1.4.12 Text Spacing

In content implemented using markup languages that support the following text style properties, no loss of content or functionality occurs by setting all of the following and by changing no other style property:

  • Line height (line spacing) to at least 1.5 times the font size;
  • Spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size;
  • Letter spacing (tracking) to at least 0.12 times the font size;
  • Word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size.

Exception: Human languages and scripts that do not make use of one or more of these text style properties in written text can conform using only the properties that exist for that combination of language and script.

Description

People with low vision possibly jump between the lines while reading a paragraph of content, sometimes even difficult to recognize the spacing between characters, words, lines and perhaps paragraphs. People who have dyslexia also need sufficient differentiating space between the content to read quickly.

This success criterion 1.4.12 text spacing ensures that the users may want to use user defined style sheets, browser plug-ins or bookmarklets to increase the space between characters, words, lines and paragraphs. While increasing the space, users should not face difficulty because of content cut-off or content overlapping.

Any responsibility for developers/ content authors?

1.4.12 Text Spacing does not specifically call out for any author responsibility. However, the author should ensure that the user defined styles are obeyed by the content whatever the form in which the text spacing is set by the user. In addition when the user sets text spacing as specified in this success criterion, authors should ensure that the content is not cut-off or overlapped making reading experience even more difficult.

User responsibilities if any?

Users may want to increase the text spacing that may be comfortable for their reading experience. The success criterion 1.4.12 Text spacing have the following boundaries.

  • Spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size;
  • Line height (line spacing) to at least 1.5 times the font size;
  • Word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size.
  • Letter spacing (tracking) to at least 0.12 times the font size;

Any content cut-off or content overlap beyond these boundaries is not a failure under this success criterion. User may even choose one or more or all of the said styles. In some languages few of these requirements may not be applicable such as content in Japanese that do not have word spacing.

Exceptions of 1.4.12 Text Spacing

  • Human languages and scripts that do not make use of one or more of these text style properties in written text can conform using only the properties that exist for that combination of language and script.
  • PDF as it is not implemented using markup.
  • Video captions embedded directly into the video frames and not provided as an associated caption file.
  • Images of text.

Note: Canvas implementations of text are considered to be images of text and are exempted from this success criterion.

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