New E-learning

Table

A table organizes data into rows and columns to relate several pieces of information to one another. Its accessibility depends on clearly identified row and column headers, an explicit title, and a simple structure, with no merged cells. 

On this page

Major structural limitation: Storyline renders cell content but not the table structure. Screen readers have access neither to row and column headers nor to table navigation commands. A Storyline table is a visual grid, not a semantic data table. 

Alternatives to prefer as soon as the data becomes more complex

  1. Structured list or blocks/cards (often the best option) 
  2. Tabs or accordion to segment information 
  3. A real, structured table, inserted as a Web Object (Insert → Web Object) 
  4. Link to an equivalent accessible version (PDF/UA, accessible web page) 

Prohibited

  1. Using a table for layout purposes. 
  2. Coding information using only a cell's fill color.

When to use a table

  1. Comparing several items against several criteria: two-dimensional data. 
  2. Presenting reference data: thresholds, rates, correspondences. 
  3. Summarizing a rule by cross-referencing scenarios and the action to take. 

When not to use a table

  1. Layout: never use a table to position content on the slide. 
  2. Single-dimension list: use a list. 
  3. Large or complex table (merged cells, double headers): split it into several simple tables. 

On this page

Implementation

  • Go to Insert → Table 
  • Set the number of rows and columns 
  • Enable the header row for visual distinction (formatting only, with no semantic value)

Title and context

  • Visible title above the table, applied with a heading style. 
  • Any unit, currency, or abbreviation must appear in the column header, not only in the cells.

Checks before delivery

  • Complete keyboard traversal of the table, without a mouse: order, completeness, no inaccessible cell. 
  • Rendering tested with a screen reader on a web browser (at least two screen reader/browser pairs): does the information remain understandable without the headers? 
  • Zoom to 200%: no text truncation, no two-dimensional scrolling. 

On this page

Keyboard interaction

Caution: no table-navigation commands are available in the published output. The learner cannot return to a column header or jump from one row to another. Context must therefore be carried by the content itself: a description of the table beforehand, and for short tables, a reminder of the header in the Alt text of the relevant cells. 

Expected reading order

To be defined in the Focus Order panel (Home ribbon)

  • Slide title 
  • Visible table title 
  • Table description (Alt text of the table object) 
  • Header cells 
  • Data cells, left to right then row by row 
  • Subsequent elements and buttons