Page Linearization

The process by which screen readers and other assistive technologies present web page content as a sequential, one-dimensional stream of text, typically following the order of elements in the HTML source code. Since web pages are designed as two-dimensional visual layouts where spatial positioning conveys meaning and relationships, linearization inevitably loses information about visual structure, grouping, and the narrative sequence intended by the designer. Research using eye tracking has shown that the linear order of HTML source code often does not match the order in which sighted users actually experience page content, meaning screen reader users receive a fundamentally different narrative than what the designer intended. Approaches like experiential transcoding aim to address this by re-ordering linearized content to match observed visual usage patterns.