How can I change the value of a submit button - html

Question

I'm creating a register form which requires a 'check if username available' button.
<form action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" method="post">
<div id="availablity">
<input type="text" name="name" value="<?php _e("Username") ?>" style="float: left;"/>
<span id="availability_status" style="float: left;">icon here</span>
<input type="submit" name="check" value="<?php _e("Check") ?>" style="float: left;"/>
<div style="clear: both;"
</div>
<input type="text" name="mail" value="<?php _e("E-Mail") ?>" id="" class="input" />
<input type="submit" value="<?php _e("Register") ?>" id="register" />
<p class="statement"><?php _e("A password will be e-mailed to you.") ?></p>
</form>
The button, on line 5, contains text that is translatable, hence the value will change. The code works, when 'Check' is clicked an extra query named 'check' is submitted, and clicking 'Submit' the 'check' is disregarded. Is there any way I can change the text while keeping a default value (possibly '1'). Currently, all I can do server side is check if a query named 'check' was submitted and not bother with it's value.

Answer 1

Instead of an <input>, where the value is exactly the same as the text on the screen, use a <button> where the text on the screen can be anything you want.
In other words, change
<input type="submit" name="check" value="<?php _e("Check") ?>"
style="float: left;"/>
to
<button type="submit" name="check" value="1" style="float: left;">
<?php _e("Check") ?>
</button>
so that it will always have the value 1, no matter the text! (Of course you can use whatever value you want.)