In order to be accessible to visually impaired users, it is important that tables provides a description of its content before the data is accessed.
The simplest way to do it, and also the one https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/H39[recommended by WCAG2] is to add a ``++<caption>++`` element inside the ``++<table>++``.
Other technics this rule accepts are:
* adding a concise description via https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/#aria-label[``++aria-label++``] or https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/#aria-labelledby[``++aria-labelledby++``] attributes in the ``++<table>++``.
* referencing a description element with an https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/#aria-describedby[``++aria-describedby++``] attribute in the ``++<table>++``.
* embedding the ``++<table>++`` inside a ``++<figure>++`` which also contains a ``++<figcaption>++``.
* adding a ``++summary++`` attribute to the ``++<table>++`` tag. However note that this attribute has been deprecated in HTML5.
Seehttps://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/tables/tips/[W3C WAIWeb Accessibility Tutorials]for more information.
This rule raises an issue when a ``++<table>++`` has neither of the previously mentioned description mechanisms.
No issue will be raised on ``++<table>++`` used for layout purpose, i.e. when it contains a ``++role++`` attribute set to ``++"presentation"++`` or ``++"none"++``. Note that using ``++<table>++`` for layout purpose is a bad practice.
No issue will be raised either on ``++<table>++`` containing an ``++aria-hidden++`` attribute set to ``++"true"++``.
