- Success Criterion 1.3.2
- Conformance level A
- W3C reference F33
Text Columns Faked With Spaces Read Aloud Out of Order
1.3.2 — Meaningful Sequence
Scenario
Setting
A news outlet's article page
What’s wrong
Spaces/tabs are used to fake side-by-side columns in plain text — read aloud, the lines interleave into nonsense.
Example
.step-2 { order: 1; } .step-1 { order: 2; } /* visual order ≠ DOM order */Why it matters
Screen-reader and keyboard users who encounter content in DOM order.
How to test
Copy the 'columns' into a plain text editor: if built with spaces/tabs, the lines interleave into nonsense when read linearly.
How to fix
Use real layout (CSS columns/flex) instead of whitespace so the reading order stays linear and sensible.
<!-- DOM order matches the order the CSS makes visible: step-1, then step-2 -->When CSS reorders content visually, the underlying DOM order must still match, or the reading order breaks.
Outcome
On a news outlet's article page, this barrier is gone for screen-reader and keyboard users who encounter content in DOM order — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.
Who is affected
Screen-reader and keyboard users who encounter content in DOM order.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
- Technique Related technique (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- CSS Layout Changes That Scramble the Screen Reader’s Reading Order
- Word Spelled Out Letter by Letter Instead of Read as a Word
- Layout Table That Reads in a Nonsensical Order When Linearized
- CSS Reordering That Makes Code Order Differ From Visual Order
- Multi-Column Article Whose Code Order Interleaves the Columns
- Prices or Labels Positioned Visually Near the Wrong Product in Code