Word table with no header row Screen reader compatibility
Word
Dec 12, 2023
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 4 screen reader / browser combinations
For expected failures, the results show which AT combos the failures affect. Results are recorded from the user's viewpoint, so describe the user impact of authoring errors.
Code used for this test:
<a href='Office/word-365.docx'>word-365.docx</a>
Change History
Last updated: December 12, 2023
- VoiceOver macOS Causes problems in VoiceOver macOS 10.13
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
Narrator | Office 365 - Word 16.18 | Reading | No cell headers voiced | Table with 2 rows, 2 columns. Table has 2 rows 2 columns, morning, row 1 of 2, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Free, row 2 of 2, column 1 of 2. Busy, column 2 of 2. |
NVDA 2017.3 | Office 365 - Word 16.18 | Reading | No cell headers voiced | Table with 2 rows and 2 columns, level 1 row 1 column 1, morning. Column 2, afternoon. Row 2, free. Column 2, busy. |
JAWS 17.0.2619 | Office 365 - Word 16.18 | Reading | No cell headers voiced | Table 4, uniform table, morning, row 1 of 2 column 1 of 2, morning. Afternoon, column 2 of 2, afternoon. Free, row 2 of 2, column 1 of 2, free. Busy, column 2 of 2, last cell in table. |
VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Office 365 - Word 16.18 | Reading | No cell headers voiced | Table 2 rows, 2 columns, no selection... To enter this table press control-option-shift-down arrow. In morning column 1 row 1, table 2 rows 2 columns, 1 cell selected, column 1 row 1 morning, column 1 row 1 cell morning. Afternoon. Free, column 1 row 2. Busy, column 2 row 2. |
SortSite rules: AccWordMissingTableHeadings
Test notes
All tests were carried out with screen reader factory settings. JAWS in particular has a wide variety of settings controlling exactly what gets spoken.
Screen readers allow users to interact in different modes, and can produce very different results in each mode. The modes used in these tests are:
- Reading Content read using the “read next” command in a screen reader
- Tabbing Content read using the “tab” key in a screen reader
- Heading Content read using the “next heading” key in a screen reader
- Touch Content read when touching an area of screen on a mobile device
In the “What the user hears” column:
- Commas represent short pauses in screen reader voicing
- Full Stops represent places where voicing stops, and the “read next” or “tab” or “next heading” command is pressed again
- Ellipsis … represent a long pause in voicing
- (Brackets) represent voicing that requires a keystroke to hear