Lists

Overview

- Lists organize related items and steps so readers can scan and act quickly. Using true list formatting (not hyphens or spacing) helps assistive technologies announce list structure, count items, and let users jump between them.

- Students and families skim for key information: materials, steps, due dates, and options. Clear, well‑structured lists reduce confusion, support learners who use screen readers or keyboard navigation, and make your LMS pages, slides, and handouts easier to follow across classrooms.

Use real list styles: Apply built‑in bullets or numbers—don’t fake with hyphens, tabs, or spaces.
Match list type to purpose:
- Numbered for sequences, steps, or rankings.
- Bulleted for unordered items or options.
- Checklists/Task lists where supported for to‑dos.
- Description lists (term–definition) if your tool supports them; otherwise bold the term and follow with a short definition.
Keep items parallel: Start each item with the same part of speech (often a verb), keep tense and style consistent.
Be concise: One idea per item; keep items to 1–2 short sentences.
Limit nesting: Avoid more than two levels deep; long sub‑lists are hard to navigate by keyboard/screen reader.
Introduce the list: Use a short lead‑in sentence or heading that states the purpose.

Beginner’s Guide to Accessible Lists — Pope Tech Blog
- This guide explains why properly coded lists matter for accessibility, describes different list types (ordered, unordered, definition, nested), and shows how to fix lists that are just visual styling without real HTML structure.
- Read “Beginner’s Guide to Accessible Lists” »

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