Whenever a document is organized so that information is in multiple columns or multiple text areas (e.g. text captions, unusual placement of icons/text), then it is important to verify that the screen reader reads the information in a logical or coherent order.

Reading Order Example

Consider the PowerPoint slide below which contains three images and three captions. By visual scan, one would expect that the reading order would be the top-left image followed by the caption beneath, the second image, the caption beneath it then the lowest image with the caption below that.

However, within PowerPoint, the items were ordered so that the images were presented first then the captions. This occurred because the images were inserted on the slide before the captions. Fortunately, PowerPoint includes tools to allow authors to adjust the reading order of slide objects.

Incorrect Reading Order

Slide shows the names Pennsylvania or Delaware in Hebrew, Cherokee and Devanagari. Images are read first then captions. See additional details below.

Correct Reading Order

Same slide with a reading order grouped by image and text for each script. See additional details below.

Description of Image

The slide above shows the name Pennsylvania written in Hebrew and Devanagari and the name Delaware written in Cherokee. Below is the intended reading order and transcription.

View Script Details

Title: PA/DE in Multiple Scripts

Note: each script has an image in three parts and text notes below.

Hebrew (Pennsylvania)

  1. Script: פנסילבניה
  2. Transliteration (right to left): h-y-n-b-l-y-s-n-p
  3. Pronunciation: p(e)nsylv(e)nj(h)a

Caption: Pennsylvania in Hebrew (RTL). Each symbol is a consonant.

Cherokee (Delaware)

  1. Script: ᏕᎳᏪᎢ
  2. Transliteration: du-le-we-i

Caption: "Delaware" in Cherokee. Each symbol is a syllable.

Devanagari (Pennsylvania)

  1. Script: पेन्सिलवेनिया
  2. Transliteration: [p+e] [n-s+i] [l(ə)] [v+e] [n+i] [y+ā]

Caption: “Pennsylvania” in Devanagari. Each symbol is a cononant with vowel marks

Learn More

The following documents can present reading order issues.

  1. PowerPoint – Verify that items are in a logical order in the PowerPoint Reorder panel.
  2. PDF – Use the Acrobat repair tools to verify that blocks of text are in a logical order. Acrobat may make "guesses" different from what the author intended, especially when textboxes and columns are used.
  3. InDesign – Reading order of items can be set before the file is converted to PDF.
  4. HTML Web Pages – Text is read in HTML code order. However CSS and other techniques may present a visual order different from the original code order.

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Last Update: April 2, 2024