In-Depth Guide to Accessibility Testing Automation in 2024

As technology advances, it is essential to ensure all users have equal access to digital content, including people with disabilities. According to World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people – or 1 in 6 people worldwide – experience significant disability.¹ This is where accessibility testing comes in to ensure that software applications and websites are designed to be inclusive and usable by everyone.

With the help of automation, accessibility testing can be conducted more efficiently and effectively, ensuring that accessibility is not an afterthought but an integral part of the development process. In this article, we will explore the importance of accessibility testing and how automation can help achieve accessibility compliance.

What is accessibility testing?

Accessibility testing evaluates a software application or website to determine its ability to be used by people with disabilities. The goal of accessibility testing is to identify and remove barriers that may prevent people with disabilities from accessing or using digital content and complying with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (See Figure 1 below)

Source: JavaTpoint²

Figure 1: WCAG and Impairments

Considering that 62% of adults with a disability say they own a desktop or laptop computer, the potential impact of accessibility testing should not be overlooked.³ This includes individuals with 

• Visual impairments
• Hearing impairments
• Physical disabilities(e.g, people incapable of using the Keyboard or the Mouse with one hand, problem in hand activities, muscle detention, etc.)
• Cognitive disabilities 

Accessibility testing involves using a combination of manual and automated testing techniques to evaluate various aspects of an application or website, such as the user interface, navigation, content, and functionality. By conducting accessibility testing, developers can ensure that their digital content is inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Why is automated accessibility testing necessary?

Automated accessibility testing is important for three reasons:

1. More efficient accessibility compliance: Automated testing can test for accessibility compliance much faster than manual testing. 
2. Better accuracy: Automated testing can be more accurate and consistent than manual testing. It can detect accessibility issues that may be missed by manual testing.
3. Cost-effective: Automated testing can be more cost-effective than manual testing, especially when testing large and complex applications or websites.

How to automate accessibility testing?

Automating accessibility testing involves using specialized tools and software to test various aspects of an application or website for accessibility compliance. Here are some steps to automate accessibility testing:

1-Choose an accessibility testing tool

There are several automated accessibility testing tools available, such as Axe, Google Lighthouse, and Wave. Choose a tool that suits your needs and integrates with your development environment.

2-Set up the accessibility testing environment

Install and configure the accessibility testing tool in your development environment. This involves setting up the necessary software, libraries, and dependencies.

3-Identify accessibility tests

Identify the accessibility tests you want to automate. This may include tests for keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, color contrast, and alt tags.

4-Write automated accessibility tests

Write test scripts that will run automatically and verify the accessibility of your application or website. Use the testing tool’s API to perform accessibility checks and generate reports.

Sponsored 

Testifi’s CAST is a test automation tool that can perform API, web, mobile, and desktop testing. A test automation tool can be beneficial to businesses to reduce reliance on manual testing.

5-Integrate automated tests into your development process

 Integrate automated accessibility tests into your continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) process to ensure accessibility compliance is tested with every code change.

6-Review test results and fix issues

Review the test results and fix any accessibility issues that are identified. Re-run the automated tests to ensure that the issues have been resolved.

Top 4 use cases for automated accessibility testing

Automated accessibility testing can be used in various scenarios, including:

Early stage testing 

Automated accessibility testing can be used during development to catch potential accessibility issues before they become bigger problems.

Regression testing 

Automated accessibility testing can be used to ensure that new features or changes to a website or application do not introduce new accessibility issues.

Large-scale testing 

Automated accessibility testing can test large and complex websites or applications, whereas manual testing may be impractical or time-consuming.

Compliance testing

Automated accessibility testing can be used to ensure compliance with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).⁴

Top 4 challenges for accessibility testing automation

While automated accessibility testing is a valuable tool, it should be used in conjunction with manual testing and user testing to ensure that all accessibility issues are identified and addressed. Here are the potential issues: 

1-Lack of complete automation

While there are many automated accessibility testing tools available, they cannot catch all accessibility issues. Manual and user testing are still needed to catch specific accessibility issues such as:

1. Keyboard accessibility: Manual and user testing can identify whether all functionality can be accessed using a keyboard alone, without relying on a mouse or other pointing device.
2. Screen reader compatibility: Testing can help determine whether a website or application is compatible with screen reader software, which is used by people with visual impairments to navigate and interact with content.
3. Link and button labeling: Testing can help ensure that all links and buttons are labeled clearly and descriptively so that users with screen readers or other assistive technology can understand their purpose.

2-Limited scope 

Automated accessibility testing tools may only test a limited set of accessibility requirements, such as those in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). They may not test other important accessibility requirements, such as cognitive accessibility.

Cognitive accessibility refers to designing digital content and interfaces that are easy to understand and use for people with cognitive disabilities. Cognitive disabilities can include conditions such as autism, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning disabilities.

3-Dynamic content

Automated accessibility testing tools may have difficulty testing dynamic content, such as content that changes based on user interactions because it is difficult to predict all possible scenarios. One example of such dynamic content is a dropdown menu that expands when a user hovers over it or clicks on it, revealing additional menu options. (see Figure 2)

Source: Justinmind⁵

4-Complexity

Accessibility issues can be complex and require human judgment to fully understand and address them. Automated accessibility testing tools may not be able to fully evaluate the severity and impact of these accessibility issues.

If you have further questions about quality assurance and testing practices, reach us:

External Links

• 1. World Health Organization (WHO) “Disability” 2 December 2022
• 2. JavaTpoint “Accessibility Testing”
• 3. Pew Research Center, “Americans with disabilities less likely than those without to own some digital devices” September 2021
• 4. Web Content Accessibility Initiative “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)“
• 5. Justinmind “Dropdown design: guidelines for web and mobile” May 11, 2020