Recommendation 3.1.3 Provide abbreviations for header labels
New standards released
The New Zealand Web Standards 2.0 were released in March 2009 and replace the previous version, the New Zealand Government Web Standards 1.0 (below). See Meeting the standards for more information.
The Recommendation
Recommendation 3.1.3 Provide abbreviations for header labels.
Guide to this recommendation
Use the "abbr" (or abbreviation) attribute of the HTML <TH> element.
This recommendation covers the WAI checkpoint 5.6 for NZ government agencies.
Rationale for this recommendation
As stated appropriately by the Irish National Disability Authority, “Users of screen readers or audio browsers find listening to the content of long and complex tables with long header names cumbersome and repetitive.”
