List Items Check

Description

The “List Items Check” evaluates whether all elements inside a list container (e.g., <ul>, <ol>, or <menu>) are valid list items (i.e., only <li> elements are used as children).

Example outcome

I noticed that all lists only contain list items.

Impact

• Visual Impairments: Screen readers may skip content or read it incorrectly if the list structure breaks.
• Motor Impairments: Keyboard navigation may behave unpredictably within broken list structures.
• Cognitive Disabilities: Mixed elements in lists may confuse users who rely on patterns for understanding.

Fixes

To address inappropriate list items:

1. Locate the inappropriate list item.
2. Replace or wrap the item’s tag with the <li> tag.

Resources

• WCAG 2.2: Understanding Success Criteria 1.3.1
• WCAG 2.2 Techniques: Technique H48: Using ol, ul and dl for lists or groups of links
• WebAIM: Semantic Structure: Regions, Headings, and Lists