Inappropriate Equal Table Caption And Summary Check

Description

The “Inappropriate Equal Table Caption And Summary Check” evaluates whether there is any table where the <caption> element and the summary attribute contain identical or near-identical text.

Example outcome

I located 1 table where the text from the <caption> and summary is the same.

Impact

• Visual Impairments: Visually impaired users will hear the same text twice, which wastes time and can cause confusion. The redundancy fails to provide structural guidance (such as row/column relationships or use of headers).
• Cognitive Disabilities: While the visual UI is unaffected, people using screen readers with cognitive disabilities may become overwhelmed or distracted by repetitive, unhelpful information.

Fixes

To address tables with inappropriately equal <caption> and summary:

1. Locate the <table>.
2. Replace the text from one or both the <caption> element and the summary attribute. The <caption> should be a short visible label and the summary attribute should be distinct and informative, describing layout or usage.

Resources

• WCAG 2.2: Understanding Success Criteria 1.3.1
• WCAG 2.2 Techniques: Technique H73: Using the summary attribute of the table element to give an overview of data tables
• WebAIM: Semantic Structure: Regions, Headings, and Lists
• WebAIM: Creating Accessible Tables