The intent of this success criterion is to have content authors present instructions - or labels that identify the controls in a form so that users know what input data - is expected. In the case of radio buttons, checkboxes, comboboxes, or similar controls - that provide users with options, each option must have an appropriate label so that - users know what they are actually selecting. - Instructions or labels may also specify data formats for data entry fields, especially - if they are out of the customary formats or if there are specific rules for correct - input. Content authors may also choose to make such instructions available to users - only when the individual control has focus especially when instructions are long and - verbose. + or labels to identify the purpose of fields and controls that expect user input, so that + users will know what sort of values to enter, or adjust. Commonly, labels or instructions + will be necessary to help users understand how to fill out the input fields of a form. +
++ Despite their moniker, form fields and controls are not limited to use within a form. They + are often used in web pages to allow a user to create or manipulate content. Labels, + instructions, or both will commonly be needed for these controls to help ensure users + understand their purpose and the expected values they will need to enter or adjust to + use the controls efficiently while mitigating errors. +
++ In the case of radio buttons, checkboxes, comboboxes, or similar controls that provide + users with choices, each choice will need a label so that users know what they are actually + selecting. In some cases, these labels may be enough to indicate the purpose of the parent + control (such as a select-only combobox), or grouping of controls (like groupings of radios + or checkboxes), and thus further visible labels may not be necessary. However, in cases + where the labels for the choices would be ambiguous without an overarching label or instructions + for a control or group of controls, then authors would need to provide one or both for users. +
+ ++ Beyond identifying the purpose of a field or control, instructions or labels may specify the + necessary format(s) for data entry, especially if they are out of the customary formats + or if there are specific rules for correct input. Content authors may also choose to make such + instructions available to users only when the individual control has focus, or they may provide a + means to display or link to the instructions, especially for when they are long and verbose.
The intent of this success criterion is not to clutter the page with unnecessary information but to provide important cues and instructions that will benefit people with disabilities. - Too much information or instruction can be just as harmful as too little. - The goal is to make certain that enough information is provided for the user to accomplish - the task without undue confusion or navigation. + Too much information or instruction can be just as harmful as too little. Rather, the goal is to + ensure enough information is provided for the user to accomplish the task without undue confusion + or navigation. +
+ +When form fields or controls would necessitate labels, instructions or both, they will need to be + persistently available to users. In many cases, the best way to do this is to make them visually + persistent as part of the UI. However, there can be times where labels or instructions would be + better suited to the interface if they were made available on demand or only as necessary. For instance, + within the context of a toolbar, a select-only combobox's label may only be available on hover or focus + of the control. Or, a form field with verbose instructions may provide those instructions by using a + button to invoke them as necessary.
Note that the majority of form control labels are text-based. - Using images as labels meets the requirements of the criterion, but care should be taken to ensure that the images are widely understood - by the intended target audience. Authors may consider providing additional hints, + Using images as labels meets the requirements of the criterion, but care should be taken to ensure that the + images are widely understood by the intended target audience. Authors may consider providing additional hints, such as text-based tooltips or supplementary text, to support clarity when using image-based labels.
This success criterion does not require that labels or instructions be correctly marked up, @@ -54,14 +81,16 @@
Further, this success criterion does not take into consideration whether or not alternative methods of
providing an accessible name or description for form controls and inputs has been used — that aspect is
covered separately by 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value. It is possible
- for controls and inputs to have an appropriate accessible name or description (e.g. using aria-label="...")
- and therefore pass Success Criterion 4.1.2, but to still fail this success criterion (if the labels or instructions
- aren't presented to all users, not just those using assistive technologies).
+ for controls and inputs to have an appropriate accessible name or description (e.g., using aria-label="...")
+ and therefore pass Success Criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value, but to still fail this success criterion
+ (if the labels or instructions ren't presented to all users, not just those using assistive technologies).
+ Additionally, it can be possible to pass this success criterion by providing a visible label, but fail Success Criterion
+ 2.5.3 Label in Name, if the visible text label is not included in the accessible name of the control.
This success criterion does not apply to links or other controls (such as an expand/collapse widget, or similar interactive components) that are not associated with data entry.
-While this success criterion requires that controls and inputs have labels or instructions, whether or +
While this success criterion requires that form fields and controls have labels or instructions, whether or not labels (if used) are accurate, sufficiently clear, or descriptive is covered separately by 2.4.6 Headings and Labels.
@@ -86,7 +115,11 @@