Accessibility evaluation resources

Checklist on usability testing for accessibility
A comprehensive checklist for planning, preparing, conducting and reporting on usability testing for accessibility.
Comparing website accessibility evaluation methods and learnings from usability evaluation methods (PDF, 172 KB, 14 pages.)
Different disabilities affect peoples' use of information and communication technologies. Consequently, there is a need to ensure that websites are accessible to people with disabilities. At the same time resources are required to help designers make websites more accessible. An assessment of usability evaluation methods (UEMs) demonstrates that there a significant alignment between the measures used in both usability and accessibility. Furthermore, many of the benefits and drawbacks associated with UEMs can also be shown to apply to AEMs.
Conducting usability testing for accessibility
This paper provides advice on conducting usability testing for accessibility. It covers the usual issues including obtaining informed consent, orienting the test participant to the environment, but also includes advice for test facilitators who have no experience in facilitating tests with people who have disabilities.
Evaluating for accessibility
Accessibility evaluation is often limited to assessing conformance to accessibility standards. When the focus is on the technical aspects of accessibility, the human interaction aspect can be lost.
Evaluating website accessibility: a seven step process
Web accessibility is becoming a very critical topic in information technology. Assistive technologies are allowing individuals with disabilities the power to access web content when and how they desire. Most web developers and designers are aware of the issues of web accessibility, but do not know where to begin implementing accessibility. The first step to creating an accessible website is evaluating the current accessibility level of the existing site. This hands-on workshop will teach participants a seven step process for evaluating the accessibility of their current website. Along the way, they will learn the basics of accessible web design, assistive web technologies, and how individuals with disabilities use the web.
Evaluating websites for accessibility
This W3C document outlines approaches for preliminary review website accessibility, and for evaluation of conformance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools: Overview
This is a collection of information about evaluation, repair, and transformation tools useful for web content developers and web users who wish to make the web more accessible.
Getting started with accessibility assessments
Applying a range of simple techniques means that website owners and developers can identify many accessibility issues during the site's development phase and as part of an ongoing quality assurance strategy without having to understand all the technical aspects of how the website works and is coded.
How to conduct usability evaluations for accessibility
The report explains how to conduct usability studies with test participants who use assistive technologies such as screen readers. 40 guidelines to help plan and run usability studies with users who are blind, have low vision, or have motor skill challenges.Includes sample forms that were developed through several iterations and ended up in versions that proved to work well: screening questionnaire for recruiting test participants, facilitator script, satisfaction questionnaire, consent form. Note: report must be purchased.
Planning usability testing for accessibility
Planning for a usability test that includes people with disabilities involves the following considerations: determining participant characteristics, recruiting participants with disabilities, compensating participants, choosing the best location and scheduling the right amount of time.
Preparing usability testing for accessibility
Preparing for the usability test for accessibility involves some additional considerations beyond standard usability testing preparation. These include ensuring the facility is accessible, setting up and testing the participants' configurations, and becoming familiar with the assistive technology.
Recruiting screener: questions for usability test participants with disabilities
A usability test participant recruiting screener is used to determine if a potential participant matches the user characteristics as defined in the usability test protocol. When recruiting participants with disabilities, ask the usual questions about demographics, frequency of use, experience level, etc. Additionally, include questions that address the characteristics related to disability and accessibility defined in the specific usability test protocol.
Screening techniques for accessibility
Screening techniques for accessibility are simple activities to help usability evaluators identify potential accessibility problems in product designs. Most screening techniques involve interacting with a product with one or more physical or sensory abilities eliminated or modified; for example, usability testing participants wearing low vision glasses so they cannot see.
Suitability to task of automated utilities for testing web accessibility compliance
We believe that automated utilities that canvass individual web pages, web-based applications, or other software applications can improve the efficiency of accessibility-related heuristic evaluations. Specifically, they are valuable at identifying barriers to accessibility, but they currently do not and potentially cannot address accessibility itself.
Usability testing for accessibility
Usability testing provides quantitative and qualitative data from real users performing real tasks with a product. Usability professionals can evaluate accessibility by using standard usability testing protocols, with a few modifications for including participants with disabilities.