Using the Title Explorer to configure object layering and reading order

The Title Explorer provides a means to control the layering of overlapping objects on a page. It also provides a means of specifying the reading order in which objects are identified by screen readers.

See also: Using the Title Explorer

Objects are layered on a page based on their listed position in the Title Explorer. An object that appears in the top-most position of the list of objects that appears in the Title Explorer is actually on the bottom-most layer of the page. Similarly, the object listed in the bottom-most position of the list of objects that appears in the Title Explorer is actually on the top-most layer of the page. Reading order coincides with the layering order. An object on the bottom-most layer of a page is identified first by the screen reader, while an object on the top-most layer of the page is identified last. That is, screen readers identify objects on a page in the order from top to bottom that they are listed in the Title Explorer.

See also: Layering objects

Objects that are inherited are always identified first. Additionally, they are always layered on the bottom-most layer of the page on which they are inherited. Consider a page that inherits objects from both the title level and the chapter level in which it is contained. A screen reader will first identify inherited title level objects (from top to bottom), second, inherited chapter level objects are identified (from top to bottom), and finally, page level objects are identified last.

Certain object properties can alter the layering and reading order. The Always on Top property places the object on the top-most layer of the page and at the same time, makes it the last object identified by a screen reader. Objects such as buttons have this option set by default. Be sure to modify these settings based on your needs. Additionally, the Use empty ALT tag when published to HTML property available for images, buttons and animations, will cause the screen reader to ignore the object entirely. This property, however, has no bearing on the actual layering of the object on the page.