• Success Criterion 2.4.6
  • Conformance level AA

Identical Headings Repeated Over Completely Different Content

2.4.6 — Headings and Labels

Scenario

Setting

A language-learning app's lesson screen

What’s wrong

Repeated identical headings for different content ("Details", "Details", "Details").

Example 

<h3>Details</h3>
<p>Vocabulary: 12 new words about family members.</p>
<h3>Details</h3>
<p>Grammar: past tense conjugation of -ar verbs.</p>
<h3>Details</h3>
<p>Culture note: greetings in formal vs. casual settings.</p>

Why it matters

A learner jumping between headings hears Details, Details, Details and can't tell the vocabulary section from the grammar section.

How to test

Compare repeated identical headings ('Details', 'Details', 'Details') across different sections: if they don't distinguish the content beneath them, it fails.

How to fix

Identical headings for different content defeat the purpose of using headings to navigate at all.

<h3>Vocabulary: Family Members</h3>
<p>Vocabulary: 12 new words about family members.</p>
<h3>Grammar: Past Tense -ar Verbs</h3>
<p>Grammar: past tense conjugation of -ar verbs.</p>
<h3>Culture Note: Greetings</h3>
<p>Culture note: greetings in formal vs. casual settings.</p>

Outcome

A learner jumps directly to Grammar: Past Tense -ar Verbs using the heading list alone.

Who is affected

Screen reader users scanning lesson headings get no way to distinguish three unrelated topics sharing one label.

Learn more

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