Embedded Files
Document structure organizes content using headings, lists, and proper markup to create a clear, logical flow. Having a clearly structured document helps students who utilize assistive technology navigate easily through the content.
Use the built-in styles in the editor toolbar when adding headings and lists to ensure that your documents and course pages have proper structure applied to content rather than making manual changes such as bolding headings or using dash marks to indicate lists.
Guidance to Improve Document Structure:
Incorporate Headings
Incorporate Headings
Organize content through separating it into distinct parts.
Headings should be organized in a logical fashion (H1 - H6).
The topic or purpose of a section should be clearly described by a heading.
WCAG Alignment
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A): Content structure (like headings and lists) must be programmatically determined.
2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA): Headings and labels must describe topic or purpose clearly.
Recommended Actions
Use proper heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) instead of just using bold or a larger font size.
Make sure that headings flow sequentially, and do not jump between heading levels unless presenting a different section of content
Begin at Heading 1 on the first page, which serves as the visible document or page title. Proceed to Heading 2 for important sections and Heading 3 for subtopics, and so forth.
End a section at a lower level (like Heading 3) and start a new section with a new higher-level heading (such as Heading 2)
Ensure that heading titles are descriptive and relevant to the section that it represents
Utilize Lists to Organize Groups of Items
Utilize Lists to Organize Groups of Items
Add the proper list markup and avoid visual formatting alone (such as bold text) to indicate sections
Use the appropriate type of list for the items that you are organizing.
Ensure that lists are concise
WCAG Alignment
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A): Content structure (like headings and lists) must be programmatically determined.
2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA): Headings and labels must describe topic or purpose clearly.
Recommended Actions
Use the list tools in the software you are using, such as Word, PowerPoint, D2L, or HTML instead of typing in dashes or bullet points.
Use numbered (ordered) lists for items that are either ranked or supposed to be sequentially performed
Use bulleted (unordered) lists for ideas that are related
Limit the number of items in a list to 5-7, and split longer lists up if necessary
Include Document Titles
Documents should always have titles which are announced to assistive technology users.
WCAG Alignment
WCAG 2.1 Reference: 2.4.2 Page Titled (A): Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose.
Recommended Actions
In Microsoft Word or PowerPoint: Go to File → Info → Properties → Title and enter a meaningful title.
In Google Docs or Slides: Click the file name at the top left of the screen and type a descriptive title.
Ensure that each slide in a presentation has a descriptive and unique slide title. For slides with the same title, incorporate numbers or ways to make the title unique.
Use meaningful titles that reflect the content, such as “Biology 101 Lab Report Guidelines" and not lengthy save names.
Resources:
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