Accessibility testing methods in Constellation

The most common and easiest testing method is automated accessibility testing. Automated accessibility testing solutions scan the Document Object Model (DOM) of a web page and report accessibility failures and potential issues that you need to check manually. They test semantic structure and relationships between data elements on the page. During the scan, the software runs a series of tests against the DOM. Tests include queries that identify whether every form element has a label or if links have discernible text.

Many accessibility testing solutions scan pages to run these tests. Common examples include:

• axe DevTools (by Deque)
• WAVE (by WebAIM)
• SiteImprove
• ANDI (by US Social Security Administration)

Though automated accessibility solutions help determine whether the underlying code is up to standard for creating an accessible web application, these solutions typically find only a subset of the issues that you address to meet compliance and create an accessible solution for users with disabilities. All the tests are programmatic, so look only at the underlying code. Most industry experts believe automated testing covers only 30 percent of requirements based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines. As a result, include manual testing with assistive technologies as part of your testing methodology.

You perform manual testing of your application by using the same assistive technologies that users with disabilities might need to access content on the web. There are many different types of assistive technologies that help users with disabilities to have the same experience as their peers.

Commonly-used and tested technologies include:

• Screen readers
• Text to speech
• Voice recognition
• Magnifiers
• Screen and visual modifiers

You receive the following benefits when you test with the same tools that users with disabilities use:

• You experience your product in a similar way as a user with a disability.
• You better understand how your application works with a variety of technologies.
• You understand if you are meeting compliance guidelines based on user actions.
• You recognize how you can improve your user experience.

In addition to testing with automated tools and assistive technology, test with real users and their assistive technologies if possible. 

Only users who rely on a specific technology can demonstrate how they navigate and consume content on a web application.

Many settings and options associated with assistive technologies help users find the best way to interact with a page. The following examples are different approaches that users with screen readers take to access content:

• Navigate and read the entire page with the cursor movement keys: This method is how screen readers use Browse mode. As a result, users can first understand the content, and then navigate to interactive elements by using the Tab key.
• Navigate through the entire page using key shortcuts built into the system: Shortcuts such as H for headings or T for a table in JAWS help users understand the structure of a page structure, and jumping to tables allows them to get to the data of interest quickly.
• Navigate using a list of links or form fields on the page: Most screen readers allow users to use keyboard commands to pull up a list of links, headings, and form fields on a given page and jump directly to the item of interest.

There are also multiple ways that a user might magnify a page. The following examples share ways that users can adjust the size of the content on their screen for improved understanding:

• Use a magnifier built into their operating systems, such as the Windows Magnifier app, which allows for the magnification of a whole screen or just a small portion of it at all times across all applications.
• Use a keyboard command such as Ctrl+ on a browser page to magnify the content.
• Use application-specific controls, such as Microsoft applications that include a slider to increase the screen size.
• Use an application such as ZoomText for Windows, which offers magnification and other methods to enhance visual content and functions on a device. 

Learning how people use assistive technologies helps you better connect with actual user behavior. Working directly with your users creates empathy and allows you to ask questions and recognize why users make specific choices and why a process might be easier or more efficient. These conversations often lead to new innovative solutions.

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