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Re: HTML heading styles

for

From: Martin Godfrey
Date: Oct 19, 2004 6:04AM

Thanks for the reply Bob.

It's the former case - a layer of information present on some pages but not
others.

Regards
Martin

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Easton [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
> Sent: 19 October 2004 12:51
> To: WebAIM Discussion List; <EMAIL REMOVED>
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] HTML heading styles
>
>
> martin wrote:
> > I have a quick question about HTML heading styles.
> >
> > Now, we all understand that it's important to use heading styles to give
> > structure to documents and enable screen-reader users to
> navigate a page.
> >
> > A strict reading of WAI guidelines is that heading styles must
> be used in
> > strict sequence ie. H1, H2, H3, H4, H5.
> > However, not all pages lend themselves to this; on some pages it is
> > appropriate to move, for example from H1 to H2 to H4.
> >
> > My question to the group is whether this is a problem in terms of
> > accessibility ?
> > My feeling is that this approach enables us to use headings
> consistently so
> > that a particular heading level always corresponds to the same type of
> > information.
> >
>
> Thinking in terms of structure (a document outline if you please), is it
> the case that the material that would normally be designated h3 is
> actually missing and we fall into h4 level material? Or, is it the
> case that a certain header appearance is wanted?
>
> If it is only for appearance, then use CSS to apply the appropriate
> appearance. Never mangle the document structure for sake of appearance.
>
> It it actually is a missing leayer of information (difficult to image),
> then mark the material appropriately even if it skips a level. The
> person who cannot see the content might have come to a sense of it from
> surrounding content and would appreciate the h4 level material not
> jumping up a level. (assuming it's easy enough to differentiate
> the levels)
>
> --
> Bob Easton
>