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.

Robust

Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

This testing should be heavily assisted by tools.

Parsing

Significant HTML/XHTML validation/parsing errors are avoided.

Human Testing – Detailed

Tool-Assisted Checking – Full

This is part of functional testing.

Testers need to rely on tools to identify problems with HTML/XHTML code.

Name, Role, Value

Markup is used in a way that facilitates accessibility. This includes following the HTML/XHTML specifications and using forms, form labels, frame titles, etc. appropriately.

Human Testing – Detailed

Tool-Assisted Checking – Full

Testers need to rely on tools to identify problems with HTML/XHTML code, and Screen Readers to verify the actual spelling.