{"id":124,"date":"2024-11-22T11:44:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T16:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/?page_id=124"},"modified":"2025-03-14T08:29:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T12:29:50","slug":"creating-accessible-tables","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-tables\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Accessible Tables"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-umflint-templates umflint-template-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-umflint-jumbotron jumbotron jumbotron-fluid jumbotron-page mb-3\" style=\"background-color: rgb(255,255,255);\">\n    <div class=\"container\">\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5a030efc539a12c60a8df8911c28b5b7\">Creating Accessible Tables<\/h1>\n\n<\/div>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jumbotron-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-1024x800.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-768x600.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-1536x1200.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-2048x1600.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" alt=\"\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-row row\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-3\">\n\t\t\t\n<button class=\"btn btn-section w-100 px-0 wp-menu-block-toggle mobile-nav-toggle d-none\" data-target=\"wp-menu-block-secondary-menu\">\n          <span class=\"h-100 mr-3 mt-1 d-block mobile-nav-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t  <\/span>\n          Accessibility<\/button><nav id=\"wp-menu-block-secondary-menu\" class=\"wp-menu-block sidebar-nav wp-block-umflint-menu-block\"><div class=\"nav-sidebar-title-container\">\n                <div class=\"nav-sidebar-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\">Accessibility<\/a><\/div>\n                <a class=\"nav-sidebar-title-close\" href=\"#\" data-target=\"secondary-menu\" aria-label=\"Close\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"50\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                        <title>close<\/title><path d=\"M19,6.41L17.59,5L12,10.59L6.41,5L5,6.41L10.59,12L5,17.59L6.41,19L12,13.41L17.59,19L19,17.59L13.41,12L19,6.41Z\" \/>\n                    <\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n            <\/div><ul id=\"menu-secondary-menu\" class=\"menu nav nav-sidebar flex-column\"><li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-499\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-499 nav-item\"><a title=\"Accessibility Tools\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/tools\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Accessibility Tools<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-500\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-500 nav-item\"><a title=\"Grackle\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/tools\/grackle\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Grackle<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-501\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-501 nav-item\"><a title=\"Panorama\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/tools\/panorama\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Panorama<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-502\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-502 nav-item\"><a title=\"Accessibility Guides\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Accessibility Guides<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-503\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-503 nav-item\"><a title=\"Adding Alt Text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/alt-text\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Adding Alt Text<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-504\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-504 nav-item\"><a title=\"Checking Captions for Kaltura Videos\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/kaltura-videos\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Checking Captions for Kaltura Videos<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-505\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-505 nav-item\"><a title=\"Creating Accessible Descriptive Links\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-descriptive-links\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Creating Accessible Descriptive Links<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-506\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-506 nav-item\"><a title=\"Creating Accessible Presentations\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-presentations\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Creating Accessible Presentations<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-507\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-507 nav-item\"><a title=\"Creating Accessible Tables\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-tables\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Creating Accessible Tables<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-508\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-508 nav-item\"><a title=\"Ensuring Basic Color Contrast for Accessibility\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/basic-color-contrast\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Ensuring Basic Color Contrast for Accessibility<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-509\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-509 nav-item\"><a title=\"Removing Redundant Links\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/removing-redundant-links\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Removing Redundant Links<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-510\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-510 nav-item\"><a title=\"Structuring Your Documents and Pages for Accessibility\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/structuring-your-documents\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Structuring Your Documents and Pages for Accessibility<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-511\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-511 nav-item\"><a title=\"Recent Email News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/recent-email-news\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Recent Email News<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-512\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-512 nav-item\"><a title=\"Rethinking PDFs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Rethinking PDFs<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-513\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-513 nav-item\"><a title=\"Converting a PDF to Word\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/converting\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Converting a PDF to Word<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-514\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-514 nav-item\"><a title=\"Myths and Paths Forward\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/myths-paths-forward\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Myths and Paths Forward<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-515\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-515 nav-item\"><a title=\"PDF Alternatives\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/alternatives\/\" class=\"nav-link\">PDF Alternatives<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-516\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-516 nav-item\"><a title=\"Sharing Read-Only Files\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/sharing-read-only-files\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Sharing Read-Only Files<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-517\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-517 nav-item\"><a title=\"Shortcomings and Frustrations of PDFs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/shortcomings-frustrations\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Shortcomings and Frustrations of PDFs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-548\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-548 nav-item\"><a title=\"Accessibility Standard Practice Guide (SPG)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/spg.umich.edu\/policy\/601.20\" class=\"nav-link\">Accessibility Standard Practice Guide (SPG)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/nav>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-9\">\n\t\t\t\n<nav aria-label=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb mb-3\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\">Accessibility<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/\">Guides<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item active\" aria-current=\"page\">Creating Accessible Tables<\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Accessible Tables Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tables are a great way to organize and present data, but they can pose challenges for students using screen readers. Accessible tables help ensure that all students, regardless of their abilities, can interpret the information accurately. Properly formatted tables provide context, order, and a logical structure that is easy for everyone to navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Makes a Table Accessible?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Logical Structure<\/strong>: Ensure that tables are used only for presenting data, not for layout purposes. Proper tables convey relationships between data in a clear, meaningful way.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Headers and Scope<\/strong>: Tables should have properly defined headers to provide context. Screen readers use these headers to announce column or row information, making data easier to understand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-secondary-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-secondary-background-color has-background mt-5 mb-5\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b73b8db4e2a0bb79e0c44973f0c2db67\">How to Create Accessible Tables<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-16021f6593ca4ae58d969e383ab79fa5\">Use Table Headers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Designate Header Rows or Columns<\/strong>: Use your document editor\u2019s table tools to set the first row (or column) as a header. This allows screen readers to understand and announce the structure of the table.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: In most editors, you can select the row or column, right-click, and choose \u201cMark as Header\u201d or a similar option.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-9a21ceda9710b4e3e4b45045d19724e2\">Add Descriptive Titles or Captions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Caption Your Table<\/strong>: A caption is a brief description that explains the purpose of the table. This helps all students understand what the table is showing at a glance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: Instead of just presenting raw data, add a caption like \u201cTable 1: Enrollment Numbers by Semester.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-446f34d5c0543e73af7a0097401ae6a3\">Avoid Merged or Split Cells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Keep Cells Simple<\/strong>: Merged or split cells can confuse screen readers and make the data harder to interpret. Stick to a simple grid structure without combining cells where possible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-a02523373bac7effd81a609c17e9d536\">Specify the Scope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Define Scope for Headers<\/strong>: If your table is complex, specify the scope of each header (e.g., does it apply to a column or a row?). Many editors allow you to define this under table properties, which helps screen readers correctly associate headers with the corresponding data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Example: If a header spans multiple rows or columns, set its scope appropriately to ensure students understand the data relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light h-auto mt-5\" style=\"min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#dedfe1\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2 mt-4\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mt-3 mb-4\">Examples of Accessible vs. Non-accessible Tables<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Non-accessible table<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Uses merged cells for categories, making it unclear how the data is organized.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No defined headers, meaning people using screen readers won\u2019t understand the data relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessible table<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Uses clearly defined headers for each row and column.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Includes a caption summarizing the table content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips for Faculty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use Built-In Tools<\/strong>: Always use the built-in table tools available in your document editor (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Canvas) to create tables. This ensures that the correct HTML or accessibility tags are added automatically.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoid Visual-Only Formatting<\/strong>: Don\u2019t use tables for visual layout purposes. Using tables for layout confuses screen readers and creates unnecessary obstacles for people with visual impairments. Tables should be used exclusively for organizing and displaying structured data, as this helps users easily interpret and navigate the information. For design and layout purposes, it\u2019s best to rely on CSS, which allows for more accessible and flexible design adjustments that won\u2019t interfere with content accessibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover h-auto\" style=\"min-height:50px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-primary-background-color has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mt-3 mb-4 has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1ed2018bae68966da32e607b52addc78\">What Can I Do Now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating accessible tables is an ongoing practice that starts with intention and follows through with verification. To prevent accessibility issues, always begin by defining the purpose of the table. Ask yourself if the table is intended to present data that requires logical organization\u2014if so, make sure to use clear headers, descriptive captions, and maintain a simple structure without merged or split cells. This thoughtful approach from the outset will help eliminate barriers for students using screen readers, ensuring that the data is easy for everyone to interpret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve created your table, verification is key. Use the built-in accessibility checker in your document editor or Canvas to confirm that your tables are properly formatted. These tools can help identify common problems like missing headers or inappropriate use of merged cells, allowing you to address potential issues before they impact students. Regularly reviewing your tables with these accessibility tools ensures that your materials remain inclusive, allowing all students to engage effectively with the content. By incorporating these simple checks into your workflow, you can help ensure that your tables are genuinely accessible to everyone.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-tables\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"parent":95,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-124","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":214,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/124\/revisions\/214"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/95"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}