Accessible Headings

Headings—when created properly—benefit all learners to indicate logical structure, create connections between key concepts, provide an overview of information, and act as navigational waypoints to chunk information and increase readability. However, headings are not created by changing the font formatting with larger or bold text alone. In the Brightspace editor, headings are set using the Format menu (in the top left of the editor toolbar).

Who headings impact

Readers tend to skim through documents to gain an overview or find a specific section. Users who cannot see the document or have difficulty reading it can use assistive technology to browse in a similar way, provided a document has properly crafted headings.

If a document has no headings, or improperly created headings, users of assistive technology have to read line-by-line through the whole document to get to a specific point, instead of using headings to move to the section they need. Additionally, all users have no sense of overview, connections between topics, or hierarchy of information.

How to fix it

The Brightspace Accessibility Checker notes 2 heading errors: This paragraph looks like a heading. If it is a heading, please select a heading level and Headings must be applied in sequential order. For example: Heading 1 should be followed by Heading 2, not Heading 3.

Changing the appearance of text by making it larger and/or bold does not make a proper heading. Headings often have larger and/or bold text, but to be a proper heading their also needs to be coded meaning attached. Brightspace does this automatically when using the Format menu.

In the Accessibility Checker, improperly created headings will be flagged.
Use the Select a heading level menu to choose the appropriate heading level and then use the Repair button to rectify the error.

Create a nested, sequential heading structure in which each nested heading contains related information. Increase by one heading level at a time without skipping a level. Any type of content can follow any heading level. If a heading level is skipped or a heading appears out of sequence, the Accessibility Checker will flag the issue. Select the error to the see the problematic text and choose the appropriate heading level from the Format menu.

Start with a heading level 1 as the broadest, most important level, such as a title.

Use heading level 2 for major sections under heading level 1.

Use heading level 3 for subsections under preceding heading level 2.

Use heading level 4 for subsections under preceding heading level 3.

Do not skip a heading level.

How to prevent it next time

In the Format menu select the appropriate heading level and type a brief, descriptive heading. Or highlight existing text and apply the appropriate heading level via the Format menu.