- Success Criterion 1.3.2
- Conformance level A
Lazy-Loaded Content Injected Out of Its Visual Order
1.3.2 — Meaningful Sequence
Scenario
Setting
A pharmacy app's prescription-refill form
What’s wrong
Infinite-scroll/lazy sections injected out of order relative to visual placement.
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
Scroll to trigger lazy-loaded/infinite-scroll content, then check the DOM: newly injected sections should appear in the DOM in the same order they appear visually.
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.
<!-- 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 pharmacy app's prescription-refill form, 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)
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