Accessibility Minute - January 2026

Welcome to our January issue of the Accessibility Minute Newsletter! This newsletter is produced by the CU Boulder Digital Accessibility Office (DAO) and covers one accessibility skill or topic per month. Please visit the DAO website to access past newsletters. As always, thank you for taking a minute (or two) to read.

What Makes a Table Accessible?

The short answer is that an accessible table is one that can be navigated and understood by everyone, including individuals using assistive technology.

More specifically, accessible tables should:

  • Contain programmatic table headers. These are cells that describe the data contained in their column or row.
  • Contain a table caption. This caption describes the table's content.
  • Contain data (i.e., it's not used for layout purposes). Data tables are used to arrange tabular data, while layout tables are used to arrange the layout of your document.
  • Avoid merged cells and empty data cells when possible.

Programmatic Table Headers

A table header (different from headings in a document or web page) is a cell that describes the data in its column or row. If a table header describes the data cells in its row, usually read left to right, it’s called a row header. If a table header describes the cells in its column, usually read from top to bottom, it’s called a column header.

Column and row headers are meant to orient us to the data in each column and row, so we can follow what specific data series we’re examining. Some individuals may orient visually, while others may use assistive technology, such as screen readers. When navigating a table using a screen reader, table headers are announced when a new row or column is entered to help users stay oriented. To understand this more in depth, watch this video demonstrating how a screen reader interacts with an accessible table.

Without programmatic table headers, a screen reader user will encounter more difficulty knowing which column and row they are in at any given point. Navigating a table without headers as an assistive technology user is like playing a game of Battleship: a user moves from cell to cell without knowing where they are within the table or the structure of the content.

Lastly, if your data table spans multiple pages, make sure the table headers are repeated on every page. This helps all users stay oriented, improves readability, and reduces the potential for errors.

Table Captions

Content creators should provide sufficient context for a table so readers know what it contains. This requires either a table caption, such as "Table 1: EU Country GDP from 2010-2020," or a description embedded in the surrounding text, such as "The following table contains the GDP of EU countries from 2010 to 2020." This helps all readers understand the table's context and the meaningful data it contains.

Data Table Versus Layout Table

A data table contains tabular data, or data with two dimensions. A layout table is used solely for visual formatting and does not contain tabular data. Using a table to display a series of images in a grid is an example of using a table solely for layout purposes. This is an inaccessible use of a table and is not recommended.

Merged Cells

Merged cells are the combination of two or more adjacent cells (horizontally, vertically, or both) into a single, larger cell that spans multiple rows or columns. Merged cells are not impossible to make accessible; however, there are very few content editing platforms that allow you to set an appropriate scope for merged cells. Setting scope essentially tells a screen reader that a merged cell is associated with all the corresponding, smaller data cells it covers. If you do not set the scope appropriately or have the option to, then a screen reader will do its best to navigate through the cells, which will likely cause a confusing experience for the end user.

Empty Data Cells

Avoid leaving empty data cells in your table. Screen readers often interpret empty cells as the end of a row or table, which can cause users to miss crucial information. If you do not have data to input in a cell, we recommend adding "Not applicable" or "0" to provide definitive information, ensuring the reader knows the cell is empty by design, not by error. The only instance where it’s appropriate to leave an empty data cell is in cell A1 (typically the top left header cell) if you have a table with column and row headers.

Why Accessible Tables Matter

Tables are often used to present critical information and data, so it is important to ensure all users can access them. Following the guidance in this month’s newsletter will help content creators make clear, consistent, navigable, and accessible tables.

Tutorials