Empowering Inclusivity: Navigating Mobile Accessibility Testing for a User-Friendly Digital Future

By Lindsey Benson
20th November 2023
In Technology

According to a WHO report, 15 percent of the global population has some kind of disability. As the digital era progresses, companies should make digital content accessible to every Internet user, including those with disabilities. This is where the accessibility test comes into the limelight. One effective method to conduct mobile app testing and website accessibility testing is using a mobile device lab.

Mobile accessibility testing is a critical step in ensuring that your digital products are user-friendly and inclusive for everyone. Developers should comply with accessibility guidelines during the software/ product development process. The same applies to QA teams, who now have testing for accessibility in software solutions and products. In this article, we will give you insights into important principles of mobile accessibility testing and deliver a step-by-step step to get started.

What is an Accessibility Test?

Testing for accessibility is the assessment of a mobile application or website to confirm that it can be easily used and accessed by end users. Through comprehensive accessibility testing, companies can eradicate design flaws in their mobile app or website that act as hurdles preventing folks, particularly individuals with disabilities, from meaningfully utilizing them.

Accessibility testing is considered a section of usability testing. The acronym for accessibility is A11Y, with the number 11 signifying the no. of letters discarded.

The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) has formed the following accessibility test guidelines:

● Perceivable: A user interface and specifics should be visible to all users, including those with disabilities.

● Operable: Navigation should be operable across the interface.

● Understandable: The content of the user interface must be readable, utilizing a meaningful statement rather than color-coded rules.

● Robust: The content of the user interface has to be robust for every single user so that it can be accessed

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) has defined 3 conformance levels – A, AA, & AAA that companies can utilize in their software development & testing life cycle.

What is Mobile Accessibility Testing?

It ensures websites and applications are accessible to folks with disabilities. This counts multiple cognitive, physical, visual, and auditory disabilities.

According to W3C “Mobile accessibility” refers to making apps and sites extremely accessible to folks with disabilities when they are using diverse devices. WAI’s work in this zone addresses accessibility concerns of persons using a comprehensive range of devices to interact with the web: tablets, smartphones, TVs, and more.

Common Forms of Disabilities

● Vision: Color blindness, complete or partial blindness, or other issues impairing vision.

● Physical: Trouble utilizing a keyboard, mouse, or other physical tools generally used with a mobile or computer.

● Intellectual: Poor memory or learning difficulties.

● Literacy: Technical glitches with reading or comprehension.

● Hearing: Auditory difficulties that lead to partial or complete deafness or other hearing impairments.

What are some instances of accessibility testing?

Instances of accessibility testing include keyboard evaluation of text sizing, User Interface structure, accessibility review, content scaling, style disablement, and accessibility testing tools utilization for enhanced efficiency and accuracy.

What are some common accessibility guidelines for websites and mobile apps?

Common accessibility guidelines comprise the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Such guidelines proffer definite criteria for making web content accessible, comprising mobile apps and sites. WCAG is well-organized into 4 principles: POUR (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and robust).

What are some critical areas to test for mobile accessibility?

Some of the critical areas to test comprise:

● Color and Contrast: Ensure the background and text colors meet accessibility standards.

● Keyboard Navigation: Certify all functionality is accessible through keyboard navigation.

● Screen Reader Test: Validate that screen readers can accurately understand and vocalize the content.

● Text-to-Speech: Assess if content can be correctly converted to speech via TTS (text-to-speech) technology.

● Voice Commands: Test if voice-activated traits work flawlessly with a speech recognition tool or software.

Categories of Accessibility Testing

In SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), you can conduct Accessibility Tests in automated and manual approaches. There are two forms of Accessibility testing:

1. Automated Accessibility Test

2. Manual Accessibility Test

Manual Accessibility Testing

This form of testing is a method of using an odd arrangement of assistive technologies, keyboard interfaces, and browser plugins to test web apps and website accessibility. It assists in detecting problems that cannot be identified programmatically. But, running accessibility testing is a time-consuming procedure and is prone to manual errors.

Automated Accessibility Testing

This kind of accessibility testing is an extremely effective method of web app testing. QA specialists can leverage Accessibility testing tools for testing various web apps and websites. It helps lessen test implementation time, is lucrative, focuses on core areas that require attention, and makes the complete procedure faster.

Why is Mobile Accessibility Testing Significant?

1. Enhanced User Experience: Enhancing accessibility often improves the entire user experience, benefiting all users, not merely those with disabilities.

2. Legal Compliance: Several nations have legal requirements for web accessibility. Failing to meet such requirements can result in legal consequences.

3. Inclusivity: Mobile accessibility test confirms that persons with disabilities can access and utilize your digital products without barriers, promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities.

4. Broad Audience: By making your website or mobile application accessible, you can tap into a huge and varied user base.

Steps to Test Mobile Accessibility:

Accessibility tests utilize a range of methodologies, including automated and manual testing. It is an ongoing procedure that frequently tests and assesses an app or website’s accessibility.

General steps for running accessibility test:

Review accessibility guidelines & standards

Know the accessibility guidelines and standards for the environment, product, or service being tested, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines.

Arrange the test environment

This phase includes setting up the test environment and tools, such as assistive technologies and testing software, for use during the test process.

Use Accessibility Testing Tools

There are frequent accessibility test tools accessible that can help you find issues with your website or mobile application. Some of the most common and popular tools comprise:

● TalkBack (Android) and VoiceOver (iOS) screen readers to test auditory accessibility.

● Color divergence analyzers for checking background and text color differences.

● Keyboard navigation testing via an on-screen or physical keyboard.

Conduct Manual test

Use manual test methods, such as navigation with a keyboard, and methods, such as screen reader testing, to test the environments, products, and services.

Perform automated testing

Implement automated testing tools to scan the mobile app or website for accessibility problems, like missing alt text or poor color difference.

Testing with Real Users

Involving users with disabilities in the testing procedure is beneficial. They can give real-world feedback on the accessibility of your website or mobile application.

Evaluate the outputs

Analyze the test procedure results and find accessibility issues that require immediate addressing.

Address the problems

Make modifications to your software product to fix the accessibility issues detected during testing.

Retesting

Retesting the software product to ensure that the accessibility problems are no longer present and that the modifications don’t introduce new accessibility problems.

Document and report

Document the test procedure and the outcomes and report the findings to stakeholders.

How to perform Accessibility Testing using LambdaTest?

LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations. It also allows you to test the accessibility of web apps and sites using Speech Viewer and Screen Reader using Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) for macOS and Windows platforms. In this section, let us look at how to test the accessibility of your site on the LambdaTest platform.

1. Signup on LambdaTest & login to your LambdaTest account

2. From the left sidebar, select Real Time Test > Browser Test.

3. Enter a test URL and select OS, VERSION, and RESOLUTION. After that, click on START.

4. After a cloud-centric machine launches, click on the Settings icon & select Accessibility

5. Choose the checkbox that denotes Screen Reader, and you will obtain a verbal description of your web page via VoiceOver.

Advantages of Accessibility Testing

Accessibility testing can help companies enhance user experience, meet legal requirements, increase market reach, improve Search Engine Optimization, save costs, enhance brand reputation, and follow user-centered web design principles.

Besides the obvious reasons why accessibility testing must be a part of any business, here are some exceptional advantages as to why you must utilize them in your STLC (Software Testing Life Cycle). These advantages include:

1. Inclusivity & Equal Access: Accessibility tests confirm that digital items are usable by persons with disabilities. It encourages inclusivity, letting everybody, irrespective of their capabilities, access and take pleasure in the services or content.

2. Improved User Experience: Enhancing accessibility often results in a better user experience. Components that enhance accessibility, such as readable text, clear navigation, and structured content, profit all users, not merely those with disabilities.

3. Legal Compliance: Several nations and regions have laws & regulations that need digital content to be accessible. By conducting accessibility testing, companies can ensure compliance with these legal necessities, reducing the risk of penalties and legal issues.

4. Expanded User Base: Making digital products available can broaden the user base. By accommodating persons with disabilities, companies tap into a more diverse and larger audience, potentially increasing user engagement and reach.

5. SEO Benefits: Various accessibility improvements align with SEO (search engine optimization) best practices. This can boost the ranking and visibility of sites in search engine results, resulting in better organic traffic.

6. Creativity and Innovation: Accessibility testing encourages creative problem-solving and innovative thinking. Teams should find exclusive solutions to make content accessible, leading to enhanced design and UI enhancements.

7. Better Reputation: A commitment to inclusivity and accessibility improves a business’s reputation. It showcases an ethical approach and is socially responsible for business, which can build trust with partners and users.

8. Cost Cutting: Fixing accessibility issues early in software development is more lucrative than fixing them after a product is finished. Preventing problems from arising reduces the requirement for expensive retrofits.

9. Demonstrates Corporate Social Responsibility: Accessibility initiatives are committed to corporate social responsibility and ethical business practices. They show that an organization cares about all of its stakeholders and the community at large.

10. Fosters Innovation: Accessibility challenges encourage software designers and developers to think creatively. This can result in ground-breaking solutions that improve the overall quality and excellence of digital products.

11. Customer Loyalty: Confirming that products are accessible can foster customer dependability. Consumers appreciate a company that values their requirements and gives a positive, inclusive experience.

12. Competitive Benefit: In a competitive market, accessibility can set an organization apart. It can be an exceptional selling point, chiefly when reaching clients with particular accessibility needs.

Accessibility testing tools

● WAVE: WAVE is a toolbar for the Firefox browser launched by WebAIM for evaluating the accessibility of web apps.

● aXe: aXe is an open-source and free tool introduced by Deque Systems for performing Accessibility tests. It works both for Chrome & Mozilla Firefox.

● JAWS: Job Access with Speech (JAWS) is a Screen Reader designed by Freedom. It is the most popular tool for users who have lost their vision.

● TAW: TAW is an automated test accessibility tool developed by CTIC Centro Tecnólogico. This tool is mainly based on WCAG 2.0 and 1.0. It.

● Web Accessibility Inspector: It is a tool for testing desktop app accessibility.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, mobile accessibility testing is a crucial facet of creating inclusive digital experiences. By following accessibility guidelines like Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), involving real users, utilizing testing tools, and staying updated with best practices, you can certify that your website or mobile app is accessible to everyone. Remember that accessibility benefits every user and makes your web product compliant with legal requirements and more user-friendly.

Jumpstart your ride toward greater inclusivity now!