{"id":2521,"date":"2024-12-03T17:11:30","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T22:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/?post_type=chapter&p=2521"},"modified":"2025-12-05T16:01:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T21:01:40","slug":"bsp-headings-2","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/chapter\/bsp-headings-2\/","title":{"raw":"Accessible Headings","rendered":"Accessible Headings"},"content":{"raw":"\"\"Headings\u2014when created properly\u2014benefit 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\u00a0<\/strong>menu (in the top left of the editor toolbar).\r\n

Who headings impact<\/h2>\r\nReaders 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.\r\n\r\nIf 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.\r\n

How to fix it<\/h2>\r\nThe Brightspace Accessibility Checker notes 2 heading errors:\u00a0This paragraph looks like a heading. If it is a heading, please select a heading level<\/strong> and\u00a0Headings must be applied in sequential order. For example: Heading 1 should be followed by Heading 2, not Heading 3<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nChanging 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\u00a0<\/strong>menu.\r\n\r\n\"\"In the Accessibility Checker, improperly created headings will be flagged.\r\nUse the\u00a0Select a heading level<\/strong> menu to choose the appropriate heading level and then use the Repair<\/strong> button to rectify the error.\r\n
<\/div>\r\nCreate 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\u00a0Format<\/strong> menu.\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nStart with a heading level 1 as the broadest, most important level, such as a title.\r\n\r\nUse heading level 2 for major sections under heading level 1.\r\n\r\nUse heading level 3 for subsections under preceding heading level 2.\r\n\r\nUse heading level 4 for subsections under preceding heading level 3.\r\n\r\nDo not skip a heading level when increasing<\/strong>, e.g., do not go from a heading 2 to a heading 4. Heading levels can be skipped when decreasing<\/strong>, for example when a subsection of a heading level 4 concludes, you can skip back to a heading level 2 to introduce a new section. Any type of content can follow any heading level.\r\n

How to prevent it next time<\/h2>\r\n\"\"In the Format <\/strong>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<\/strong> menu.\r\n
<\/div>\r\n
\r\n

Next<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nMove to the next page to examine\u00a0Accessible Lists<\/strong> or select the next error you want to fix<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

\"\"Headings\u2014when created properly\u2014benefit 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\u00a0<\/strong>menu (in the top left of the editor toolbar).<\/p>\n

Who headings impact<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

How to fix it<\/h2>\n

The Brightspace Accessibility Checker notes 2 heading errors:\u00a0This paragraph looks like a heading. If it is a heading, please select a heading level<\/strong> and\u00a0Headings must be applied in sequential order. For example: Heading 1 should be followed by Heading 2, not Heading 3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/strong>menu.<\/p>\n

\"\"In the Accessibility Checker, improperly created headings will be flagged.
\nUse the\u00a0Select a heading level<\/strong> menu to choose the appropriate heading level and then use the Repair<\/strong> button to rectify the error.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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\u00a0Format<\/strong> menu.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Start with a heading level 1 as the broadest, most important level, such as a title.<\/p>\n

Use heading level 2 for major sections under heading level 1.<\/p>\n

Use heading level 3 for subsections under preceding heading level 2.<\/p>\n

Use heading level 4 for subsections under preceding heading level 3.<\/p>\n

Do not skip a heading level when increasing<\/strong>, e.g., do not go from a heading 2 to a heading 4. Heading levels can be skipped when decreasing<\/strong>, for example when a subsection of a heading level 4 concludes, you can skip back to a heading level 2 to introduce a new section. Any type of content can follow any heading level.<\/p>\n

How to prevent it next time<\/h2>\n

\"\"In the Format <\/strong>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<\/strong> menu.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
\n

Next<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

\n

Move to the next page to examine\u00a0Accessible Lists<\/strong> or select the next error you want to fix<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1655,"menu_order":5,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-2521","chapter","type-chapter","status-web-only","hentry"],"part":1477,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/2521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1655"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/2521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3287,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/2521\/revisions\/3287"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1477"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/2521\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=2521"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=2521"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/a11yondemand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=2521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}