A computer-implemented method for presenting a document for interaction with a user in a web browser includes accessing an electronic model of the document; determining, with a computing device, positions for items in a visual rendering of the electronic model based on relative sizes and positions of other items in the electronic model; and generating, with the computing device, a document object model (DOM) that defines an editing surface, wherein the DOM (a) places placing the items at the determined positions on the editing surface, (b) places a graphic element that represents a cursor at a determined location on the editing surface, and (c) is arranged to receive user input on the editing surface and to correlate a location of the received user input to a location in the electronic model.