Properly mark up lists and related items |
WAI / WCAG 1.0 Priority 2 checkpoint 3.6
Issue Description The page contains at least one pair of identical images that are not spacers and that might be used as bullets in a table-formatted list of items.
How to check Check if the images used in this page are used as bullets in itemized lists of objects. If this is the case, replace the table and images with the appropriate markup. Use a list as a wrapper and a list item (LI or DD and DT) to mark each item within these lists.

Use unordered lists (UL), ordered (i.e. numbered) lists (OL), or definition lists (DL). Lists can be nested in various ways, for example, by using a UL within a LI of an OL. It is also possible to change the symbol that is used as a bullet by using the appropriate CSS property (list-style).

More details can be found on HTML Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-HTML-TECHS/#lists] .

Issue Explanation Whenever visual clues are used (e.g. indenting) to suggest appropriate nesting of content items, it must be noted that those clues will not be available to people who cannot use or take advantage of two-dimensional graphic rendering. This includes visually impaired and blind persons, as well as those using a non-graphical browser, like a reading browser for telephone or a small PDA screen.

It is therefore important to use the appropriate structural markup that HTML offers to encode such important clues. A user of a screen reader or of a speaking browser can navigate through the levels of nested lists if they are properly encoded. They can jump directly to a certain item.

If multiple levels of ordered (numbered) lists are used, ensure that the numbered headings that are shown contain contextual information. For example the items of the second level list should be numbered like 1.1, 1.2 ... or 1.a, 1.b, etc. Since users can navigate freely, the goal of using contextual information is that when an item is read, potentially out of context, it will contain enough information for the listener to understand which item of which list is being read.

If the same items were numbered, for example: 1, 2, 3, etc.,then the listener would not be able to differentiate when the items are part of a secondary list.