- Success Criterion 1.3.2
- Conformance level A
Tab Order Used as a Stand-In for the Real Reading Sequence
1.3.2 — Meaningful Sequence
Scenario
Setting
A bank's mobile money-transfer screen
What’s wrong
Tab order used as a proxy: sequence conveyed only by tabindex (keyboard-focus setting) while page code (DOM)/reading order contradicts it.
Example
A tester reviewing a bank's mobile money-transfer screen finds this: tab order used as a proxy: sequence conveyed only by tabindex (keyboard-focus setting) while page code (DOM)/reading order contradicts it.
Why it matters
Screen-reader and keyboard users who encounter content in DOM order. On a bank's mobile money-transfer screen specifically, they can't navigate the content by its real structure.
How to test
Compare the visual reading order to the Tab order: if tabindex values create a sequence that doesn't match DOM/reading order, treating tab order as a proxy for sequence fails.
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 bank's mobile money-transfer screen 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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