7.4 Carriage return used for paragraph spacing (L)

7.4.1 WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 4.1.1 (A) - Desktop

The Decision Not to Recall letter makes use of carriage returns (using the Enter key) to provide spacing between paragraphs. When accessing this content using a desktop-based screen reader, such as NVDA or JAWS, this is announced as “blank.” This audio clutter can be annoying for screen reader users and would negatively impact their experience.

Efficient spacing makes the content easier to perceive for all readers and especially those with impairments such as dyslexia. However, it is important to use the appropriate tools to provide this spacing.

This does not occur with the built-in ‘Read Aloud’ feature in Microsoft Word’s ‘Immersive Reader’.

FIGURE 7.4: Carriage return highlighted with NVDA speech viewer activated

7.4.2 Recommendation

Edit the spacing between paragraphs instead of using carriage returns. This can be changed under Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing.

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