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HTML, XHTML data tables
This technique relates to:
The objective of this technique is to programmatically associate captions for data tables where captions are provided in the presentation. The caption for a table is a table identifier and acts like a title or heading for the table.
The caption element is the appropriate markup for such text and it ensures that the table identifier remains associated with the table, including visually (by default). In addition, using the caption element allows screen reading software to navigate directly to the caption for a table if one is present.
The caption element may be used whether or not the table includes a summary attribute. The caption element identifies the table whereas the summary attribute gives an overview of the purpose or explains how to navigate the table. If both are used, the caption should not duplicate information in the summary.
Although WCAG 2.0 does not prohibit the use of layout tables, CSS-based layouts are recommended in order to retain the defined semantic meaning of the HTML tableelements and to conform to the coding practice of separating presentation from content. If a table is used for layout, the caption element is not used. The purpose of a layout table is simply to control the placement of content; the table itself is “transparent" to the user. A caption would "break" this transparency by calling attention to the table.
[1925]
<table> <caption>Schedule for the week of March 6</caption> ...</table>
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HTML 4.01 Table Captions: The CAPTION element
Check for layout tables: determine whether the content has a relationship with other content in both its column and its row.
If “no," the table is a layout table.
If “yes," the table is a data table.
If the table is a layout table, check that the table does not include a caption element.
If the table is a data table and it includes a caption element, check that the caption identifies the table
If both a summary attribute and a caption element are present for this data table, check that the summary does not duplicate the caption.
For layout tables, #2 is true.
For data tables, #3 and #4 are true.