HTML and XHTML controls that use visible labels
This failure relates to:
This failure describes a problem that occurs when no label element is used to explicitly associate a form control with a label where the visual design uses a label.
Note 1: Elements that use explicitly-associated labels are:
input type="text"
input type="checkbox"
input type="radio"
input type="file"
input type="password"
textarea
select
Note 2:
The label element is not used for the following because labels for these elements are provided via the value attribute (for Submit and Reset buttons), the alt attribute (for image buttons), or element content itself (button).
Submit and Reset buttons (input type="submit" or input type="reset")
Image buttons (input type="image")
Hidden input fields (input type="hidden")
Script buttons (button elements or <input type="button">)
The following example demonstrates a form that visually presents labels for form controls, but does not use the label element to associate them with their controls. The code example below is a failure because assistive technology may not be able to determine which label goes with which control.
Example Code:
<form>
First name:
<input type="text" name="firstname">
<br />
Last name:
<input type="text" name="lastname">
<br />
I have a dog <input type="checkbox" name="pet" value="dog" />
I have a cat <input type="checkbox" name="pet" value="cat" />
</form>
In the following code examples, the names associated with the text input controls are not properly determined by assistive technology.
Example Code:
<form action="..." method="post">
<p>
<label>
First Name
<input type="text" name="firstname">
</label>
<label>
<input type="text" name="lastname">
Last Name
</label>
</p>
</form>
Example Code:
<form action="..." method="post">
<p>
<label>First Name </label>
<input type="text" name="firstname">
<label>Last Name</label>
<input type="text" name="lastname">
</p>
</form>
The search text box does in the following code example not have a name. The name can be supplied with either the title attribute or with a label element hidden with CSS.
Example Code:
<input type="text" value="Type your search here"><input type="submit" type="submit" value="Search">
For all input elements of type radio, checkbox, text, file or password, for all textareas, and for all select elements in the Web page:
Check that the visual design uses a text label that identifies the purpose of the control
Check that a label element associates the text with all input elements of type "radio", "checkbox", "text", "file" or "password", for all textarea elements, and for all select elements
If check #1 is true and check #2 is false, then this failure condition applies and the content fails these Success Criteria.
Techniques are informative—that means they are not required. The basis for determining conformance to WCAG 2.0 is the success criteria from the