Form Labeling

The practice of providing descriptive text labels that are programmatically associated with their corresponding form input fields, enabling screen readers to announce what information is expected in each field. Proper form labeling uses HTML label elements with a "for" attribute matching the input's "id", or wraps the input within the label element. In PDF forms, labels are provided through tag structure and tooltip text. Common labeling failures that create accessibility barriers include: labels that are visually present but not programmatically linked to their fields, generic labels ("button" for a dropdown that should say "Select your state"), copied labels from other fields that describe the wrong input, and fields with no label at all where the user hears only the available options without knowing the question. WCAG Success Criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value) address form labeling requirements.