diff --git a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.js b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.js
index fcc60f6..a73634d 100644
--- a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.js
+++ b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.js
@@ -35,6 +35,42 @@ define( function( require ) {
     summaryAreaPatternString: {
       value: 'area, <b>A</b> is {{value}} centimeters squared',
     },
+    resistanceEquationString: {
+      value: 'Resistance Equation'
+    },
+    resistanceEquationDescriptionString: {
+      value: 'Resistance, <b>R</b>, is equal to resistivity, <b>rho</b>, times length, <b>L</b>, over area, <b>A</b>.'
+    },
+    rhoLAndAComparablePatternString: {
+      value: 'Size of letter R is {{rToAll}} the size of the letter rho, letter L, and letter A.'
+    },
+    lAndAComparablePatternString: {
+      value: 'Size of letter R is {{rToRho}} the size of letter rho, and {{rToLAndA}} than letter L and letter A.'
+    },
+    noneComparablePatternString: {
+      value: 'Size of letter R is {{rToRho}} the size of letter rho, {{rToL}} letter L, and {{rToA}} letter A.'
+    },
+    muchMuchSmallerThanString: {
+      value: 'much much smaller than',
+    },
+    muchSmallerThanString: {
+      value: 'much smaller than',
+    },
+    slightlySmallerThanString: {
+      value: 'slightly smaller than',
+    },
+    comparableToString: {
+      value: 'comparable to', 
+    },
+    slightlyLargerThanString: {
+      value: 'slightly larger than',
+    },
+    muchLargerThanString: {
+      value: 'much larger than',
+    },
+    muchMuchLargerThanString: {
+      value: 'much much larger than', 
+    },
     resistivityUnitsPatternString: {
       value: '{{value}} ohm centimeters',
     },
diff --git a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireConstants.js b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireConstants.js
index e3a559b..dad45b0 100644
--- a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireConstants.js
+++ b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireConstants.js
@@ -11,8 +11,19 @@ define( function( require ) {
   // modules
   var PhetFont = require( 'SCENERY_PHET/PhetFont' );
   var RangeWithValue = require( 'DOT/RangeWithValue' );
+  var Range = require( 'DOT/Range' );
+  var ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings' );
   var resistanceInAWire = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistanceInAWire' );
 
+  // a11y strings
+  var muchMuchSmallerThanString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.muchMuchSmallerThanString.value;
+  var muchSmallerThanString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.muchSmallerThanString.value;
+  var slightlySmallerThanString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.slightlySmallerThanString.value;
+  var comparableToString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.comparableToString.value;
+  var slightlyLargerThanString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.slightlyLargerThanString.value;
+  var muchLargerThanString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.muchLargerThanString.value;
+  var muchMuchLargerThanString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.muchMuchLargerThanString.value;
+
   var ResistanceInAWireConstants = {
 
     // colors
@@ -54,6 +65,39 @@ define( function( require ) {
              resistance < 0.001 ? 4 : // when less than 0.001, show 4 decimals, see #125
              resistance < 1 ? 3 : // when less than 1, show 3 decimal places, see #125
              2; // Numbers less than 10 show 2 decimal points, like 8.35
+    },
+
+
+    // a11y - used to map relative scale magnitudes of the letters to relative size description
+    RELATIVE_SIZE_MAP: {
+      muchMuchSmaller: {
+        description: muchMuchSmallerThanString,
+        range: new Range( 0, 0.1)
+      },
+      muchSmaller: {
+        description: muchSmallerThanString,
+        range: new Range( 0.1, 0.4 )
+      },
+      slightlySmaller: {
+        description: slightlySmallerThanString,
+        range: new Range( 0.4, 0.7 )
+      },
+      comparable: {
+        description: comparableToString,
+        range: new Range( 0.7, 1.3 )
+      },
+      slightlyLarger: {
+        description: slightlyLargerThanString,
+        range: new Range( 1.3, 2 )
+      },
+      muchLarger: {
+        description: muchLargerThanString,
+        range: new Range( 2, 20 )
+      },
+      muchMuchLarger: {
+        description: muchMuchLargerThanString, 
+        range: new Range( 20, Number.MAX_VALUE )
+      }
     }
 
   };
diff --git a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/AccessibleSummaryNode.js b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/AccessibleSummaryNode.js
index 9f22de6..b9fb506 100644
--- a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/AccessibleSummaryNode.js
+++ b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/AccessibleSummaryNode.js
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
         // the precision might change during interaction, get precision if property is a function
         var precision = typeof item.precision === 'number' ? item.precision : item.precision( value );
-        console.log( item.patternString );
         item.node.accessibleLabelAsHTML = StringUtils.fillIn( item.patternString, {
           value: Util.toFixed( value, precision )
         } );
diff --git a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/FormulaNode.js b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/FormulaNode.js
index 345488c..1fc808f 100644
--- a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/FormulaNode.js
+++ b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/FormulaNode.js
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ define( function( require ) {
   var resistanceInAWire = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistanceInAWire' );
   var ResistanceInAWireConstants = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireConstants' );
   var Shape = require( 'KITE/Shape' );
+  var ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistance-in-a-wire/ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings' );
   var Text = require( 'SCENERY/nodes/Text' );
+  var StringUtils = require( 'PHETCOMMON/util/StringUtils' );
   var Vector2 = require( 'DOT/Vector2' );
 
   // strings
@@ -31,6 +33,20 @@ define( function( require ) {
   var resistanceSymbolString = require( 'string!RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistanceSymbol' );
   var resistivitySymbolString = require( 'string!RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistivitySymbol' );
 
+  // a11y strings
+  var resistanceEquationString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.resistanceEquationString.value;
+  var resistanceEquationDescriptionString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.resistanceEquationDescriptionString.value;
+  var rhoLAndAComparablePatternString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.rhoLAndAComparablePatternString.value;
+  var lAndAComparablePatternString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.lAndAComparablePatternString.value;
+  var noneComparablePatternString = ResistanceInAWireA11yStrings.noneComparablePatternString.value;
+
+  // constants - rather than keep a reference to each letter node, a map from key to scale magnitude is used
+  // to track letter scales
+  var RESISTANCE_KEY = 'resistance';
+  var RESISTIVITY_KEY = 'resistivity';
+  var AREA_KEY = 'area';
+  var LENGTH_KEY = 'length';
+
   /**
    * @param {ResistanceInAWireModel} model
    * @param {Tandem} tandem
@@ -39,7 +55,16 @@ define( function( require ) {
    */
   function FormulaNode( model, tandem, options ) {
 
-    Node.call( this, { tandem: tandem } );
+    Node.call( this, {
+      tandem: tandem,
+
+      // a11y
+      tagName: 'div',
+      labelTagName: 'h3',
+      accessibleLabel: resistanceEquationString,
+      prependLabels: true,
+      accessibleDescriptionAsHTML: resistanceEquationDescriptionString
+    } );
 
     // equals sign, hard coded
     var equalsSignText = new Text( '=', { // we never internationalize the '=' sign
@@ -49,6 +74,13 @@ define( function( require ) {
       tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'equalsSign' )
     } );
 
+    // maps identifier to scale magnitude
+    this.a11yScaleMap = {};
+    this.a11yScaleMap[ RESISTANCE_KEY ] = 0;
+    this.a11yScaleMap[ RESISTIVITY_KEY ] = 0;
+    this.a11yScaleMap[ AREA_KEY ] = 0;
+    this.a11yScaleMap[ LENGTH_KEY ] = 0;
+
     // An array of attributes related to text
     var symbolTexts = [ {
       label: resistanceSymbolString,
@@ -56,28 +88,34 @@ define( function( require ) {
       property: model.resistanceProperty,
       color: ResistanceInAWireConstants.RED_COLOR,
       cappedSize: true, // To make sure that the 'R' doesn't get too big, see https://github.com/phetsims/resistance-in-a-wire/issues/28
-      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'resistanceSymbol' )
+      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'resistanceSymbol' ),
+      scaleKey: RESISTANCE_KEY
     }, {
       label: resistivitySymbolString,
       center: new Vector2( equalsSignText.centerX + 120, -90 ),
       property: model.resistivityProperty,
       color: ResistanceInAWireConstants.BLUE_COLOR,
-      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'resistivitySymbol' )
+      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'resistivitySymbol' ),
+      scaleKey: RESISTIVITY_KEY
     }, {
       label: lengthSymbolString,
       center: new Vector2( equalsSignText.centerX + 220, -90 ),
       property: model.lengthProperty,
       color: ResistanceInAWireConstants.BLUE_COLOR,
-      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'lengthSymbol' )
+      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'lengthSymbol' ),
+      scaleKey: LENGTH_KEY
     }, {
       label: areaSymbolString,
       center: new Vector2( equalsSignText.centerX + 170, 90 ),
       property: model.areaProperty,
       color: ResistanceInAWireConstants.BLUE_COLOR,
-      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'areaSymbol' )
+      tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'areaSymbol' ),
+      scaleKey: AREA_KEY
     } ];
 
-    var lettersNode = new Node();
+    // parent for all letters in the equation - given a 'p' tag for a11y because this node will hold the relative
+    // size description, see getRelativeSizeDescription()
+    var lettersNode = new Node( { tagName: 'p' } );
 
     // if we are on a safari platform render with canvas to prevent these issues, but only on safari because
     // canvas doesn't perform as well on other browsers
@@ -86,6 +124,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
     if ( platform.safari ) { lettersNode.renderer = 'canvas'; }
 
     // dynamically sized text
+    var self = this;
     symbolTexts.forEach( function( entry ) {
 
       var text = new Text( entry.label, {
@@ -106,11 +145,20 @@ define( function( require ) {
       // Set the scale based on the default value of the property; normalize the scale for all letters.
       var scale = 7 / entry.property.value; // empirically determined '7'
 
-      // The size of the formula letter will scale with the value the letter represents. This does not need an unlink
-      // because it exists for the life of the sim.
+      // The size of the formula letter will scale with the value the letter represents. The accessible description for
+      // the equation will also update. This does not need an unlink because it exists for the life of the sim.
       entry.property.link( function( value ) {
-        letterNode.setScaleMagnitude( scale * value + 1 );
+        var scaleMagnitude = scale * value + 1;
+        letterNode.setScaleMagnitude( scaleMagnitude );
         letterNode.center = entry.center;
+
+        // for lookup when describing relative letter sizes
+        self.a11yScaleMap[ entry.scaleKey ] = scaleMagnitude;
+      } );
+
+      // linked lazily so that relative scales are defined
+      entry.property.lazyLink( function() {
+        lettersNode.setAccessibleDescription( self.getRelativeSizeDescription() );
       } );
     } );
 
@@ -127,9 +175,96 @@ define( function( require ) {
     } ) );
 
     this.mutate( options );
+
+    // a11y - set the initial description
+    lettersNode.setAccessibleDescription( self.getRelativeSizeDescription() );
   }
 
   resistanceInAWire.register( 'FormulaNode', FormulaNode );
 
-  return inherit( Node, FormulaNode );
+  inherit( Node, FormulaNode, {
+
+    /**
+     * Get a description of the relative size of various letters. Size of each letter is described relative to
+     * resistance R. When all or L and A letters are the same size, a simplified sentence is used to reduce verbosity,
+     * so this function might return something like:
+     *
+     * "Size of letter R is comparable to the size of letter rho, letter L, and letter A" or
+     * "Size of letter R is much larger than the size of letter rho, and slightly larger than letter L and letter A." or
+     * "Size of letter R is much smaller than letter rho, comparable to letter L, and much much larger than letter A."
+     *
+     * @return {string}
+     * @a11y
+     */
+    getRelativeSizeDescription: function() {
+      var resistanceScale = this.a11yScaleMap[ RESISTANCE_KEY ];
+      var resistivityScale = this.a11yScaleMap[ RESISTIVITY_KEY ];
+      var areaScale = this.a11yScaleMap[ AREA_KEY ];
+      var lengthScale = this.a11yScaleMap[ LENGTH_KEY ];
+
+      var rToRho = resistanceScale / resistivityScale;
+      var rToA = resistanceScale / areaScale;
+      var rToL = resistanceScale / lengthScale;
+      var lToA = lengthScale / areaScale;
+      var lToRho = lengthScale / resistivityScale;
+
+      var rToRhoDescription = getRelativeSizeDescription( rToRho );
+      var roTLDescription = getRelativeSizeDescription( rToL );
+      var rToADescription = getRelativeSizeDescription( rToA );
+
+      var description;
+      var comparableRange = ResistanceInAWireConstants.RELATIVE_SIZE_MAP.comparable.range;
+      if ( comparableRange.contains( lToA ) && comparableRange.contains( lToRho ) ) {
+
+        // all right hand side letters are comparable in size
+        description = StringUtils.fillIn( rhoLAndAComparablePatternString, {
+          rToAll: rToRhoDescription // any size description will work
+        } );
+      }
+      else if ( comparableRange.contains( lToA ) ) {
+
+        // L and A are comparable, so they are the same size relative to R
+        description = StringUtils.fillIn( lAndAComparablePatternString, {
+          rToRho: rToRhoDescription,
+          rToLAndA: roTLDescription // either length or area relative descriptions will work
+        } );
+      }
+      else {
+
+        // all relative sizes could be unique
+        description = StringUtils.fillIn( noneComparablePatternString, {
+          rToRho: rToRhoDescription,
+          rToL: roTLDescription,
+          rToA: rToADescription
+        } );
+      }
+
+      return description;
+    }
+  } );
+
+  /**
+   * Get a relative size description from a relative scale, used to describe letters relative to each other. Will return
+   * something like
+   *
+   * "comparable to" or
+   * "much much larger than"
+   *
+   * @param {number} relativeScale
+   * @return {string}
+   */
+  var getRelativeSizeDescription = function( relativeScale ) {
+
+    // get described ranges of each relative scale
+    var keys = Object.keys( ResistanceInAWireConstants.RELATIVE_SIZE_MAP );
+    for ( var i = 0; i < keys.length; i++ ) {
+      var relativeEntry = ResistanceInAWireConstants.RELATIVE_SIZE_MAP[ keys[ i ] ];
+
+      if ( relativeEntry.range.contains( relativeScale ) ) {
+        return relativeEntry.description;
+      }
+    }
+  };
+
+  return FormulaNode;
 } );
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/ResistanceInAWireScreenView.js b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/ResistanceInAWireScreenView.js
index 9923f23..9281d5b 100644
--- a/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/ResistanceInAWireScreenView.js
+++ b/js/resistance-in-a-wire/view/ResistanceInAWireScreenView.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
   // modules
   var AccessibleSummaryNode = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistance-in-a-wire/view/AccessibleSummaryNode' );
+  var AccessibleSectionNode = require( 'SCENERY_PHET/accessibility/AccessibleSectionNode' );
   var ArrowNode = require( 'SCENERY_PHET/ArrowNode' );
   var ControlPanel = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistance-in-a-wire/view/ControlPanel' );
   var FocusHighlightPath = require( 'SCENERY/accessibility/FocusHighlightPath' );
@@ -22,6 +23,11 @@ define( function( require ) {
   var ScreenView = require( 'JOIST/ScreenView' );
   var Shape = require( 'KITE/Shape' );
   var WireNode = require( 'RESISTANCE_IN_A_WIRE/resistance-in-a-wire/view/WireNode' );
+  var JoistA11yStrings = require( 'JOIST/JoistA11yStrings' );
+
+  // a11y strings
+  var playAreaString = JoistA11yStrings.playAreaString;
+  var controlPanelString = JoistA11yStrings.controlPanelString;
 
   /**
    * @param {ResistanceInAWireModel} model
@@ -35,8 +41,16 @@ define( function( require ) {
     } );
 
     // a11y - Create and add the summary for this simulation, the first thing screen reader users encounter
-    var summaryNode = new AccessibleSummaryNode( model );
-    this.addChild( summaryNode );
+    var a11ySummaryNode = new AccessibleSummaryNode( model );
+    this.addChild( a11ySummaryNode );
+
+    // a11y - the play area for this sim, containing elements that are significant to the pedagogy of the sim
+    var a11yPlayAreaNode = new AccessibleSectionNode( playAreaString );
+    this.addChild( a11yPlayAreaNode );
+
+    // a11y - the control panel for this sim, containing supplemental controls
+    var a11yControlPanelNode = new AccessibleSectionNode( controlPanelString );
+    this.addChild( a11yControlPanelNode );
 
     // Create the control panel with sliders that change the values of the equation's variables. Hard coded
     var controlPanel = new ControlPanel( model, tandem.createTandem( 'controlPanel' ), {
@@ -49,14 +63,14 @@ define( function( require ) {
       centerX: controlPanel.left / 2,
       centerY: 190
     } );
-    this.addChild( formulaNode );
+    a11yPlayAreaNode.addChild( formulaNode );
 
     // Create the wire display to represent the formula
     var wireNode = new WireNode( model, tandem.createTandem( 'wireNode' ), {
       centerX: formulaNode.centerX,
       centerY: formulaNode.centerY + 270
     } );
-    this.addChild( wireNode );
+    a11yPlayAreaNode.addChild( wireNode );
 
     var tailX = wireNode.centerX - ResistanceInAWireConstants.TAIL_LENGTH / 2;
     var tipX = wireNode.centerX + ResistanceInAWireConstants.TAIL_LENGTH / 2;
@@ -72,7 +86,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       lineWidth: 1,
       tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'arrowNode' )
     } );
-    this.addChild( arrowNode );
+    a11yPlayAreaNode.addChild( arrowNode );
 
     var resetAllButton = new ResetAllButton( {
       listener: function() { model.reset(); },
@@ -81,7 +95,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       bottom: this.layoutBounds.bottom - 20,
       tandem: tandem.createTandem( 'resetAllButton' )
     } );
-    this.addChild( resetAllButton );
+    a11yControlPanelNode.addChild( resetAllButton );
 
     // the outer stroke of the ResetAllButton focus highlight is black so that it is visible when the equation
     // resistance letter grows too large
@@ -90,10 +104,10 @@ define( function( require ) {
     resetAllButton.focusHighlight = new FocusHighlightPath( highlightShape , { outerStroke: 'black' } );
 
     // add the control panel last so it is always on top.
-    this.addChild( controlPanel );
+    a11yPlayAreaNode.addChild( controlPanel );
 
     // a11y - the reset all button should come last, control panel first
-    this.accessibleOrder = [ summaryNode, controlPanel ];
+    this.accessibleOrder = [ a11ySummaryNode, a11yPlayAreaNode ];
   }
 
   resistanceInAWire.register( 'ResistanceInAWireScreenView', ResistanceInAWireScreenView );