Digital Accessibility Testing
Ensuring digital content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is crucial for inclusive user experiences.
Why it matters
1 Legal compliance
Accessibility is often required by law to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
3 Improved user experience
2 Expanded user base
Accessible design opens up your digital products to a wider audience.
Accessible features benefit all users, not just those with disabilities.
Key accessibility standards
WCAG
Section 508
Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines
Define best practices for accessible web content.
U.S. federal law requiring government IT to be accessible. Outlines specific technical standards.
ARIA Accessible Rich Internet
Applications
Provide web accessibility through dynamic content.
Automated testing tools
WAVE Evaluates web pages for WCAG conformance. Lighthouse Audits web pages for accessibility, performance, and more.
aXe Integrates accessibility testing into development workflows. Tenon Comprehensive automated accessibility testing platform.
Manual testing techniques
Keyboard testing
Ensure full functionality without a mouse.
Screen reader testing
Evaluate how content is perceived by users who are blind or have low vision.
Color contrast testing
Verify text and background colors meet WCAG guidelines.
Accessibility audits
Regular audits are essential
Inclusive design principles
Perceivable
Ensure information is presentable to all senses.
Operable Design for interaction without a mouse.
Understandable Content and functionality should be clear and intuitive.
Robust Compatible with a variety of assistive technologies.
Continuous improvement
1 Assess
Regularly evaluate your digital properties for accessibility.
2 Remediate
Implement fixes and enhancements to address issues.
3 Monitor Continuously test and validate accessibility on an ongoing basis.
