SC 3.1.1: Language of Page (In Context)

26/03/2026

SC 3.1.1 Language of Page
Ensure the default human language of a page or document can be programmatically determined.
Purpose: Enables assistive technologies (such as screen readers) to correctly pronounce content and apply appropriate character sets.
Implementation:
Web: Define the lang attribute on the <html> element.
Documents/Software: Use built-in document properties or native accessibility APIs to set the language or “culture” property.
Impact: Incorrect or missing language definitions cause severe confusion for users relying on assistive technology.
3.1.1 Language of Page (In Context): The default human language of each Web page can be programmatically determined.

SC 3.1.1 Language of Pages (In Context) supports the Understandable principle by ensuring that code to specify the default human language for each webpage or screen is provided. The intent of this SC is to allow assistive technology (AT) and other technology to render or pronounce the content accurately. For example, screen readers will use the correct pronunciation rules, and Web browsers and media player captions will use the correct character sets for that language. Failure to meet this SC will affect people without vision, without hearing, with limited hearing, and with limited language, cognitive and learning abilities.

If the language is not programmatically set or set incorrectly, this can cause confusion. For example, in English language content, if the default language is programmatically set as Spanish, a screen reader will try to pronounce words according to the spelling and pronunciation rules of Spanish.

Impact of Nonconformance with SC 3.1.1 Language of Page

Type of Disability	Description of Impact
302.1 Without Vision	Users who are blind cannot use a mouse to interact with electronic content and typically use an assistive technology, such as a screen reader, to get audible or other alternative output for the information represented visually. To be able to navigate the content, understand its structure and relationships, and understand the meaning of content represented in graphics and images, the content must provide textual and programmatic cues in addition to the content presented purely visually.
302.2 With Limited Vision	Users with limited vision may have widely different visual perception. Individuals with limited vision may or may not use assistive technologies. Therefore, in addition to textual and programmatic cues necessary for assistive technologies, ICT must also present content consistently and predictably. Users who view content with magnifiers may not pick up alerts, warnings, or other content if such content is presented outside of a consistent and predictable navigation pattern or if the content is not itself viewable at large magnification. Content that becomes distorted when magnified can also prevent some users with limited vision from being able to understand or interact with the content.
302.4 Without Hearing	When ICT provides information, instructions, or cues audibly, users who are deaf will not receive the information. Typically, providing the same information visibly (e.g., providing a warning light or textual dialog to accompany an audible warning sound or captions for audio dialog and other audible information in a video) will enable users who are deaf to get equivalent information.
302.5 With Limited Hearing	Some users cannot hear sounds below certain volumes or at certain frequencies and may not be able hear certain audio outputs from ICT. Background noise can also be problematic for users with limited hearing. Providing modes of operation that enhance audio clarity (e.g., filtering out hisses and pops, blocking sounds at specific frequencies, normalizing voice volumes, removing constant tone patterns), increase the range of volume, increase volume at higher frequencies, and/or give users control over such settings can help users with limited hearing understand, navigate, and operate the ICT. Users with limited hearing may also benefit from some of the same methods used to provide information to users without hearing.
302.9 With Limited Language, Cognitive, and Learning Abilities	Some users require more time than average to process information while others may find complicated instructions difficult to follow. Furthermore, some ICT content can distract or overwhelm users, preventing them from being able to interact with or understand other ICT content. Designers and developers of ICT must consider a broad range of cognitive abilities in order to provide ICT that is simple and easy to use.

Applicability of Success Criteria 3.1.1 Language of Page

Technology	Applicability of SC 3.1.1 Language of Page
Web	Developers can define the default human language for a page by defining the lang attribute on theelement of the web page.
Software Developers can define the default human language for an application typically via native software accessibility programming interfaces’ language or “culture” property.
Office documents	Content authors can set the default language for a document in the document options for all MS Office products.
PDF documents	Content authors can set the default language for a document in the document properties.
Mobile Native	Developers can define the default human language for an application typically via native software accessibility programming interfaces’ language or “culture” property.