All You Need to Know About Accessibility Testing

User accessibility testing is just one of those things that demonstrate how far technology and humanity have come. Now, to test website accessibility is to adhere to the QA routine. The path to inclusivity and equality is simply inspiring. And the process of accessibility testing is simply… complicated. But worry not, we have prepared a detailed guide on everything you should know about accessibility testing services.

What is Digital Accessibility?

Digital accessibility refers to the design principle that ensures equal access to and usability of digital products/services, online content, and technologies.

64.3% of the population, 5.16 billion people, are internet users. One cannot assume that each person utilizes the same means of interacting with e-assets. Thus, to promote inclusivity and accommodate as many individuals as possible, accessibility testing became one of the focus points of QA services.

What Makes a Digital Asset Accessible?

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide a set of principles that content must follow in order to be accessible:

• Perceivable – content must be easily recognizable, i.e., presented in a manner that allows users to perceive information/UI and not miss out on any element.
• Operable – content must be designed in a way that makes each interactive component operable via common and specific media.
• Understandable – content must be organized and structured in patterns that can be simply understood, i.e., no aspect should be unclear or misleading.
• Robust – content must aim at supporting substantial quantities of devices, platforms, browsers, etc., including assistive technologies. I.e., it must be robust enough to accommodate all users.

If a digital asset does not adhere to just one of these tenets within the POUR framework, it cannot be considered accessible.

How to Achieve Digital Accessibility?

Guaranteeing digital accessibility is more than running checks with accessibility testing software or cooperating with an accessibility testing company. To provide meaningful experiences to all, irrespective of their abilities, businesses, developers, and QA engineers should:

1. Embed digital accessibility in company culture.
2. Be proactive in their decisions and solutions.
3. Collaborate with representative users and learn from them.
4. Ensure availability of aiding options and modifications (screen readers, color/contrast change, image alt text, etc.).
5. Focus on the audience by carrying out proper research, following respective guidelines, and listening to the consumers.

Therefore, accessibility testing should be a priority and not the nth point on the list of examinations.

What Is Accessibility Testing?

Accessibility testing is the process of evaluating to what degree a software product is compliant with digital accessibility principles.

The goal of accessibility testing echoes that of usability checks. But the latter assesses the user-friendliness of an app, website, etc. While accessibility testing precisely targets the experiences of users with disabilities and how effectively they can apply digital resources.

Why is Accessibility Testing Important?

For modern apps, accessibility retrofitting is not the optimal decision. For instance, mobile accessibility testing is much more complex than one may expect. And if the product you are working on is as intricate as, say, supply chain management software, the range of aspects to pay attention to only increases. Hence, accessibility should be the focal element of software testing services due to a number of reasons.

Legal Compliance

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The European Accessibility Act of 2022, Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1992, and more. Compliance with legal requirements must be ensured to avoid lawsuits and penalties.

Promoting Equality

Digital accessibility encourages equal use of digital technologies. And given the role they play in our lives, this translates to better education, development, healthcare, leisure, and opportunities for all. To be frank, changing the world one software at a time has limitless potential.

Improving Quality and UX

Designing products with digital accessibility in mind greatly advances the overall user experience. For example, in the US, 62% use subtitles on streaming platforms. Simply consider how often you have zoomed in on a webpage element or switched to dark mode when browsing. These features are not obligatory. But such small details and available modifications make online experiences more pleasant.

Refining Brand Image

Showing support and accommodating every person enhances company reputation. In turn, the inclusivity culture can inspire other organizations and individuals to do the same. Sadly, WCAG 2 issues have been detected in 96.8% of homepages. This shows that there is still a long way to go. But it also means that things can only get better from here.

Who Benefits from Accessibility Testing?

Meticulous accessibility testing ultimately benefits society as a whole. Erasing the boundaries between different strata seems like a big undertaking. But technology has this power and can apply it in practice.

Users with Disabilities

For people with visual, auditory, and mobility impairments, for instance, online resource navigation may be challenging. Following the ‘ordinary approach’ when designing an app can transform the product into a minefield of usability issues. Performing thorough accessibility testing makes sure that persons with disabilities are not denied the opportunity of using digital assets to the full extent.

Specific Audiences

Realizing the difficulties some individuals may encounter when using software has a significant impact on quality. As an illustration, iOS has an alternative keyboard layout for lefties, GUI size modification for those with myopia/hyperopia, and various filters (e.g., night shift, true tone). Accessibility testing makes the product comfortable for older generations, children, left-handed population, non-native speakers, and more.

People in Peculiar Environments

Consider an example of a taxi driver using a GPS app. They often work day/night shifts, thus the UI must be color adjustable to be easy on the eyes. At the same time, it should be distinguishable so that the user does not distract oneself trying to find a needed button. Accessibility testing allows to think through different use scenarios and make the software more accommodating.

Socially Responsible Businesses

Implementing digital accessibility principles inside a company significantly enhances the product and encourages other firms to follow suit. If you work in an organization that prides itself in inclusivity and equality, exhaustive accessibility testing is the leading edge you need.

When to Run Accessibility Testing?

As is evident, all software should be checked for accessibility issues.

But when it comes to QA engineers’ tasks, accessibility testing should be executed when requested. After all, you cannot go rogue and test everything everywhere. You can, however, point out critical design flaws and offer practical recommendations. Just be sure to research the product audience and prepare meaningful feedback and solutions.

How to Run Accessibility Testing?

There are no universal best practices for accessibility testing. But there are legal requirements and regulations that can guide you. And you can always trust in the combined power of research and empathy to grasp specific details.

Follow Accessibility Testing Standards

The sure way to cover accessibility aspects for any tech product is by following the legal guidelines. There are region-specific rules that should be followed, e.g.:

• WCAG 2.0, Rehabilitation Act Section 508, and ADA in the US.
• WCAG 2.0 and European accessibility standard EN 301 549 in the EU.
• WCAG 2.1 and EQA in the UK.
• DDA, WCAG 2.0/2.1, and New Zealand government web accessibility standard in AU and NZ.
• ACA and WCAG 2.0 in CA, etc.

You should also remember that there are 3 compliance levels:

• A – basic compliance level (e.g., supports assistive tech; has text equivalents for images, videos; accessible via keyboard only, etc.).
• AA – wanted compliance level (e.g., 4.5:1 contrast level; clear content structure, i.e., H2, H3, H4 headings, etc.).
• AAA – highest compliance level (7:1 contrast ratio; sign language translations for pre-recorded videos, etc.).

So, before commencing accessibility testing, study local, global, and target guidelines and understand what compliance level your company wants to reach.

Consider Possible Conditions

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act classifies 13 disability categories:

1. Specific learning disability.
2. Other health impairment.
3. Autism spectrum disorder.
4. Emotional disturbance.
5. Speech or language impairment.
6. Visual impairment, including blindness.
7. Deafness.
8. Hearing impairment.
9. Deaf-blindness.
10. Orthopedic impairment.
11. Intellectual disability.
12. Traumatic brain injury.
13. Multiple disabilities.

Note that there are also distinct disability situations:

• Permanent (e.g., a person born with one arm).
• Temporary (e.g., a person with an eye injury in recovery).
• Situational (e.g., a person in circumstantial conditions, i.e., excessive noise, poor lighting, etc.).

Detailed research should be done on the manifestations of the disabilities to better grasp what to focus on. A good starting point would be beginning with the most common options, i.e., accessibility testing for people with visual, auditory, physical, and learning disabilities. You can expand the scope from there and continue bettering the UX.

What Exactly to Test?

The best approach to accessibility testing would require studying how disabilities alter a person’s aptitudes and collaborating with representative users. Yet there are some overlapping and well-known aspects to check when testing.

SLD and Cognitive Impairments

For individuals with SLD and cognitive impairments, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or ASD, you want to make sure that the software:

• Has familiar/simple elements (e.g., easily understandable website layout, standard hyperlink convention, common icons/symbols that represent functions such as menu access, settings, etc.).
• Is easy to navigate (e.g., proper text formatting, clear boundaries/grids’ allocation, explanatory visuals, icons, etc.).
• Offers straightforward content (e.g., easy-to-read text, concise blocks of written content, quality visuals, etc.).
• Provides explanatory elements (e.g., visual representation of statistical data, within-app view of definitions, instructional tips, etc.).
• Has animated/audio content that can be paused/turned off.
• Does not disperse focus (e.g., too many images, saturated colors, ‘glued’ or messy text, etc.).
• Does not rely on memorizing (e.g., long passwords, confusing information architecture, etc.).

Vision Disabilities

For people with vision disabilities, like colorblindness, low vision, or glaucoma, it is crucial to check:

• Availability of zoom-in options without loss of functionality/content.
• Presence of alt text for non-text elements.
• Ability to adjust screen orientation with keyboard, one-gesture actions, voice commands, etc.
• Utility of video/text alternatives.
• Sufficiency of color/contrast adjustment options.
• Consistency of navigational cues, such as hyperlink icons, heading formatting, form tags, etc.
• Functionality with keyboard-only operations.

Hearing Disabilities

For those with hearing disabilities, accessibility testing should assess:

• Availability, comprehensiveness, and easy access to closed captions or transcripts.
• Adjustability and visibility of volume/caption controls.
• Customization level of CCs, including color, size, and positioning.
• Noticeability and correct functioning of communication channels, e.g., instead of calls, hard-of-hearing individuals may opt for messages or live chat as a method of communication.

Physical Disabilities

For persons with physical disabilities, for instance, amputation or cerebral palsy, it is critical to examine:

• Whether the software operates correctly with non-standard input devices (e.g., keyboard, keyboard emulator, etc.).
• Visual cues that let the user know which element is selected/focused on (e.g., visible highlights when selecting or switching buttons, menus, etc.).
• Sufficiency of time allocated to certain operations (e.g., interactive or time-limited tasks can be paused, extended, re-authentication without data loss is available, etc.).
• Adjustability of orientation (e.g., switching between or locking on landscape/portrait modes).
  Availability and ease of use of ‘undo’ commands (e.g., canceling a misclick, redirection, etc.).

Assistive technologies (AT), such as magnifiers, text-to-speech apps, screen readers, and many more – all play an important role in the online experiences of those with disabilities. So, when working on a software product and performing accessibility testing, the overarching functionality to secure is the ability to support AT.

What AT and Tools Can You Use when Testing?

When it comes to testing digital products, assistive technologies themselves can be used to evaluate accessibility. Particularly, you can take advantage of most popular AT to see how an app would function for actual users.

Screen Readers

• JAWS.
• NVDA.
• Apple VoiceOver.
• Chrome Vox.
• Serotek System Access.
• ORCA.
• Dolphin Screen Reader.

Speech Recognition Software

• Deepgram.
• Dragon Professional and Dragon Anywhere.
• Google Now.
• Google Cloud Speech-to-Text.
• Krisp.

Screen Magnification Software

• MAGic.
• Dolphin Guide.
• iMax.
• Eye-Pal.
• SuperNova.
• ZoomText.

Special Keyboard Software

• Comfort On-Screen Keyboard.
• Hot Virtual Keyboard.
• Gboard.
• Swiftkey.
• Click-N-Type.

And there is a range of tools available for QA engineers to help with accurate accessibility testing.

Manual Accessibility Testing Tools

• Native accessibility features within iOS and Android.
• DevTools for web apps.
• OS color filters.
• High Contrast extension.
• Colorblindly extension.
• Screen Reader for Chrome extension.

Automated Accessibility Testing Tools

• Axe DevTools.
• ARC Toolkit.
• Lighthouse.
• WAVE evaluation tool.
• Accessibility Scanner.
• Accessibility Inspector.

To Sum Up

Whether you focus on desktop, mobile, or web accessibility testing, work on an accessibility checker website, or develop a specific tool to run, say, color contrast checks – it does not matter that much. What matters is the user. You need to center on the purpose of the software you are collaborating on and the audiences it aims to and can reach. Preparedness, understanding, and dedication will not only help your professional development, but also make the world a little bit better.

Good luck, and keep learning.