Margins

SC Shortname

Margins

SC Text

For the visual presentation of blocks of text, a mechanism is available so margins (blank space) and borders (including color, width, and style) can be selected by the user.

Suggested Priority Level

Level AA

Related Glossary additions or changes

None

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Principle 1, Guideline 1.4

Description

Simply Put: You can use the margins, indentations and borders that help your eye follow the text best. You can put a border around any block of content to help you see it.

Benefits

If text is close to edges, it is hard for some people to distinguish letters and it negatively impacts readability. Having wide margins around blocks of text helps some people focus on the text and not get distracted by surround text, images, etc. This is especially important for tracking when blocks of text are in columns or near other text.
For people who need very large text, wide margins could make line length too short. For people with tunnel vision, wide margins could make it hard to track text. Therefore, some people might need borders to separate blocks of text instead of, or in addition to, margins.
User Need: Margins and Borders: Users can change the margins (blank space) and borders (including color, width, style) around blocks of text.
Source: Accessibility Requirements for People with Low Vision, Section 3.4.5

Having additional space between unrelated elements helps people group related information. For example, having more space above a heading and less space below it, helps associate the heading with the text below.
[Draft Note: Possible figures to be added: examples equal space before & after headings vs. more space above a heading and less space below it.]
User Need: Spacing Between Elements: Spacing groups related elements and separates less related elements.
Source: Accessibility Requirements for People with Low Vision, Section 3.4.6

Testability

$$Description of how this SC can be tested. This may include manual, automated, or semi-automated mechanisms.$$

Techniques

Existing Relevant Techniques

$$All existing techniques for x.x.x$$

New Techniques

$$New technique: Title$$

Related Information

Actions

ACTION-29: 3.4.5 margins and borders - clarify readability issue (john's point in 20 jan telecon) - on Shawn Henry, January 27, 2016
ACTION-65: Create 3 scs, justification, spacing (letter, word, line, para), margins - on Jim Allan, July 7, 2016

Email

$$ Add Email $$

GitHub