Following our posts on image alternate text Don’t Skip the Alt Text—Here’s Why, we’re moving to the next most impactful habit for digital accessibility—document structure.
True to our mission, we are boldly committed to making content everyone can use—regardless of ability. As we approach the April 2026 Title II deadline, shifting how we think about “bold text” can transform a frustrating document into a navigable, robust resource for all students and colleagues.
What is ‘Proper Structure?’
When many of us want a heading, we highlight text, make it bold, and increase the font size. While this looks like a heading to sighted users, a screen reader just sees it as “bold text.”
To a screen reader user, a document without proper heading tags is like a book without a Table of Contents—they have to listen to every single word from the beginning just to find the section they need. Using built-in Styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) creates a digital map that allows users to “jump” to the content they need.
The Logic of Lists
Just like headings, lists need “tags” to be accessible. When you use the built-in bulleted or numbered list tools, a screen reader will announce, “List, five items,” before reading the content. This gives the user immediate context.
If you simply type a dash (-) or a number (1.) and then a space, the screen reader treats it as a standard paragraph, losing the relationship between the items.
Why Structure is Your Superpower (The Hidden Benefits)
- Efficiency for All: Screen reader users can pull up a list of all headings on a page to navigate instantly. Sighted users benefit from a clear visual hierarchy that makes skimming for relevant sections easier.
- Automatic Tables of Contents: If you use proper Heading Styles in Word, you can generate a professional Table of Contents with a single click.
- Mobile Friendliness: Proper structure helps web pages and Canvas pages reflow better on mobile devices, ensuring your content is readable on any screen size.
- AI & Search: Just like image alternate text, search engines and AI tools use headings to understand the relationship between different sections of your content, making your work easier to find and index.
4 Rules for Perfect Headings
- Use Heading Levels in Order: Always start with Heading 1 (usually the title; this is automatic in Kentico, WordPress, and Canvas). Follow it with Heading 2 for main sections, and Heading 3 for subsections. Never skip a level (e.g., jumping from H2 to H4) just because you like the font size of the smaller heading.
- Be Descriptive but Concise: A heading should tell the reader exactly what to expect in the following section. “Financial Aid Requirements” is much better than just “Requirements.”
- Don’t Over-Format: Avoid making entire paragraphs bold or using headings for decorative “call-out” boxes. Headings should be reserved for structural organization.
- Consistency is Key: Use the same heading style for similar levels of information throughout your document. This builds “mental maps” for your readers.
Common Structural Pitfalls
- Using Bold Instead of Styles: If you just manually change the font to be big and bold, you’ve created a visual heading, but not a functional one.
- All-Caps Headings: Some screen readers will read words in ALL CAPS letter-by-letter (e.g., “A-C-C-E-S-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y”) rather than as a word. Use standard title case.
- Skipping Levels for Aesthetics: Choosing a heading level based on how it looks (e.g., picking Heading 4 because Heading 2 “looks too big”) breaks the navigation path for screen readers.
- Manual “Fake” Lists: Typing out “1. ” or ” – ” manually doesn’t create a real list in the document’s code, leaving screen reader users without context.
How to Structure Your Content
Applying headings is faster than manual formatting and it’s pretty similar across most software and platforms. Here are a few common ways to give your content proper structure.
- In Microsoft Word: Highlight your text and select a level from the Styles gallery on the Home tab.
- In Canvas (Rich Content Editor): Highlight your text, click the “Paragraph” dropdown menu, and select the appropriate Heading level.
- In Kentico: Use the “Normal” paragraph dropdown in the toolbar to apply heading levels to your selected text.
You’re Not in This Alone: Join Us Jan. 14!
Making these simple habits part of your routine is a bold step toward creating a truly inclusive campus. If you have a canvas course, syllabus or course materials and you aren’t sure if the structure is correct, join CATL’s virtual accessibility hours.
Virtual Accessibility Hours for Instructors
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
- Virtual: via Zoom
Additional Resources
- UWGB Digital Accessibility page: Find tools, tips and support from your UW-Green Bay Digital Accessibility Work Group.
- Digital Accessibility Canvas Course: A self-paced course to teach you the fundamentals for making your course content compliant. For more about formatting, check out Module 3: Make your Documents Accessible.
- UW Title II Informational Webpage: The system-wide resource explaining the ruling, scope, and implementation plan.
Need help?
University Support is available from multiple offices depending on your digital accessibility needs.