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Mega menus - Headings or no heading?

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From: Jordan Wilson
Date: Oct 17, 2017 12:23PM

Quick inquiry about Navigation buttons that open a mega menu.

For example, 3 buttons each of which opens a large section of navigation options.

Should they be headings or not? (assuming everything else is correct from an a11y standpoint)

Headings introduce the content that follows, but technically a menu is introducing navigation and not content. I have looked around at some popular accessible sites and it seems to be 50/50. Some folks make the button an H1, some an H2 (even though its above the main H1 in the DOM) and some do not make it a heading at all.

Opinions wanted.

Also, an extra credit question:
If the mega menu itself has headings inside it, does that change your opinion at all?

Thanks,
Jordan