WCAG 2.0 · Level A · Perceivable
1.3.1 Info and Relationships
Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation must be programmatically determinable or available in text. For example, a visual heading, table relationship, or form grouping needs an equivalent structure or explanation that assistive technology can expose.
Manual verification
How to validate 1.3.1 by hand
Compare relationships and structure that are visible on the page with the relationships exposed to assistive technology.
Start with the extension result
Reopen the reported URL and reproduce the same state (for example, after expanding a menu or submitting a form). Use the result’s Highlight action when available, or its affected-element details and CSS selector, to find the reported content. Apply the checks below to that content and its context. If the element or state has changed, rescan and record that difference before deciding whether the finding still applies.
- Inspect headings, lists, table headers, labels, field groups, and instructions that visually organize the content.
- Navigate the same content using a screen reader or accessibility tree and check that the structure and associations are programmatically available.
- Check representative responsive and interactive states, such as expanded sections or validation errors, for lost or misleading relationships.
Evidence to record
Record the visible relationship, the announced or exposed structure, and the content or control whose relationship is missing.
Scope and exceptions
Visual styling alone is not semantic structure, but not every visual difference must be encoded as a programmatic relationship. Evaluate relationships that communicate meaning or operation.
Record the review outcome
- Confirmed: the recorded evidence shows the requirement is not met in the tested page state, and no applicable exception explains it.
- Not reproduced: the reported issue is absent in the current state. Record the URL, state, and affected element you checked; this does not prove other pages or states conform.
- Needs more review: evidence is incomplete, the content requires human judgment, or an exception is uncertain. Record what remains to be checked instead of treating it as a pass.
Why it matters
People may change how content is presented, for example by using a screen reader or a custom style sheet. Preserving the relationships helps them understand which labels, headings, cells, and groups belong together.
Examples and distinctions
Headings
Use heading semantics for content that functions as a heading, rather than styling ordinary text to look like one.
Data tables
Expose row and column header relationships in markup so people can associate a cell with the relevant headers.
Form groups
When a visual group of controls has a shared label or relationship, provide a programmatic or textual equivalent.