Headings provide structure to your content and help guide readers by organizing information into clear topics and subtopics.

Headings should begin with Heading 1 (Title) and may progress through Heading 6. Each heading level represents a subtopic of the heading above it. For example, a Heading 2 is a subtopic of a Heading 1, and a Heading 3 is a subtopic of a Heading 2.

Headings must be formatted using the built-in heading styles provided by the application to be accessible. Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, use headings to help users navigate and scan digital content efficiently.

For more information, review Heading Examples document

Having clear, concise, and meaningful links improves both the accessibility and usability of digital content.

Links should provide a quick and clear understanding of their destination. People scan content for links whether they use assistive technology or not. Providing link text that describes the destination allows users to understand the purpose of the link without relying on surrounding text.

Descriptive link text is especially helpful for people using assistive technology, such as screen readers, to navigate through a list of links or scan page content

Learn more by clicking the following Link Text Examples document

People with visual impairments may not perceive the visual cues that help sighted users understand when a group of items should be considered a list. When a person uses assistive technology, such as a screen reader, an accessible list within digital content is identified by the number of items it contains. This helps users understand that they are entering a list and provides context about the length of the list.

If a list is not properly formatted, it may be confusing because the content could appear as a random group of words, such as "apple, orange, and banana," within the middle of a document.

There are two Main Types of Lists, unordered (bulleted) and ordered (numberd or lettered).

Images can add visual interest to digital content and provide additional information that helps users understand the material. However, images can create barriers when they are not accessible and may prevent people from receiving important information conveyed through visuals. This also includes images that contain motion.

Alternative text

To improve the accessibility of images, a textual alternative called Alternative Text (alt text) is used to meaningfully describe the content and function of an image.

Alternative text can be added using built-in accessibility features or tools available within digital content platforms, such as Grackle, Adobe accessibility tools, and Google Docs. These tools allow users to provide descriptions of images directly within the image settings.

Alt text provides several benefits, including:

• Screen readers and other assistive technologies can read alternative text in place of images.
• Web browsers and other applications can display alternative text when images do not load.
• Search engines can use alternative text when indexing web pages.

Complex Images

Complex images, such as flyers, charts, graphs, diagrams, and maps, may require more than short alternative text to provide the necessary information. These images should be accompanied by a detailed description, data table, or link to a separate page containing the information presented in the image.

Alt text is still required for complex images and should provide a brief description of the image's overall purpose or context.

Images With Motion

Provide users with a way to pause, stop, or hide any automatically moving content that:

• Starts automatically.
• Lasts more than five seconds.
• Flashes frequently within a one-second period.

Color perception varies based on an individual's visual abilities, viewing environment, and technology. People with color blindness, low vision, or other visual impairments may have difficulty accessing information that relies solely on color to communicate meaning.

To ensure accessibility, color should not be the only method used to convey information. Additional indicators, such as text labels, patterns, symbols, or other visual cues, should also be provided. In addition, sufficient color contrast between text and background elements should be maintained to improve readability and ensure content is accessible to all users.

For more information, see the Color and Color Contrast document.

Accessible tables should be used to organize and compare data or information, not to control the layout or appearance of digital content. Properly formatted tables help users understand the relationship between information in rows and columns.

To improve accessibility and usability, tables should include clearly identified headers and be structured using the built-in table formatting tools provided by the application. Additional information, such as a table description or summary, may be needed to provide context for more complex tables.

Simple data tables allow users to compare information within cells when they include properly formatted header rows or columns. Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, use these headers to help users navigate and understand the information presented in a table.

For more information, see the Data Tables document. 

Audio and video content are commonly used in websites, presentations, social media, online courses, livestreams, and other digital communications. To ensure equal access, alternative formats must be provided for individuals with varying abilities.

• Audio-only content (such as podcasts) must include a transcript.
• Videos with audio must include accurate captions that identify spoken content, meaningful sounds, and relevant audio information.
• Videos containing important visual information that is not conveyed through audio must include audio descriptions.
• Media player controls must be accessible and usable by all individuals.

Providing transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions improves accessibility for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, have low vision, or are English language learners. These features also improve comprehension, support translation, enhance searchability, and allow content to be accessed in environments where audio may be unavailable or difficult to hear.