Inappropriate Headings Check

Description

The “Inappropriate Headings Check” evaluates whether the number of headings on a page is sufficient to represent the page’s content structure.

Example outcome

I found 1 heading on the page.

Impact

• Visual Impairments: Screen reader users may struggle to understand the page’s layout or jump to key sections without multiple semantic headings.
• Motor Impairments: Users relying on keyboard shortcuts to jump between headings will have only one anchor point, making navigation inefficient.
• Cognitive Disabilities: A single heading may not break the content into manageable parts, leading to confusion or overwhelm.
• Neurodivergent Disorders: Poorly segmented content increases mental effort and reduces readability for users with ADHD or processing difficulties.

Fixes

To address inappropriate headings:

1. Review the page content to determine natural divisions (e.g., different sections).
2. Create a heading for each of the divisions you managed to identify.
3. Ensure a clear and hierarchical use of heading levels.

Resources

• WCAG 2.2: Understanding Success Criteria 1.3.1
• WCAG 2.2: Understanding Success Criteria 2.4.10
• WCAG 2.2 Techniques: Technique G141: Organizing a page using headings
• WebAIM: Semantic Structure: Regions, Headings, and Lists