header elements (th) or other appropriate table mark-up (the scope attribute, headers and id or the ARIA roles columnheader / rowheader) to make the headers programatically determinable from within table content.

  The failiure lists td with scope attribute as the 5th of six tests to find out if table markup is correct.

• H63: Using the scope attribute to associate header cells and data cells in data tables says:

  Based on screen reader support today, [scope] use is suggested in two situations both relating to simple tables: […] header cells marked up with td instead of th. Sometimes, authors use this to avoid the display characteristics associated with th and also do not choose to use CSS to control the display for th.

EOWG input:
Please put below your thougths on whether or not we should change the text to allow for <td scope="row|column"> being used instead of <th> in certain circumstances like avoiding <th> styles.

Details

Summary:

In the tutorials we recommend the use of the scope attribute when defining headers as we have found out that some screen readers interpret th elements as header cells for other ths in the same row/column.
The reviewer says:

6.

"If the table is larger or its content is more ambiguous, the scope attribute should be used to avoid confusion".
And in example 1: "The following table of concerts has the cells in the first row marked up as <th> cells without any scope direction. This is only acceptable because it is such a small table and the data itself is distinctly different in each column.Note: Some screen readers will read “Date – Event – Venue” on the “Venue” cell because the direction of the <th> elements is ambiguous".

Comment: "larger or its content is more ambiguous" is itself vague/not well defined.
Use of scope is not warranted merely based on number of rows or columns. Secondly, for a simple table with TH in first row and/or first column, the scope attribute really does not add value and is unnecessary. It is merely redundant markup. (It only prevented older versions of JAWS from reading all TH cells above current cell in the first column of TBODY as header cells ).
Also older versions of JAWS(before JFW 15) may have read all cells to left of current cell in the first row as headers. This is a bug and is not the case now. I had pointed this out to FS a while ago.
Please refer to definition or description of "data table" in comment#1 above. Every column of a data table indeed presents a distinct attribute so it is not useful to justify not using scope with "such a small table and the data itself is distinctly different in each column".
The only instance where scope is needed in a simple data table is where the row identifier is not in the first column like in "Example 4: Table with an offset column of header cells".

Further reading: Dec 31st email

Location: Tables Tutorial → Table with header cells in the top row only

Background: The topic was discussed in several meetings, including:

• June 6th, 2014 – See especially Bim’s comments in agenda topic #2
• June 13th, 2014

EOWG input:
Please put below your thoughts on whether or not we should change examples with only one header row/column to not include scope.

Details