Section 5.2: Recommended Accessibility Evaluation Processes, Part 1

WebAIM offers a recommended process for evaluating the accessibility of a Web site at their page The Planning, Evaluation, Repair and Maintenance Process: Evaluating Web Site Accessibility.

Step 1. Validate Your HTML

The WebAIM process starts with checking the validity of the HTML because valid coding goes hand in hand with accessibility.

Assistive technologies rely on proper HTML more so than most web browsers.

They recommend using the W3C's (World Wide Web Consortium) HTML validator. Validating HTML code can be a difficult task and requires some understanding of HTML and the rules of HTML.

Step 2. Validate for Accessibility

Validate for accessibility refers to evaluating using an accessibility checking tool both the automated checks and the manual checks. They recommend tools such as the WAVE, which adds icons to your site to indicate potential problems and mark the structure and content of your page. It also provides indicators of areas that will require manual checks.

Step 3. Check for Keyboard Accessibility

Users who navigate a site using the keyboard due to visual or motor impairments will need to be able to access all areas of the site without using a mouse. Checking for keyboard accessibility means checking to make sure that users can navigate to all the links, can complete and submit any forms, etc. using the keyboard. For any content that is dependent on using a mouse (such as opening a navigation menu by resting the mouse pointer on it), make sure that same content is also available using the keyboard.

Step 4. Test in a Screen Reader

In order to test with a screen reader, you will likely need to have access to a tool such as IBM Home Page Reader (an inexpensive "self-voicing" browser) or a trial version of JAWS, Window-Eyes, or other screen reader. JAWS and Window-Eyes provide trial versions that run for 40 minutes at a time (to continue testing after 40 minutes, you will need to restart your computer). Note: It takes time and practice to understand screen readers' synthetic speech and learn the necessary keystrokes. Allow time for this learning! Also, it is best to turn the monitor off while listening to the page. The WebAIM process recommends using the screen reader to:

1. Listen to the entire page without stopping and ask:
   • Did everything make sense?
   • Did the screen reader access all of the content?
   • Was the alternative text for images appropriate and equivalent enough to convey the content and meaning of the image?
   • Was the reading order of the content logical?
2. Try to move around and navigate the page with the screen reader and answer these questions:
   • Are link labels descriptive?
   • Were forms accessible via the keyboard?
   • Were form labels included?
   • If the page includes data tables, were data cells associated with headers?
   • Did the navigation structure make sense?
   • Was there an option to navigate within lengthy pages of content?
   • Was content structure, such as headings and lists, correctly implemented?
   • Was any multimedia accessible (i.e., did video have captions, audio have transcripts, Flash have an alternative, etc.)?

Step 5. Check Your Pages for WCAG Conformance

To check your pages for WCAG conformance, you can literally look at the guidelines and examine the site. This is mostly a manual evaluation but can be supported by the automated accessibility tool results and the tools that are available in the Accessibility toolbar.

Step 6. Conduct User Testing

One of the best ways to determine the accessibility of your pages is to get feedback from individuals with disabilities. Especially seek feedback on your navigation structure and use of language.

Repeat the user testing after changes have been made to determine if improvements have been made.

Step 7. Repeat This Process

In fact, repeat this entire process as often as needed. Since "Web accessibility is a continual process," frequent evaluations are needed.