- Success Criterion 1.3.1
- Conformance level A
List Item Count That Doesn’t Match What’s Actually Announced
1.3.1 — Info and Relationships
Scenario
Setting
A language-learning app's lesson screen
What’s wrong
A list is announced with the wrong item count because wrapper or decorative elements are coded as list items — screen reader users hear '6 items' when there are 3, and can't trust the structure.
Example
Picture a language-learning app's lesson screen: a list is announced with the wrong item count because wrapper or decorative elements are coded as list items — screen reader users hear '6 items' when there are 3, and can't trust the structure.
Why it matters
Screen-reader, braille, and reading-tool users who depend on coded structure rather than visual layout. In this case (a language-learning app's lesson screen), they lose track of what belongs to what.
How to test
Use a screen reader's list navigation on a list of items: compare the announced count ('6 items') to the actual visible item count — a mismatch means wrapper/decorative elements were coded as list items.
How to fix
Code only real items as list items (li) so the announced count matches the visible items.
Outcome
Once corrected, a language-learning app's lesson screen lets them navigate the content in a sensible order.
Who is affected
Screen-reader, braille, and reading-tool users who depend on coded structure rather than visual layout.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
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