Re: Using <h2> as subtitle in W3C specifications

For the specs, I too think that works.
BTW, header maps to banner so screen readers will pickup that structure in 
a practical way.
Matt King
IBM Senior Technical Staff Member
I/T Chief Accessibility Strategist
IBM BT/CIO - Global Workforce and Web Process Enablement 
Phone: (503) 578-2329, Tie line: 731-7398
mattking@us.ibm.com



From:   James Craig <jcraig@apple.com>
To:     Steve Faulkner <sfaulkner@paciellogroup.com>, 
Cc:     Robin Berjon <robin@w3.org>, spec-prod@w3.org
Date:   03/13/2015 02:42 AM
Subject:        Re: Using <h2> as subtitle in W3C specifications



Works for me.

> On Mar 13, 2015, at 1:16 AM, Steve Faulkner 
<sfaulkner@paciellogroup.com> wrote:
> 
> The pattern advocated in HTML5 is
> 
> <header>
>   <h1>HTML 5.1 Nightly</h1>
>   <p>A vocabulary and associated APIs for HTML and XHTML</p>
>   <p>Editor's Draft 9 May 2013</p>
> </header>
> 
> The paragraphs along with the heading are grouped/associated by the 
header element
> 
> Steve Faulkner
> TPG Distinguished Accessibility Engineer
> -
> Co-editor HTML 5.1
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Craig [mailto:jcraig@apple.com] 
> Sent: 13 March 2015 00:23
> To: Robin Berjon
> Cc: spec-prod@w3.org; Steve Faulkner
> Subject: Re: Using <h2> as subtitle in W3C specifications
> 
> Would it be better to keep the subheading in the same <h#> element, and 
indicate the sub-level status semantically. A <p> outside the heading does 
not do that. Some suggestions.
> 
> 1. <small> inside heading.
>   <h1>Heading <small>Sub-heading</small></h1>
> 
> 2. Even <div> inside heading, possibly with a role. (less semantic than 
h1>small, but still better than h1+p)
>   <h1>Heading <div>Sub-heading</div></h1>
> 
> Should we consider adding an ARIA role for "subheading"?
> 
> James
> 
> 
>> On Mar 12, 2015, at 6:56 AM, Robin Berjon <robin@w3.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> it is the current practice in W3C specifications to use an <h2> element 
for a specification's subtitle (either the actual subtitle, or the "W3C 
$SPEC_STATUS $DATE" part.
>> 
>> It so happens that this is a practice which is frowned upon by the HTML 
specification:
>> 
>>   "h1–h6 elements must not be used to markup subheadings, subtitles,
>>    alternative titles and taglines unless intended to be the heading
>>    for a new section or subsection."
>>   -- http://www.w3.org/TR/html5/common-idioms.html#sub-head

>> 
>> The suggested fix would be to transition to using a <p> element with a 
specific class. This is what HTML5 used to do (because it had special 
dispensation to break stuff) but that won't be possible with the new 
automatic publishing system. Also, it's nicer to follow our own 
suggestions in general.
>> 
>> If this is agreed upon, we'll have a transition period so that everyone 
has time to make this small change.
>> 
>> -- 
>> Robin Berjon - http://berjon.com/ - @robinberjon
>> 
>