Screen Reader Compatibility

The degree to which a digital interface, website, application, or document can be effectively used with screen reader software. Screen reader compatibility requires proper semantic HTML structure, meaningful heading hierarchies, labeled form elements, appropriate ARIA attributes, logical reading order, keyboard navigability, and text alternatives for non-text content. In AI-powered accessibility tools, screen reader compatibility also involves designing output formats that are easy to navigate linearly—for example, hierarchical markdown with clear headings rather than visual layouts that rely on spatial positioning. Research on variation surfacing specifically designs output formats for efficient screen reader navigation.