Manual Accessibility Testing for Websites
Dr Andrew Arch
Accessible Information Solutions
OZeWAI 2005
Concept and Design Review
Critical consideration of end-to-end process from user perspective
use common business activities and include any critical 3rd party applications
Assess strategies that could be used
What are the options for users and for the business to achieve the delivery goals
Check:
Have people with disabilities been considered in the business requirements?
Has accessibility been considered in the technical specification?
Checking & Testing
Requires knowledge and understanding
Involves:
Reviewing content
Reviewing code
to understand problem
User testing
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
www.w3.org/WAI/eval/Overview
Automated Tools
Only do a partial job
Require manual checking
Need interpretation
Have flaws or weaknesses
Selecting a web accessibility evaluatin tool
Automated Tools - References
Comparison of Web Accessibility Testing Tools
www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=640
Automated testing - How useful is it?
www.gawds.org/show.php?contentid=147
The problem with automated accessibility testing tools
www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/
web-accessibility/automated-tools.shtml
Evaluation & Repair Tools
(Free Trials)
A-Prompt (Free)
http://www.aprompt.ca/
WebXACT (Watchfire; incorporating Bobby)
http://webxact.watchfire.com/
Lift Online (Usablenet)
http://www.usablenet.com/
Ask Alice (SSB Technology)
http://askalice.ssbtechnologies.com:8080/ssb/aa/anon/index.jsp
Accverify (HiSoftware)
http://www.hisoftware.com/access/sitetest.htm
http://www.contentquality.com/ (Cynthia Says)
Pseudo Tools
Many "pseudo tools" are available by using the options included as standard within your computer
Use the keyboard not the mouse to navigate
Try different browsers & versions
Browser Setting Options
Change the font to a larger size
View pages without images
View pages with styles sheets and pages colours/fonts disabled
View pages with an alternative, high contrast, colour scheme
Disable scripts, applets and/or plugins
Browser-based Evaluation - References
Getting started with accessibility assessments (using Internet Explorer)
www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=640
www.webaim.org/techniques/articles/opera
www.webaim.org/techniques/articles/evaluatingwithfirefox
Accessibility Toolbar
Features:
Validate
Resize
CSS
Images
Colour
Structure
Tools
DocInfo
References
IE Options
Magnification
Accessibility Toolbar
www.visionaustralia.org.au/ais/toolbar/
Toolbar Tutorials:
www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/
web-accessibility/accessibility-toolbar.shtml
Toolbar News:
The WAVE
Pros
Visual
Shows reading order
Shows logical structure
Shows suspect ALT text
Identifies scripts as a potential accessibility issue
Cons
No fixes
No recommendations
Not interactive
Colour Checkers
Colour Contrast
Colour testing - colour blindness
Link Checkers
Link checkers: non-existent URLs
http://www.hisoftware.com/linkvalidate/index.html - free version available
http://www.linkalarm.com/ - free trial of some elements
http://www.cyberspyder.com/cslnkts1.html - free trial
Cannot check for incorrect addresses
Code Validators
HTML Validators
http://validator.w3.org/
http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/
http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
SMIL Validator (experimental)
http://www.cwi.nl/~media/symm/validator/
Site Testing by Assistive Technology Users
Complements technical accessibility testing, but does not replace it
Purpose is to appreciate usability issues for users of assistive technology
User testing CANNOT determine if a site or online object works with all assistive technology
User testers need to be skilled, but not expert with their technology
Involving Users in Web Accessibility Evaluation
www.w3.org/WAI/eval/users
Thankyou
Andrew Arch
Accessible Information Solutions
Vision Australia
454 Glenferrie Road, Kooyong Vic 3144
03 9864 9282
Andrew.Arch @ visionaustralia.org.au