Copyright © 2007 Knowbility, Inc. 1Accessibility Testing

Accessibility Testing

► Code Validators – XHTML & CSS

► Accessibility Validators – Page by Page

► Listening to Your Pages

► Accessibility Reports

► Practical Testing Plan

► Implementing Accessibility

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Universal Accessibility► supports all people

► supports all technology

► generally makes site better for all

► relationship to usability

► avoid a separate “text-only” version

“Web for Everyone. Web on Everything.”- www.w3.org/Consortium/mission

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Valid Code► HTML & XHTML Validation

http://validator.w3.org/

► CSS Validation http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/

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Accessibility Validators - Page by Page

► WebXact

► The Wave

► Web Developer for Firefox (extension)

► Accessibility Toolbar for IE

Accessibility Testing Requires the Human Brain

Approximately 27% of Accessibility Issues can be tested automated

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Tool + -

WebXact ►*New tool from the folks at Watchfire (replaces bobby)

►Excellent resource

►Doesn’t have visual info you used to get from Bobby

Wave ►Good for seeing “reading order” & alt text

►Report not as intuitive

►Doesn’t explain how to solve problems

Accessibility Toolbar ►Great tool that combines many accessibility validators and simulations

►Only available on PC/IE

Web Developer Toolbar ►Fantastic tool that combines many accessibility tools

►Only available in Firefox

Accessibility Validators - Page by Page

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Evaluation of Free Accessibility Tools

► www.webaim.org/techniques/articles/freetools/

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Testing a Site► http://www.geocaching.com

► WebXact – webxact.watchfire.com

► The Wave - www.wave.webaim.org

► Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=60

► Accessibility Toolbar for IEhttp://www.nils.org.au/ais/web/resources/toolbar/

Copyright © 2007 Knowbility, Inc. 8Accessibility Testing

Accessibility Testing - Listening

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Listening to your pages

The real test – can users with disabilities actually use your site?

example of assistive technology

•JAWS by Freedom Scientific – popular screen reading software. Uses internal speech synthesizer and computer’s sound card to read info from computer screen aloud. www.freedomscientific.com

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Accessibility Testing

Accessibility Reports

Examples of Site Wide Testing Tools

► LIFT

► WebXM

Jim Thatcher – on more accessibility testing software

www.jimthatcher.com/testing.htm

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Copyright © 2007 Knowbility, Inc. Accessibility Testing

LIFT Machine

► Tests entire sites for accessibility

► Builds accessibility reports

► Results by checkpoints

► Checkpoints expanded

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Copyright © 2007 Knowbility, Inc. Accessibility Testing

1. Test with your browser

‣ Turn off images, Don’t use the mouse, Turn off your speakers, Increase font size, Change window size.

2. Testing with Toolbars

‣ Turn off CSS, Turn off Javascript, Set to Greyscale, Display Structure (Headings, Lists…)

3. Run online Accessibility Tests on representative pages

‣ use more than one tool, example: WebXact & Wave

4. Listen to your pages

‣ JAWS

5. If you have access, Run a LIFT Report or WebXM Report

6. Hands on Accessibility Testing with Users who have disabilities

A Practical Testing Plan

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Integrating Accessibility into Designby Shawn Henry (W3C)

► The basics of including accessibility in design projects

► Details on accessibility in each phase of the user-centered design process (UCD)

http://www.uiaccess.com/justask/

Copyright © 2007 Knowbility, Inc. Accessibility Testing

Implementing Accessibility – 8 Steps

Gather Baseline Information (Testing Tools)Gain Top Level Support

Organize a Web Accessibility CommitteeDefine a Standard

Create an Implementation PlanProvide Training and Technical SupportMonitor Conformance (Testing Tools)Remain Flexible Through the Changes

WebAim8 Step Implementation Model

www.webaim.org/articles/implementation