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requiring the use of headings

for

From: Bourne, Sarah (ITD)
Date: Jan 9, 2015 9:23AM

I know how useful properly-implemented headings are to screen reader users, but I'd like a little help in identifying exactly which WCAG2 Guideline or success or failure criteria would be cited. Specifically, my interest is in pages and web-based applications where there is text that is styled to look like a heading, introducing and identifying a section of the page, but it is not marked up as a heading. (I have a similar issue with the use of images or asterisks to look like a list without using the list markup.)

"2.4.6 Headings and Labels: Headings and labels describe topic or purpose. (Level AA)" seems like the obvious choice, but Understanding SC 2.4.6 specifically says, "This success criterion does not require headings or labels."

"2.4.10 Section Headings: Section headings are used to organize the content" is level AAA, but in practice, it seems more important than that.

2.4.10 refers to " 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value" for applications, but there is no mention of headings there.

"4.1.1 Parsing" talks about not using semantic elements only for visual effect, but I don't see anything there about using a visual effect to mimic a semantic element.

"4.1.2 Name, Role, Value" covers "user interface components," but nothing about the name and role of semantic text elements.

A good document map is one of the first things I look for, so I am puzzled why I can't find a success criteria that addresses this clearly. I hope it's just that I am overlooking something obvious, and that somebody here can help point it out.

sb
Sarah E. Bourne
Director of IT Accessibility
Massachusetts Office of Information Technology
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
1 Ashburton Pl. rm 1601 Boston MA 02108
617-626-4502
<EMAIL REMOVED>
http://www.mass.gov/itd