Text - Accessible design of user interface elements

Synonyms: Continuous text

Siehe auch: font , label , description , error message , graphic

The text is used to convey information in writing. Among others, text can contain headings , links , lists und Graphics enthalten.

Presentation

Note: This applies to the following spacing:

line spacing up to 1.5 times the font size,
paragraph spacing up to 2 times the font size,
character spacing up to 0.12 times the font size,
word spacing up to 0.16 times the font size.

Note 1: If the settings of the platform software are not applied automatically, the corresponding mode must be explained in the information on accessibility.

Note 2: The application can also offer a mode in which users can choose their preferences for the font style, size, color and any other possible font attributes directly in the application.

| Must | EN 301 549:
11.7, 12.1.1 | | @!274 | Comprehensibility | Unusual or unintelligible words should be avoided or explained. | Should | WCAG 2.1: 3.1.3 (AAA) | | @!275 | Comprehensibility | Words whose meaning depends on their pronunciation should be avoided if the meaning is not apparent from the context. Alternatively, their meaning or pronunciation should be explained. | Should | WCAG 2.1: 3.1.6 (AAA) | | @!276 | Comprehensibility | Text content should be formulated simply enough to be understood by users who have a lower secondary education level. If this is not possible, an additional comprehensible alternative should be offered (language version, illustration, abstract, text in simple language). | Should | WCAG 2.1: 3.1.5 (AAA) | | @!277 | Comprehensibility | Abbreviations in the text should be avoided. Alternatively, a mechanism should be available for displaying the unabbreviated form and/or the meaning of the abbreviation.

Note: This does not apply to commonly known abbreviations such as “USA” or “e.g.”.

Focus indicator). | Must | EN 301 549:
9.2.4.7, 11.2.4.7 |

No.	Property	Description	Classification	Reference
265	Contrast	Text must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 with respect to the background. Note: With large font (from 24 px and/or from 18.7 px in the case of bold font), a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 is sufficient.	Must	EN 301 549: 9.1.4.3, 11.1.4.3
266	Contrast	Text should have a contrast ratio of at least 7:1 with respect to the background. Note: With large font (from 24 px and/or from 18.7 px in the case of bold font), a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 is sufficient.	Should	WCAG 2.1: 1.4.6 (AAA)
267	Color coding	If information in the text is conveyed using color, this information must also be conveyed in another way, e.g. in text form.	Must	EN 301 549: 9.1.4.1, 11.1.4.1
268	Resizing	It must be possible to scale the text by up to 200%. During the scaling, the text must remain completely visible and may not obscure other areas of the page or be obscured by them. Note 1: It is permissible for areas of text to have to be scrolled through vertically after the scaling so that they are displayed in full. Note 2: The application can offer its own zoom function. Alternatively, the settings of the platform software can be applied.	Must	EN 301 549: 9.1.4.4, 11.1.4.4
269	Resizing	The text must be displayed in full without horizontal scrolling at a screen width of 320 px.	Must	EN 301 549: 9.1.4.10, 11.1.4.10
270	graphic	The text may not contain any

Operation

virtual cursor, the text must receive the keyboard focus (see

Practical tip: text).

Note 1: This does not apply if the text is associated with a keyboard-focusable element and therefore serves as a

label or

desription of the element.

Note 2: If the technology to be used is not to allow text to be focused, other elements must be used for the presentation of text that can receive the focus, such as read-only input fields.

| Must | EN 301 549:
11.1.3.1 | | @!285 | Use of the keyboard | If the text contains control elements, these must be operable with the keyboard. | Must | EN 301 549:
9.2.1.1, 11.2.1.1 |

No.	Property	Description	Classification	Reference
284	Use of the keyboard	In applications that do not support the

Use of the keyboard: text (in an application that does not support the virtual cursor)

Action	Key	Classification
Focusing text	TAB	Required
Exiting text	TAB	Required
Navigating within text	ARROW KEYS	Reommended

Programming/interfaces

headings,

lists or

tables), these must be communicated to the Accessibility API in structured form.

Note: The specific requirements concerning headings, lists and tables can be found in the respective section.

Note: In the applications in which marking up the change of language is possible, the language of foreign-language sections of text should be marked accordingly.

Fokusindikator). | Must | EN 301 549:
11.5.2.5, 11.5.2.10, 11.5.2.13 |

No.	Property	Description	Classification	Reference
286	Role	A role for “text” must be communicated to the Accessibility API (see

Practical tip: text

Application that does not support the virtual cursor

Longer texts (guideline: 80 to 400 characters) without a text structure (i.e., continuous text only, without lists, tables, headings, etc.) in applications that do not support the virtual cursor , should

receive the focus in multiple TAB steps (approximately 80 characters per TAB step), or
be marked so that they are readable with the virtual cursor, or
be offered in a linked document which can be read with the virtual cursor (e.g. HTML, PDF, RTF).

Long texts (from approx. 400 characters) or texts with structure (e.g. lists, tables, headings) should

be marked so that they are readable with the virtual cursor, or
be offered in a linked document which can be read with the virtual cursor (e.g. HTML, PDF, RTF).

Applications with several TAB steps on text and other non-operable elements should have a mode to disable such unnecessary navigation steps for sighted keyboard users. This mode and its enabling should be described in the accessibility instructions.

Application that supports the virtual cursor

If copying individual text content in the application context may be relevant, this should also be possible with the keyboard. The following requirements must then be met for the text content:

the text content is focusable with the keyboard, ⦁ the Textcursor is visible within the text,
within the text, it is possible to navigate with the arrow keys to determine the starting point of the highlighting,
the text can be highlighted with SHIFT + arrow keys,
the highlighted text can be copied using CTRL+C (also via the context menu if necessary), and is saved to the Windows clipboard after copying.

To accomplish this, read-only input fields can be used.

If the entire content of a section of text must be copyable, a button for the copying of the text content can be implemented. Pressing the button should result in the text being copied to the clipboard.

Applications with several TAB steps on copyable pieces of text should have a mode for disabling such navigation steps. This mode and its enabling should be described in the accessibility instructions.

Date:: 15.01.2024
License:: CC-BY-SA 4.0
Version:: 1.0

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