Oftentimes lists are a useful way to meaningfully organize content. It is important that when we use lists we do not just use visual indicators, but leverage list styles. Lists can be ordered (using numbers, like when numbering a series of steps) or unordered (unordered lists can be rearranged without any loss of meaning). Using list styles allows users to meaningfully navigate using Assistive Technology, and also uses recognizable visual indicators to enhance understanding of structure.

How to Create Accessible Lists

Create a list using the specified list features of the platform you are using, instead of simply adding lines yourself. When you create lists yourself without specified list features, you will end up using tabs or spaces for indentation. Users of some assistive technology like screen readers will “hear” these spaces as “blank, blank, blank”. So it is best to use built-in list features.

The same principle applies to lists. Rather than hand-numbering a list, format it as an ordered (that is, numbered) list. A screen-reader will signal that an ordered list is a list, whereas it will just read a hand-numbered list through like sentences, with no indication that it is distinct from the body text.

The idea behind Universal Design is to provide equivalent content through every channel: audio, visual, or tactile. In this case, that means using the built-in formatting to make sure the list will be set off both visually and audibly, when read. See below for a screenshot of where to find the list styling buttons in Word.

screenshot of sample lists with arrows to formatting buttons

Video: Headers and Lists