In the series of reviews I’m looking at WCAG level A / AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) requirements from testing perspective.

Common Definitions

Human Testing

• Brief – “You know as you see it” – quick scanning is sufficient to check and make a judgment. This does not include effort of logging defects.
• Detailed – Either interaction (execution of tests) with the functionality is necessary or detailed review/analysis must be done in order to verify a requirement.

Tool-Assisted Checking

• Not Available – Tools cannot help in checking for the specified requirement or they help very insignificantly.
• Partial – Tools provide significant help in checking for the specified requirement, either by saving time in parsing content source or through visualization. Human does the verification and judgment.
• Full – Tools capable of locating and verifying the specified requirement. Brief review of checking results is sufficient to make a judgment.

Operable – Navigable

Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.

Tools can be of help, but it’s mainly manual effort. Most of this testing can be combined with functional testing..

Bypass blocks

A link is provided to skip navigation and other page elements that are repeated across web pages. If a page has a proper heading structure, this may be considered a sufficient technique instead of a “Skip to main content” link. Note that navigating by headings is not yet supported in all browsers. If a page uses frames and the frames are appropriately titled, this is a sufficient technique for bypassing individual frames.

Human Testing – Detailed

Tool-Assisted Checking – Partial

Tools assist in reviewing page structure.

Testers need to identify modules of information (frame-based, heading-based, form-based, etc.) and verify whether repeating or non-primary-content modules can be skipped.

For cases in question, the page needs to be tested with screen readers.

Page titles

The web page has a descriptive and informative page title.

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Full

Tool may check for a presence of page title, but unable to judge whether the description is appropriate and sufficient.

Focus order

The navigation order of links, form elements, etc. is logical and intuitive.

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Partial

Tools may help visualizing focus order and locating controls with explicitly set focus order.

Human judgment is required to verify focus order on the particular as well as verify that navigation order is consistent across the pages.

Link Purpose

The purpose of each link (or form image button or image map hotspot) can be determined from the link text alone, or from the link text and it’s context (e.g., surrounding paragraph, list item, table cell, or table headers).

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Partial

Tool may check a presence of alt text and labeling, human judgment is required to verify purpose.

This can be combined with functional testing.

Link Purpose – Same Text

Links (or form image buttons) with the same text that go to different locations are readily distinguishable.

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Partial

Tool may check a presence of alt text and labeling, human judgment is required to verify purpose.

This can be combined with functional testing.

Multiple ways

Multiple ways are available to find other web pages on the site – at least two of: a list of related pages, table of contents, site map, site search, or list of all available web pages.

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Not Applicable

This should be addressed by design.

Testers needs to bring attention to content pages that are not reachable in accordance to this requirement.

Headings and Labels

Page headings and labels for form and interactive controls are informative. Avoid duplicating heading (e.g., “More Details”) or label text (e.g., “First Name”) unless the structure provides adequate differentiation between them.

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Not Applicable

Tools may check for a presence, which is available visually anyway.

Quick review by humans is required. In most cases, it’ll be covered in functional testing.

Focus visible

It is visually apparent which page element has the current keyboard focus (i.e., as you tab through the page, you can see where you are).

Human Testing – Brief

Tool-Assisted Checking – Not Applicable

This can be fully combined with keyboard operability testing. Default focus often is barely distinguishable.