Accessibility Testing - A subset of Non-Functional Testing

In today’s competitive era of digitization, IoT, artificial intelligence and machine learning have become central to virtually everything. Certain non-functional aspects of an application as well like accessibility testing makes software solutions better. Accessibility testing a subset of usability testing which makes our application accessible to a large group of users who constitute 20% of the market to whom digital market is unable to fully cater due to their special needs. These are people with certain form of disability like visual or hearing impairment, people with some form of cognitive order or speech related problems, color blindness or elderly population who are unable to use most the of the features of an application just because these web and apps are not designed keeping in mind their ease of use.

Under WCAG Guidelines – governments of several countries like the U.S., UK , Europe and Australia have issues some special acts and regulations that apply to commercial and public entities and software firms who specialize in website and app development to make their apps that are WCAG Compliant so that they are capable enough of catering to these physically challenged people and they are not deprived of using apps like Utility bill payments , apps for airline, railways or hotel reservations and doing online shopping via E-commerce based website or apps like Amazon, E-bay etc.?

Types of Disabilities

Where it started – Accessibility Laws

In US, a statutory body called Department of Justice (DOJ) develops and enforces the regulations that implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

In 1996 the World wide Web Consortium (W3C) promoted web accessibility as one of the key elements of their mission and W3C developed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as a standard for making web content accessible to people with disabilities, so emphasizes on set of best practices to be followed (updated to WCAG 2.1 in June 2018) whereas Section 508 is a U.S law and enforced by federal government.

Latest in WCAG 2.1 Standards

The current WCAG 2.1 standard emphasizes on three major areas: cognitive or learning disabilities, low vision, and mobile. In addition to these there are 3 levels of conformance and with every higher level, the focus on the design increases.

A –?This is the minimum suggested accessibility standards for websites and most closely resembles Section 508.

AA –?The entire page meets accessibility conformance standards

AAA –?– Web pages meet all guidelines, whether A, AA, or AAA, and pages that are part of a larger process or series of pages all conform

Some Synonyms You Should Know

As per W3C guidelines- accessibility, usability and inclusion are the three different approaches for making the web accessible to everyone. However, there is a thin line difference in all three

• Usability?promotes an effective, efficient, and functional design that enhances web use for all category of users
• Inclusion?is a thought that web should be available for all irrespective of geographical location, culture, regional language, Age, computer literacy, connectivity, or disabilities
• Accessibility?on other hand focuses primarily on access for people with all types of disabilities enabling them to interact with, learn from and contribute to the web without any barriers

Advantages Of Accessibility Testing

Advantages

Although all three are the valuable components for website or app development, Accessibility plays most significant role in modern digital transformation and offer below benefits:

• Enhances the Brand Image and adds value by making website more accessible for the Society
• Increased Revenue –?Following accessibility guidelines increases the application usage which results in increased revenue and market share
• Better Search Results –?Rich text enables search engines to find websites more easily during look up
• Legal Compliance –?Conforming to Accessibility Standards, makes a website legally compliant and Mobile apps to be easily uploaded onto Android Play store or App store
• Improved UX –?Accessibility improves to navigate and access the website content

Four Guiding Principles Of Accessibility (POUR)

PERCEIVABLE

• All images should have alternative text (ALT text) or descriptive text that can be read with a screen reader to explain what the images exhibit
• Website/App should have headings, subheadings, lists, and other elements that outline the structure of the web page
• All forms should include labels and prompts

OPERABLE

• All web elements within website should be reachable by using keyboard as well as a mouse
• Content should be accessible by two or more ways on a page such as a link, navigation menu, search or site map
• Content should have descriptive titles that convey its topic or purpose

UNDERSTANDABLE

• Format and structure of a website or App should be designed in a way that a screen reading tool can follow the topics
• Website should identify the language it’s written in so that screen readers can recognize the text
• Website should follow expectations for tasks such as clicking a link or completing a form field that moves users through an assumed path on the site

ROBUST

• Website content should be interpreted by a wide variety of assistive technologies such as a screen reader?
• Site should use valid HTML language that works in different browsers?
• Website should be designed keeping in mind the latest technologies to “future proof” the accessibility efforts????

Best Practices

Conclusion :

Web accessibility compliance is a complicated, complex process that benefits anyone who uses a website or a Mobile App and Accessibility Testing focusses on ease with which a user can navigate, understand, and operate the software. So while a tester’s mail goal is to check that these guidelines are followed, they must also ensure that the software is user friendly.

Accessibility Compliance is an ethical approach to define your digital presence which means increased number of users can access a particular website which in turn increases your website’s audience and a greater number of potential users and increased revenue.

References:

Accessibility Guidelines

https://www.levelaccess.com/accessibility-regulations/accessibility-standards/

Tool References

https://wave.webaim.org/

https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jaws/?(Commercial)

https://www.nvaccess.org/download/?(Freeware)

Website link for the article - https://www.orangemantra.com/insight/whitepaper/accessibility-testing/