404 | Ohio Wesleyan University

OWU Course Catalog | Ohio Wesleyan University

Ross Art Museum | Ohio Wesleyan University

Summer Session | Ohio Wesleyan University

Apply | Ohio Wesleyan University

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion | Ohio Wesleyan University

Current Students | Ohio Wesleyan University

About | Ohio Wesleyan University

Mission & Aims | Ohio Wesleyan University

2025-2026 Academic Year and 2026 Summer Session | Ohio Wesleyan 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

October 2025

September 2025

Ohio Wesleyan University

	Title / URL	Issues
	404 \| Ohio Wesleyan Universityowu.edu/invented-url-for-404-page	2
	OWU Course Catalog \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/academics/course-catalog/	1
	Ross Art Museum \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/about/ross-art-museum/	1
	Summer Session \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/academics/summer-session/	1
	Apply \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/admission/apply/	1
	Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/about/diversity/	1
	Current Students \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/current-students/	1
	About \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/about/	1
	Mission & Aims \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/about/mission-aims/	1
	2025-2026 Academic Year and 2026 Summer Session \| Ohio Wesleyan Universitywww.owu.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-calendar/2025-2026-academic-year-and-2026-summer-session/	1

Ensure form controls have labels

Ohio Wesleyan University

Where this issue has occurred