Web Accessibility Checker : Check Details

Element

Error Type

Known

Guidelines

BITV 1.0 (Level 2)
Level 1
3.5 Use header elements to convey document structure and use them according to specification.
WCAG 1.0 (Level AA)
Priority 2
3.5 Use header elements to convey document structure and use them according to specification.
WCAG 1.0 (Level AAA)
Priority 2
3.5 Use header elements to convey document structure and use them according to specification.
WCAG 2.0 (Level AA)
2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Success Criteria 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA)
WCAG 2.0 (Level AAA)
2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Success Criteria 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA)

Requirement

The header following an h2 is h1, h2 or h3.

Error

Header nesting - header following h2 is incorrect.

Short Description

The following header must be equal, one level greater or any level less.

How To Repair

Modify the header levels so only an h3 or any header less than h3 follows h2.

Steps To Check

Procedure

1. For each h2 element, find the header element that follows it.

Expected Result

1. The header following an h2 is h1, h2 or h3.

Failed Result

1. Rearrange the header order so the header following an h2 is h1, h2 or h3.

Examples

Pass Examples

h3 follows an h2

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/xhtml; charset=UTF-8" />
<title>OAC Testfile - Check #38 - Negative</title>
</head>
<body>

<h2>The First Heading</h2>
<p>Here is some demo text.</p>
<h3>This Heading Is OK</h3>
<p>Here is some more demo text.</p>

</body>
</html>

Fail Examples

h4 follows an h2

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/xhtml; charset=UTF-8" />
<title>OAC Testfile - Check #38 - Positive</title>
</head>
<body>

<h2>The First Heading</h2>
<p>Here is some demo text.</p>
<h4>The bad Heading</h4>
<p>Here is some more demo text.</p>

</body>
</html>