How Browser independant is this type of form really?
That is one of the questions I am trying to answer.
Would it not be simpler and more accessible to just label things?
I don't know what you mean. The radio buttons *are* labeled.
Just because one or two assistive technnologies can jump through hoops to provide the information does not make it right.
I don't think having the screen reader announce column header changes as one navigates left or right in a table is jumping through hoops. Having to memorize and count in order to fill in a straight forward form is jumping through hoops in my book.
Just because they are common in the wild doesn't make them right.
I am trying to ascertain if these kind of forms can be considered accessible, and if so, are there constrains?
I still have trouble though, even in windows with forms that insist on making me count or jump through hoops.
I agree, you shouldn't have to do that. But I am trying to separate out the screen reader bugs from the form authoring bugs.
It's not necessarry. For instance, you could number the radio buttons so that you'd at least have a reference.
I don't understand how this would be anything but counterproductive. (1) The field of radio buttons would then become crowded with superfluous digits. (2) You would still be in same predicament of having to mentally associate a number with the actual column header. It would be much better if the screen reader could tell you, upon request, what the column header is.
