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7 Core Skills: Lists

Lists help people understand how information is grouped and related. They make content easier to scan, follow and remember. 

What Makes a List Accessible?

Accessible lists are created using built-in list tools rather than manually typing symbols or numbers.

These tools add structure that assistive technology can recognize, allowing users to understand how items are grouped and how many items are included.

Why Are Lists Important for Digital Accessibility?

For people who use screen readers, real lists provide important structure. Assistive technology can recognize numbered and bulleted lists created with built-in tools and announce how many items are in the list. When lists are created by typing dashes, numbers, or symbols instead of using list formatting, screen readers cannot identify them as lists. The content may sound confusing or disorganized, even when it looks fine visually.

Using proper list tools ensures your information is clear, organized, and accessible to everyone. 

Top 3 Ways to Get Started

  • Use Built-In List Tools Every Time

    Create bulleted or numbered lists using the formatting options in Word, Canvas, or your web editor, never by typing symbols or spacing.

  • Choose the Right Type of List

    Use bulleted lists for related items and numbered lists for steps, sequences, or priorities.

  • Keep Lists Simple and Meaningful

    Group related ideas together and avoid overly long or complex lists that are hard to follow.

What Makes a Good, Accessible List?

Accessible lists have clear, consistent structure:

  • Items that belong together are presented as a single list
  • Numbered lists are used for instructions or ordered steps
  • Each list item is concise and focused
  • Nested lists are used only when necessary

This structure helps all users quickly understand how information is organized.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Creating “fake” lists with hyphens, asterisks, or manual numbering
  • Using extra spaces or tabs to imitate list formatting
  • Mixing bullets and numbers in the same list without a clear purpose
  • Turning long paragraphs into lists just to break up text

Small changes in how you create lists can make a big difference for accessibility.

You can create accessible lists in the tools you already use:

  • Microsoft Word and PowerPoint – Bullets and Numbering buttons
  • Canvas – List formatting options in the Rich Content Editor
  • Web editors and CMS tools – Built-in list features that create proper HTML lists
  • Accessibility checkers – generally do not check for issues with lists

Before publishing, take a quick look to confirm that any grouped items are created using real list formatting. 

Lists are one of the easiest accessibility improvements you can make. Try this today:

  • Open a recent document, email, or webpage you created.
  • Look for places where items are grouped.
  • Convert any “manual” lists into properly formatted ones.