Text Spacing - Success Criterion 1.4.12 (Level AA)

Question

Does your site or application allow users to modify text to make it easier to read without the loss of content or functionality?

Why is this important?

Users with low vision or dyslexia benefit when they can modify text size or font, so content is easier to read. Similarly, users with cognitive or reading disabilities may find it easier to read when there is more space between letters, words, lines, or paragraphs. Having flexibility to change how text is displayed through the custom style sheet, extension, bookmarklet, or browser setting allows for a better user experience.

Whom does it benefit?

Example 1

As a person with dyslexia,
I want to change my eText font to an OpenDyslexic typeface
so that I can read homework assignments with ease.

Example 2

As a person with low vision,
I want to be able to change the custom style sheet (CSS)
so that I can enlarge text font as needed.

What should you do?

Ensure users can change spacing between lines of text, paragraphs, letters, and words through the custom style sheet, extension, bookmarklet, or browser setting.

This success criterion does not require you to provide options to change these settings but requires the page be responsive if the users choose to make changes.

How do you do it?

Ensure users can modify text style properties with no loss of content or functionality. This may be done by implementing the settings below:

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.