Requirements for 508 compliance
Use programmatically discoverable headings to logically structure content
Are heading styles used to logically divide and structure the document?
To check that all headings are marked:
- Open the headings (navigation) pane: On the View Tab, In the Show/Hide Group, select Document Map
- The headings in the Document Map should be selectable to go to any heading in the document.
- The hierarchy of the headings in the document should be indicated in the Document Map.
To set headings programmatically:
- In the document, select the text that is to be set as a heading.
- Open the Styles Pane: CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + S.
Note: It is best to use the built-in styles named 'Heading 1', 'Heading 2', 'Heading 3' etc., because these styles work well with assistive technologies used by people with disabilities. If 'Heading 1', 'Heading 2' etc. do not show in the Styles Pane, select the Options button in the bottom right corner of the pane, and set the types of styles that show to 'All Styles'.
- Find the appropriate style name (Title, or Heading 1, heading 2, heading 3 etc.). Open the context menu (right click) for the style name.
- If necessary, update a heading style to match any current visual character formatting. Choose Update <style name> to Match Selection
- If necessary, modify the heading style's settings to match your desired formatting. Choose Modify…
- Apply the heading style to the selected text. Select the heading style name, and the selected paragraph in the main document will be programmatically marked with the style name.
- If necessary, update a heading style to match any current visual character formatting. Choose Update <style name> to Match Selection
Tip: The Navigation Pane can be used to visualize Heading settings while they are being set: On the View Tab, in the Show Group, Select Document Pane.
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Use programmatically discoverable headings to logically structure content.
Correct:
(Select the image to download example file in MS Word format)
Incorrect:
(Select the image to download example file in MS Word format)
Use programmatically discoverable headings to logically structure content.
The use of styles and/or other programming allows keyboard-only and assistive technology users to navigate content. Applying bigger fonts, bold, underline, italic etc. does not programmatically set text as a heading.
Legal References
508 references:
1194.21(a); 1194.21(d); 1194.22(o); 1194.31(a); 1194.31(b); 1194.31(f).
WCAG references:
1.3.1 ; 2.1.1; 2.4.6 ; WCAG-AAA: 2.4.10 Section Headings.
All Microsoft Word Requirements