ULEARN Accessibility Guide Table Does Not Include Header Rows or Columns

Use table headers to clearly describe the table's structure for both sighted and screen reader users.

User Experience

What You May Experience

Planetary Characteristics
	Mass ( $LaTeX: 10^{24}$ kg)	Diameter (km)	Mean Temp. (C)	Number of Moons
Mercury	0.330	4879	167	0
Venus	4.87	12,104	464	0
Earth	5.97	12,756	15	1
Mars	0.642	6792	-65	2
Jupiter	1898	142,984	-110	95
Saturn	568	120,536	-140	146
Uranus	86.8	51,118	-195	28
Neptune	102	49,528	-200	16

What Students May Experience

Transcript

Why this Matters

Screen readers and other assistive technologies rely on table headers to provide context for navigating and understanding data by associating each cell with its corresponding column or row header. Without table headers in a data table, there's no clear structure, causing screen readers to hear a list of confounding values. Headers also provide sighted users an emphasized style that their eyes and brains easily recognize and relate to data as they browse a table's columns and rows.

In the example in the User Experience section, the screen reader reads each cell without conveying its header, making it challenging for students to understand what the numbers are referring to. This lack of clarity can impede learning, especially in tables that contain complex data or require precise interpretation.

Hear the difference that headers can make!

In the following table, column and row headers have been added. A screen reader is therefore able to convey the relationship between headers and data cells, ensuring that students can understand the information.

The table is more accessible than the previous example because it includes headers and no longer has a blank upper-left cell. Since screen readers encounter this cell first, it’s essential that it contains descriptive text.

Planetary Characteristics
Planet	Mass $LaTeX: 10^{24}$ kg	Diameter (km)	Mean Temp. (C)	Number of Moons
Mercury	0.330	4879	167	0
Venus	4.87	12,104	464	0
Earth	5.97	12,756	15	1
Mars	0.642	6792	-65	2
Jupiter	1898	142,984	-110	95
Saturn	568	120,536	-140	146
Uranus	86.8	51,118	-195	28
Neptune	102	49,528	-200	16

Transcript

How to Fix It

Fix in Canvas: Select a cell in the table that should be a header. Then, from the menu bar in the RCE, select Table, then Row/Column, then Row/Column Properties. In the Row/Column Properties dialog, select “Header” as the Row/Column type.
Fix with DesignPLUS: To make this table more accessible using DesignPLUS, select your table and make sure that "Table" is the active element on the sidebar's Edit Current Element tab. Then, scroll down to "Advanced" and check Column Header and/or Row Header. When you select your headers, DesignPLUS will automatically add the scope. Alternatively, navigate to the Accessibility / Usability tab and use the Table Checker to add Column and/or Row headers, which will then automatically also add the scope.
Fix in UDOIT: Whenever you come across a "Table Does Not Include Header Rows or Columns" issue, select "Column Header," "Row Header," or "Both" on the left-hand side of the modal. Make sure you select "Save" before moving on to the next issue.

Last Updated: Oct 24, 2025, 5:26 PM

Created with DesignPLUS

UDOIT Advantage

User Experience

What You May Experience

What Students May Experience

Audio Transcript

Why this Matters

Accessible Table with Row and Column Scopes

How to Fix It