See Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria for important information about the usage of these informative techniques and how they relate to the normative WCAG 2.0 success criteria. The Applicability section explains the scope of the technique, and the presence of techniques for a specific technology does not imply that the technology can be used in all situations to create content that meets WCAG 2.0.
HTML and XHTML
This technique relates to:
The objective of this technique is to provide the definitions of words or phrases by
presenting them in a definition list. The list is marked up using the dl
element. Within the list, each term is put in a separate dt element, and
its definition goes in the dd element directly following it. The
title attribute can be used to provide additional information about the
definition list.
Using dl, dt, and dd ensures that relationships
between terms and their definitions are preserved if the presentation format changes and
that the list of terms and definitions is treated as a unit.
Definition lists are easiest to use when the definitions are put in alphabetical order. Definition lists are typically used in a glossary.
A list of definitions of nautical terms used on a Website about sailing.
Example Code:
<dl title="Nautical terms">
<dt>Knot</dt>
<dd>
<p>A <em>knot</em> is a unit of speed equaling 1
nautical mile per hour (1.15 miles per hour or 1.852
kilometers per hour).</p>
</dd>
<dt>Port</dt>
<dd>
<p><em>Port</em> is the nautical term (used on
boats and ships) that refers to the left side
of a ship, as perceived by a person facing towards
the bow (the front of the vessel).</p>
</dd>
<dt>Starboard</dt>
<dd>
<p><em>Starboard</em> is the nautical term (used
on boats and ships) that refers to the right
side of a vessel, as perceived by a person
facing towards the bow (the front of the vessel).</p>
</dd>
</dl> Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.
For any set of words and their definitions that have the appearance of a list:
Check that the list is contained within a dl element.
Check that each word defined in the list is contained within a dt
element.
Check that the definition for each word appears in the dd element
immediately following the word's dt element .
All checks above are true.
If this is a sufficient technique for a success criterion, failing this test procedure does not necessarily mean that the success criterion has not been satisfied in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and can not be used to claim conformance.