News Archive | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Blackboard | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Strategic Plan | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Apply Online | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Study Abroad | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Important Dates | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Finals Schedule | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

President's Leadership Class (PLC) | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma Gear Up | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

History | Northwestern Oklahoma State University

People using screen readers are not able to see the layout of a form. To make forms
accessible, they must define explicit text labels for each form control. 

Usually the best solution is to use a `<label>` element. The label may be linked to 
by the form control:

```html
<label for="name">Full name</label>
<input type="name" id="name">
```

or the `<label>` can be wrapped around the form control:

```html
<label>
    Full name <input type="name">
</label>
```

Buttons are different, as their labels are specified by the code for the button, e.g.

```html
<input type="submit" value="Send message">
<button>Send message</button>
```

Alternatively ARIA attributes, such as `aria-label` may be used, but this information
will not be conveyed to visual users. For more information, see [W3C's guide to labeling controls](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/labels/).

Hidden input fields (`<input type="hidden">`) do not require labels.
Note that the `placeholder` attribute 
[should not be used as an alternative to a label](https://www.w3.org/TR/html/sec-forms.html#the-placeholder-attribute),
nor should the `title` attribute.

## Custom roles

Note that this check considers the underlying accessible role of an element, which can be 
different from the tag itself.

For example, this `<div>` has a `role` of `button`, and so is expected to have a label, like
a button would.

```html
<div role="button"></div>
```

form-control-labels

June 2025

May 2025

Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Title / URL	Issues
News Archive \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/news	2
Blackboard \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/blackboard	1
Strategic Plan \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/strategic-plan	1
Apply Online \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/apply-online	1
Study Abroad \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/study-abroad	1
Important Dates \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/important-dates	1
Finals Schedule \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/finals-schedule	1
President's Leadership Class (PLC) \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/plc	1
Oklahoma Gear Up \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/ok-gearup	1
History \| Northwestern Oklahoma State Universitywww.nwosu.edu/history	1

Ensure form controls have labels

Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Where this issue has occurred