This document summarizes a webinar about user testing for accessibility. It discusses why accessibility testing is important, including legal compliance and inclusiveness. It covers the WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards, types of impairments, and assistive technologies. It then discusses how to test using automated and manual tools, and with real users who have various impairments and setups. Considerations for facilitating accessibility testing and analyzing the results are also covered.

1. User Testing for
A ccessibility
Webinar - November 27, 2014

2. User Testing for Accessibility
• Welcome to our lunch-and-learn!
• We love questions, so please use the chat function and
we’ll do our best to answer them.
• After the lunch-and-learn we’ll send you a link to download
the slides and recording, so you can share with your friends
and colleagues.
• If you’d prefer to dial in, call: 1 800 503 2899,
access code: 598 777 0
Please use your mute button.
• Participate via Twitter using the hashtag
#UMWebinar. Our handle is: @umatters.

3. 2
About Usability Matters

4. 3
About Linn & Heather

5. What you’re going to learn
• Why test for accessibility
• Overview of WCAG 2.0 standards
• Types of impairments and assistive technologies
4
• Usability testing vs. accessibility testing
• How to test for accessibility with automated and
manual accessibility evaluation tools
• How to test for accessibility with real users

6. Why accessibility test?
• Don’t miss out on potential users
• 1 in 10 -> severe disability
• 1 in 2 over 65 -> reduced capabilities
5

7. Why accessibility test?
• Strengthen the code – for example, find tech jargon
such as “navigation region”
• An accessible website = good SEO
• AODA is now the law! 6

8. AODA compliance timelines
• Large organizations:
- New internet and web content: Compliance with WCAG 2.0 level
A by January 2014
- All internet and web content: Compliance with WCAG 2.0 level
AA by 1 Jan 2021
7
• Designated public service organizations:
- New internet and web content: Compliance with WCAG 2.0 level
A by January 2014
- All internet and web content: Compliance with WCAG 2.0 level
AA by 1 Jan 2021

9. Why accessibility test?
• Design for as many people as possible
8
Image credit: http://blindfilmcritic.com/archives/2494
• Build empathy
• Technical requirements =/= accessible

10. Accessibility standards
• WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA
• Four guiding principles:
9
• Perceivable
• Operable
• Understandable
• Robust

11. Accessibility standards
10
Perceivable
Information and user interface components must be
presented in ways users can perceive.
Excerpt from WCAG 2.0:
“Provide text alternative for any non-text content, so that it
can be changed into other forms people need, such as large
print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language.”

12. Accessibility standards
11
Operable
Users must be able to use all aspects of the interface.
Excerpt from WCAG 2.0:
“Make all functionality available from a keyboard.”

13. Accessibility standards
12
Understandable
Users must be able to understand content and how
to use the interface.
Excerpt from WCAG 2.0:
“Make text content readable and understandable.”

14. Accessibility standards
13
Robust
Content must be accessible with a wide variety of user
agents, and remain accessible as technologies evolve.
Excerpt from WCAG 2.0:
“Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents,
including assistive technologies.”

15. Accessibility standards
• Gov.uk project is a good reference – no separate accessibility
statement – usable and accessible design for all
14

16. Inclusive design:
Design that considers the full range of diversity with respect to
ability, language, gender and other forms of human difference.
15
Universal design:
Design that is inherently accessible to the widest range of people.
Accessibility:
The degree to which a system or service is available to as many
people as possible. It can be seen as the “ability to access” a system.

17. Types of impairments that can negatively
affect how people use your website
16
Visual impairments" Auditory impairments"
Mobility impairments" Cognitive impairments"

18. Overview of Assistive Technology
• Screen readers (JAWS, NVDA,
VoiceOver, TalkBack)
17
Image credit: http://westernblind.blogspot.ca/
2011/06/cat-skills-zoomtext.html
• Screen magnification (ZoomText,
through the browser)
• Speech recognition (Dragon
NaturallySpeaking)
• Eye-tracking, dynamic braille
display, alternative keyboard,
oversized trackball mouse, etc.

19. What to test with
• Can’t be low fidelity/paper prototype
• Must be compatible with assistive technology
18

20. What to test on
• Think about the device (laptop, mobile, desktop, tablet)
• Type of assistive technology
19

21. Ensuring test artifact is ready
• Don’t want to waste time
• Code to WCAG 2.0 standards
• Manual and automated accessibility evaluation tools
• Test it yourself
20
We like:
HTML CodeSniffer
http://squizlabs.github.io/HTML_CodeSniffer/
Color Contrast Checker
http://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

22. HTML CodeSniffer
• Browser extension
• Cut and paste code
• Results need appropriate interpretation
• For example: image alt tags
21
http://squizlabs.github.io/HTML_CodeSniffer/

23. Colour Contrast Checker
http://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
• Enter the background and foreground colours
• See if contrast passes or fails desired preference
• Tip: lighten or darken colours within the interface
• Colour contrast ratio for level AA should be at least 4.5:1 for
normal text and 3:1 for large text
22
Colour Contrast Analyser app
http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/contrastanalyser/

24. Sim Daltonism
• Colour blindness simulator app for Mac OS X
• “Filters in real-time the area around the mouse pointer and
displays the result – as seen by a color blind person – in a floating
palette”
23
Available on the App Store (free)
https://michelf.ca/projects/sim-daltonism/

25. Photoshop tools
• View > Proof Setup > Colour Blindness
24
Integrated colour blindness checkers

26. Let’s demo some tools!
• HTML CodeSniffer
• Colour Contrast Checker
• Colour Contrast Analyser
• Sim Daltonism
25

27. Automated testing results
• Automated testing requires some knowledge in accessibility to
interpret the results and implement the proper changes.
26

28. Usability vs Accessibility testing
• Methodology is the same
27
• Being mindful when facilitating
• Tasks for screen reader to include everything
• Adapt number of tasks
• More specific recruiting

29. Recruiting
• Professional recruit
• Personal networks
• Challenging to find larger samples
• Novice vs. expert users
28

30. Personal set up
• Set up is calibrated in specific
ways
Image credit: http://www.cccblog.org/2014/05/16/vis
ions2025-interactions/
29
• Avoid bringing a cast of 1000s
• Recording can be a challenge
• Important to note the specifics of
the user’s set ups and settings
• Speed of the screen reader
Advanced screen reader user’s can get up
to 900-1200 words per minute

31. Technology versioning
• Assistive technology can be quite finicky
• People don’t always upgrade to new versions
• Intense learning curve
30

32. Testing at a facility
• Facility itself has to be accessible
• User’s tech set up needs to be portable
• Alternatively -allow time for the participant to
calibrate the technology
31

33. Remote testing
• Difficult to view user’s tech set up and how they use it
• Software/applications needed to download must be accessible
• Software/application must not interfere
• Tech issues -> difficult to help find solutions
32

34. Facilitation
• Usual facilitation techniques: echo, boomerang, columbo
33
• Need to avoid using visual cues/clues
• Any supporting printed material needs to be large and
clearly legible
• When testing with screen readers, you may need to ask
users to slow down their speed (words per minute)

35. Analysing results
34
• Identifying quick wins
• Being able to reproduce issues
• Task completion
• Communicating the results

36. Making screens more accessible
benefits everyone.
35

37. Questions?
36

38. Thank you
Usability Matters
215 Spadina Ave, Toronto
www.usabilitymatters.com
info@usabilitymatters.com
facebook.com/UsabilityMattersInc
@umatters
linkedin.com/company/usability-matters
Heather Moore
416 598 7770 ex 20
heather@usabilitymatters.com
Linn Vizard
416 598 7770 ex 19
linnea@usabilitymatters.com

39. Resources (Canada)
Inclusive Design Institute
http://inclusivedesign.ca/WebSavvy
Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC)
http://idrc.ocad.ca/
WebSavvy
http://websavvy.idrc.ocad.ca/
CNIB Web & Digital Accessibility
http://www.cnib.ca/en/services/
web_digital_accessibility/Pages/default.aspx
Accessibility Camp TO
http://www.accessibilitycampto.org/