Accesibility tests

Accessibility testing is an integral part of the design and development process, ensuring that products and services are usable by everyone, including those with disabilities. It is a specialized area of testing that focuses on the usability aspects of a product or service for people with various impairments or disabilities. In this article, we delve deep into what accessibility tests are, their significance, types, and best practices to implement. We aim to provide an in-depth understanding of how accessibility testing can help in creating inclusive digital experiences for all users, regardless of their abilities or circumstances.

What is an example of accessibility testing?

Accessibility testing is a type of software testing designed to determine whether individuals with disabilities are able to use the system in question. It is part of a broader effort to make technology accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical or mental abilities.

An example of accessibility testing could be evaluating a website to ensure it can be properly navigated and understood by individuals who are visually impaired. This might involve testing with a screen reader, a software program that reads out text and other information on a screen, to ensure all content is accessible. This includes not only the main text, but also alt text for images, descriptions for links, and labels for forms and buttons.

Another example could be testing a mobile application to ensure it can be used by individuals with limited mobility. This might involve ensuring the app can be fully operated with simple gestures, that buttons are large enough to be easily tapped, and that there is a sufficient contrast between text and background to aid those with visual impairments.

In both examples, it is critical to involve individuals with disabilities in the testing process, as they can provide direct feedback about their experiences and help identify any potential barriers to accessibility that might not be obvious to others.

What should I test for accessibility?

Testing for accessibility means ensuring that your product or service is usable by as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. Here are few things you should test for accessibility:

• Keyboard accessibility: This means ensuring that all features of the website or app can be accessed using only the keyboard, as some users may not be able to use a mouse.
• Screen reader compatibility: Screen readers are used by visually impaired users to read the content of the screen. Your website or app should be fully compatible with these readers.
• Contrast and color: The contrast between text and background should be sufficient to be easily distinguishable and you should not rely solely on colors to convey information, as color-blind users may not be able to perceive it.
• Video and audio content: Provide alternatives such as captions or transcripts for video and audio content.
• Forms and input fields: Ensure that all forms, input fields, and buttons are clearly labeled and can be easily navigated using a keyboard.
• Resize text: Users should be able to resize text without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality.
• Avoid automatic media and navigation: Automatically playing media or automatic redirection can disorient users, especially those with cognitive disabilities.
• Consistent layout: Consistency in layout and navigation can help users with cognitive disabilities understand how to interact with your site.
• Alt text for images: All images should have alternative text that describes the image for those who can’t see it.
• Error identification: If an input error is detected, the item that is in error should be identified and the error described to the user in text.

These are just a few of the many aspects to consider when testing for accessibility. The goal is to make your website or app as inclusive as possible.

What are the four principles of accessibility testing?

Accessibility testing is a subset of usability testing that is focused on ensuring that software and applications are accessible to people with disabilities. It’s based on four main principles:

• Perceivable: This principle suggests that users must be able to perceive the information being presented. It should not be invisible to all their senses. It indicates that every user must be able to perceive the content in some way – through sight, hearing, or touch. For instance, providing text alternatives for non-text content or alternatives for time-based media.
• Operable: This principle means that users should be able to operate the interface. The interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform. For instance, making all functionality available from a keyboard or providing users enough time to read and use content.
• Understandable: This principle means that users should be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface. For instance, making text content readable and understandable, or making web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
• Robust: This principle means that the content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. It implies that as technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain accessible. For instance, maximizing compatibility with current and future user tools.

These principles guide the design and testing of accessible websites and applications.

How do you test accessibility issues?

Testing for accessibility issues is a crucial part of web development and design. This process ensures that websites and applications are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

• Manual Testing: This involves navigating through the website or application using only a keyboard. This simulates the experience of users who cannot use a mouse. Users should be able to access all features and content this way.
• Screen Reader Testing: Testing with screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver is important to ensure that visually impaired users can access the content.
• Color Contrast Analysis: This ensures that the text is easily readable against its background color, which is especially important for users with visual impairments.
• Automated Testing Tools: These tools can automatically test for common accessibility issues. Examples include aXe, Google Lighthouse, and WAVE.
• Testing with Real Users: This involves having people with various disabilities interact with the website or application to see if they encounter any difficulties.
• Code Validation: Ensuring the code is written in a way that follows accessibility standards, like using alt tags for images and proper HTML tags for headings and other elements.
• Assistive Technology Compatibility: Testing the site or application with different assistive technologies like speech recognition software or Braille readers.
• WCAG Compliance Testing: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a set of guidelines for making web content more accessible. Checking your website against these guidelines can help identify potential issues.

Accessibility tools for developers

Accessibility tools for developers refer to certain software or programs that help to create and maintain websites, apps, or other products that are easily accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. These tools can help to identify and mitigate accessibility issues, such as color contrast problems, missing alt text, keyboard navigation issues, etc.

• Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools: These tools are used to evaluate the accessibility of the web content. Tools like WAVE, AChecker, and Google Lighthouse can provide feedback on how accessible a website is to users with disabilities.
• Screen Readers: These are software programs that allow people with visual impairments or learning disabilities to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer. Popular screen readers include JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.
• Keyboard Accessibility Tools: These tools help in ensuring that your website or app can be navigated using only the keyboard, which is important for users with motor disabilities.
• Color Contrast Checkers: These tools check the contrast between the foreground and background colors to ensure that it’s sufficient for people with color blindness or other visual impairments. Examples include the WebAIM Color Contrast Checker and the Paciello Group’s Colour Contrast Analyser.
• Automated Testing Tools: These are tools that automatically test the accessibility of a website or an application. They can crawl a site and identify accessibility errors, such as missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, incorrect use of headings, etc. Examples include Axe, Tenon.io, and Pa11y.
• Code Libraries and Frameworks: Certain code libraries and frameworks are designed with accessibility in mind and provide developers with tools and components to create accessible web applications. Examples include React and Angular.
• Captioning Tools: These tools are used to provide captions for video content, making it accessible to people with hearing impairments. Examples include YouTube’s automatic captioning feature and Rev.com.
• Assistive Technology: This refers to any piece of equipment, software or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Examples include Braille displays, speech recognition software, and screen magnifiers.

These tools can help developers meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a set of guidelines designed to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

In conclusion, accessibility tests are an essential component in the design and development of digital platforms. They ensure that products and services are accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. They break down barriers, promoting inclusivity and equality. Accessibility tests also make business sense as they open up a wider market, enhance brand reputation, and reduce the risk of legal implications.

Therefore, for a digital ecosystem that champions inclusivity, accessibility tests cannot be overlooked. They serve as a reminder that we live in a diverse world and it is our responsibility to make it accessible for everyone. The future of digital accessibility looks promising, with advancements in technologies and growing awareness about its importance. However, it calls for collective action from designers, developers, businesses, and policy-makers to turn this promise into reality.

To sum up, the commitment to accessibility is not a one-time effort, but a continuous process. It’s time we shift from creating for the majority to designing for all. Let’s embrace accessibility tests as our tool towards a more inclusive digital world.