What this means
Have you been creating "headings" in your documents by adding some formatting to a line of text (e.g., bold or a larger font size) and calling it a heading? If so, you're not alone. While the formatting creates the desired visual effect of a heading, a screen reader will not interpret it as such. Use semantic headings to define a page’s structure and flow, rather than relying on formatting alone to indicate where headings belong.
Why this matters
- Headings and subheadings make a document easier for all users to preview and scan. This is particularly beneficial for neurodivergent learners.
- Headings help readers navigate content more efficiently, especially those using assistive technology. If a document lacks correctly structured headers, a screen reader will read the entire document as one long section. In Microsoft Word, the headings can be used to navigate the document or to generate a table of contents.
General tips
- Start by creating an outline of your content or visualizing your content as an outline. The heading levels will correspond to your outline levels.
- Nest headings sequentially: Follow Heading 1 (your title) with Heading 2, Heading 3, and so forth. Do not skip levels; for example, going from Heading 2 to Heading 4.
- Do not use headings when no content follows. In this case, do use formatting to achieve the desired visual effect.
Apply this!
Learn how to create accessible headings:
Learn more
- Section Headings (Level AAA). W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.
- Headings. [Video] ADA National Network.
- Headings. Deque University.
- Headings. From DiPeri, Dawn Lee. Graphic Design for Course Creators. Pressbooks.
Created on 9/18/24.