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Re: Multiple H1 tags in an HTML5 web page

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From: Jennifer Sutton
Date: Mar 10, 2014 3:25PM

Greg:

I'm an screen reader user (since AT doesn't *always* mean screen
readers), so perhaps I'll pass your requirements and be deemed "credible."

Maybe users of other AT can also chime in, here.

In my view, what should be right for your end-users is to manage
their expectations. And it seems to me that if the outline algo.
hasn't been implemented, then no users would expect you to do
something like what it proposes.

Your users would expect you not to change things just for the sake of
a new spec, which (if I've followed the myriad of experts who've
responded already) is under reconsideration.

Just because you *can* have more than one h1, doesn't mean you should.

Yes, if you do that, I will be able to use the site, but you will not
be managing my expectations of how you are using levels, and I will
have to traverse the page via all headings (I do assume we're talking
about the Web) to get a sense of what you are trying to convey via
*multiple* h1s. Should I have to work that hard?

Maybe you can't help it if you've got some kind of CMS over which
you've got limited control, but that doesn't sound like that's your issue.

Headings convey meaning, and for as long as I've been using the Web
(maybe 1995 or so) and paying attention to Web standards (2000 or
so), we have been focusing on the notion of one h1 identifying the
most important (dare I introduce the idea of "main?") item on the
page, and then, the other headings following an outline-progression.

Now, I hope I've passed the audition.
<smile>

Jennifer

At 01:16 PM 3/10/2014, you wrote:
><snip>

What difficulties, if any, would they have navigating a page? Is
there anyone on this list, who is a user of AT , that can give me
first hand knowledge?

>I try to create pages that work for all users, and that includes
>users who are accessing my pages via AT. If doing something by a
>current spec causes problems for the majority of the users, I'm not
>going to follow that spec. Conversely, if a spec is deemed by some
>as incorrect, but works ... I'm going to use it.
>
>Just trying to do what's right for my end users.
>
>Greg