- Success Criterion 1.3.2
- Conformance level A
Modal Dialog Placed at the End of the Page Code
1.3.2 — Meaningful Sequence
Scenario
Setting
A government tax-filing portal
What’s wrong
Modal/dialog markup at end of page code (DOM) with no focus management, read after unrelated content (interacts with 2.4.3).
Example
A QA pass on a government tax-filing portal turns this up: modal/dialog markup at end of page code (DOM) with no focus management, read after unrelated content (interacts with 2.4.3).
Why it matters
Screen-reader and keyboard users who encounter content in DOM order. On a government tax-filing portal specifically, they can't tell how the page is organized.
How to test
Tab into an open modal and check DevTools: if its markup sits at the end of the DOM and focus isn't moved into it, a screen reader reads unrelated page content first.
How to fix
The screen reader must read content in an order matching the visual/logical order, item by item — nothing skipped, merged, fragmented, or added.
Outcome
Fixed, a visitor to a government tax-filing portal can move through the content with confidence.
Who is affected
Screen-reader and keyboard users who encounter content in DOM order.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
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