Podcast #32: Testing for Web Accessibility

All about testing for web accessibility — the tools, methods, hows and whys.
Download Episode 32 (Testing for Web Accessibility)
[Transcript for Web Axe 32]

News

• IE7 Final Release
• Firefox 2
• New Image Replacement – Monday by Noon
• MSU’s Fourth Annual Usability & Accessibility Event

General

• (Generally) Follow guidelines by WCAG, WebAIM, Accessify, this podcast
• Follow any guidelines required by law (ADA, Section 508, DDA [UK])
• Ensure multimedia and PDF are accessible
• Use web standards
• What CANNOT be tested by most automated tools:
• Color contrast
• Simple language
• Tab order (tabindex) [tabindex no longer recommended]

Methods

• Automated tools
• Review site with keyboard only
• Review site with screenreader, if available
• Have impaired users test your site
• Headings used appropriately

Tools

Cynthia Says

• by HiSoftware
• Returns long table, listed by checkpoint, if web page passed that checkpoint or not
• Select WCAG levels or Section 508
• Included in Firefox Developer Toolbar

A-Prompt

• Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto
• Computer application–Windows only
• Performs automatic repairs
• Select WCAG levels or Section 508

Watchfire WebXACT

• Used to be known as Bobby
• Besides accessibility checks, it gives:
• Page download size
• Metadata summary
• Broken links
• Browser compatibility

Firefox Web Developer Toolbar

• turn on/off CSS
• validate XHTML and CSS
• disable javascript
• hide images, display alt tags
• resize browser
• edit CSS
• much, much more!

Accessibility Toolbar

• IE only
• validate XHTML and CSS
• resize browser
• toggle javascript, images/alt
• heading structure

WAVE from WebAIM

• four ways to use Accessibility checker
• Method 1: Submit the URI of a page
• Method 2: Upload a page
• Method 3: Install WAVE toolbar in browser
• Method 4: Add WAVE bookmarklet to browser

Lynx viewer

• by Yellowpipe Internet Services
• Just enter URL and give your Lynx text-only rendering
• Also can download and install Lynx application

Opera

• “User Mode” with text browser emulator and more
• Easily turn off images
• Screen sizing

Firefox Speech Browser Extensions

• Foxy Voice – http://foxyvoice.kenche.info/
• Fire Vox http://www.firevox.clcworld.net
• Fangs – Emulator (uses text)
• http://sourceforge.net/projects/fangs

Mobile Web Emulators

• Openwave Phone Simulator
• Nokia Emulator
• Pocket PC – Mobile Windows emulator