Resources

By Jim Thatcher. Presentation slides: http://jimthatcher.com/knowbility/testing0906.html. The most important message I got from this presentation is that accessibility testing is a multi-dimensional process. You can’t assume your site is accessible by running it through an automated check. Human testing is also required.

You cannot “validtate” for accessibility as you would validate code to a standard (such as W3.org). But there are “standards and guidelines” to which you may want to validate:

• WCAG 1.0 Priorities 1, 2, 3 http://w3.org/TR/WCAG10
• WCAG 2.0 are being worked on http://w3.org/TR/WCAG20: priority levels changing from 1.0 in that they’re based on impact to visual experience.
  
• Section 508 http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm (also being revised)

Testability and Tools:

• Contrast – ensure that foreground and background colors provide sufficient contrast: (contrast analyzer: http://www.wat-c.org/tools/CCA/1.1/)
• Quality Link Text – clearly identify target of each link, ensure good link text or title attribute (Testing tools Report: http://jimthatcher.com/testing.htm)
• Text equivalents for non-text content:
  • Section 508 toolbar http://rampweb.com/Accessibility_Resources/Section 508
  • Web Accessibility toolbar from Vision Australia http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=614 *this toolbar also has web development extensions for IE!)
  • NCAM QA Favelet: http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/favelet
  • Web Developer Extension for Firefox: http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper
    
  • Jim’s favlets for rapid human review http://www.jimthatcher.com/favelets/
• Forms: All forms must be tested for accessibility – every form control must be accurate. Machine testing pretty accurate. Look for presence of label element or title attribute on input elements. Use Jim’s favelets: http://jimthatcher.com/favelets

Free web-based tools (single page):

• Cynthia Says: http://cynthiasays.com
• WebExact: http://www.webxact.com
• Site Valet: http://valet.webthing.com/access/url.html
• Hermish: http://www.hermish.com/check_accessibility_form.cfm
• Evaluation of Free tools: Gez Lemon: http://juicystudio.com/experiments/invalid.html