diff --git a/course/format/topics/format.js b/course/format/topics/format.js
index c7e69419c5b..9b4807fd6a1 100644
--- a/course/format/topics/format.js
+++ b/course/format/topics/format.js
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ M.course.format.swap_sections = function(Y, node1, node2) {
  * Process sections after ajax response
  *
  * @param {YUI} Y YUI3 instance
+ * @param {NodeList} sectionlist of sections
  * @param {array} response ajax response
  * @param {string} sectionfrom first affected section
  * @param {string} sectionto last affected section
@@ -76,13 +77,14 @@ M.course.format.process_sections = function(Y, sectionlist, response, sectionfro
             // Update section title.
             var content = Y.Node.create('<span>' + response.sectiontitles[i] + '</span>');
             sectionlist.item(i).all('.'+CSS.SECTIONNAME).setHTML(content);
-            // Update move icon.
-            ele = sectionlist.item(i).one(SELECTORS.SECTIONLEFTSIDE);
-            str = ele.getAttribute('alt');
+            // Update the drag handle.
+            ele = sectionlist.item(i).one(SELECTORS.SECTIONLEFTSIDE).ancestor('.section-handle');
+            str = ele.getAttribute('title');
             stridx = str.lastIndexOf(' ');
             newstr = str.substr(0, stridx +1) + i;
-            ele.setAttribute('alt', newstr);
-            ele.setAttribute('title', newstr); // For FireFox as 'alt' is not refreshed.
+            ele.setAttribute('title', newstr);
+            // Update the aria-label for the section.
+            sectionlist.item(i).setAttribute('aria-label', content.get('innerText').trim());
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/course/format/weeks/format.js b/course/format/weeks/format.js
index 1fb0c8ed7fd..b37f233456f 100644
--- a/course/format/weeks/format.js
+++ b/course/format/weeks/format.js
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ M.course.format.swap_sections = function(Y, node1, node2) {
  * Process sections after ajax response
  *
  * @param {YUI} Y YUI3 instance
+ * @param {NodeList} sectionlist of sections
  * @param {array} response ajax response
  * @param {string} sectionfrom first affected section
  * @param {string} sectionto last affected section
@@ -77,13 +78,14 @@ M.course.format.process_sections = function(Y, sectionlist, response, sectionfro
             var content = Y.Node.create('<span>' + response.sectiontitles[i] + '</span>');
             sectionlist.item(i).all('.'+CSS.SECTIONNAME).setHTML(content);
 
-            // Update move icon.
-            ele = sectionlist.item(i).one(SELECTORS.SECTIONLEFTSIDE);
-            str = ele.getAttribute('alt');
+            // Update the drag handle.
+            ele = sectionlist.item(i).one(SELECTORS.SECTIONLEFTSIDE).ancestor('.section-handle');
+            str = ele.getAttribute('title');
             stridx = str.lastIndexOf(' ');
             newstr = str.substr(0, stridx +1) + i;
-            ele.setAttribute('alt', newstr);
-            ele.setAttribute('title', newstr); // For FireFox as 'alt' is not refreshed.
+            ele.setAttribute('title', newstr);
+            // Update the aria-label for the section.
+            sectionlist.item(i).setAttribute('aria-label', content.get('innerText').trim());
 
             // Remove the current class as section has been moved.
             sectionlist.item(i).removeClass('current');