3.19 Include default text in form text boxes
Contents
WAI checkpoint 10.4
Full WAI text: "Until user agents handle empty controls correctly, include default, place-holding characters in edit boxes and text areas."
A control is part of a form. There are different types of controls, including edit boxes and text areas, which are types of form fields that are used to input text information such as postal details, phone numbers, etc. These form fields are often displayed as empty fields but should really contain some helpful text to provide users with a prompt to help them understand the purpose of the form field. Drop-down menus and scrolling lists should include this information as the first option on the list. Radio buttons should have an option selected.A user agent is a piece of software for accessing Web content. User agents could be desktop graphical browsers, text browsers, voice browsers, mobile phones, multimedia players, plug-ins, and some software assistive technologies used in conjunction with browsers such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and voice recognition software.Not all user agents can cope with empty form fields and until such time as they do, you should include default characters.
Rationale
Some user agents will not recognise empty form controls and will pass over them. This disorientates users, making it impossible to fill out forms. A screen reader would probably receive an error message if they tried to submit the contents of such a form. Mobile devices may also fail to cope with empty form fields.
Directions and Techniques
Use the correct HTML to put default place-holding characters in text areas
See WAI recommended techniques for assigning default characters in edit boxes and text areas. See CAST's reccomendations on coding edit boxes, text areas, drop selection lists and radio buttons.
How you could check for this:
Check forms for empty form fields
Open any page with a form and look for empty fields, unselected radio buttons and drop down menus with no default option.
Guidelines for Web Accessibility - Priority 3- 3.1 Ensure that text and background have sufficient contrast for people with colour deficient vision
- 3.2 Provide text links to emulate client-side image maps
- 3.3 Expand the first occurrence of any abbreviation or acronym
- 3.4 Identify the primary language of the document text
- 3.5 Place distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc.
- 3.6 Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations where they will facilitate comprehension
- 3.7 Provide summaries for tables
- 3.8 Provide abbreviations for table header labels
- 3.9 Identify groups of related links and provide a way to bypass them
- 3.10 Provide a linear alternative for parallel, word-wrapped columns of text
- 3.11 Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects
- 3.12 Provide keyboard shortcuts to important links, form controls, and groups of form controls
- 3.13 Separate adjacent links with non-link, printable characters surrounded by spaces
- 3.14 Provide navigation bars
- 3.15 If search functions are provided, enable different types of searches for different skill levels and preferences
- 3.16 Provide information about documents comprising multiple pages
- 3.17 Provide a means to skip over multi-line ASCII art
- 3.18 Create a style of presentation that is consistent across pages
- 3.19 Include default text in form text boxes
- 3.20 Provide information to enable users to receive documents according to their preferences
