The A-Z Of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools

By TechDogs Editorial Team

Overall Rating

Overview

Imagine you are at an ice cream parlor. While ordering your favorite ice cream when you are told that you are the 100th lucky customer. Woohoo! To celebrate the occasion, the manager offered you a coupon with which you could have any ice cream you wanted on your next visit. So, the next time you carry the coupon to the same ice cream parlor. Yet, the person at the payment counter tells you that your coupon has expired and you will have to pay for the ice cream. Disappointing, right?

The manager should have checked and told you about the coupon's expiry date before offering it to you, right? In an ideal world, where user experience is of utmost importance, it is ideal for every transaction and interaction to be seamless and accessible to users - whether it is online or physical. However, there are numerous challenges that designers and developers must overcome to create a user-friendly experience for everyone. Users with disabilities such as those with low vision should also be able to access the content. To achieve these goals, businesses must test applications for accessibility as early as possible in the design process. This can be done with the help of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s learn about Accessibility Testing Automation Tools!

Tell us if you remember the movie How to Train Your Dragon? Yes, the same movie in which Hiccup, the Viking kid and his dragon Toothless restored the faith of the villagers of Berk by bridging the gap between dragons and humans. If you remember all this, you may also remember that at the end of the movie, Hiccup lost the lower part of one of his legs and was given a prosthetic by the blacksmith living in his village. The best part is that despite his disability, Hiccup was able to control and ride Toothless. Wondering how?

Well, the prosthetic given to Hiccup was tested thoroughly for its dragon compatibility – yes, we just made up a new word!

Don’t you agree that while developing a new application or a website, organizations want to provide the best user experience? Well, this can be achieved with Accessibility Testing Automation Tools by ensuring that the service or application is not only accessible to all but can also be used by everyone. Want to know more about these tools?

Hop on to your dragons as we take you through the journey of what, when and how of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools.

First Things First: What Are Accessibility Testing Automation Tools?

Before directly getting into the nitty-gritty of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools, let’s first learn about accessibility testing.

Accessibility testing ensures that users can access applications to their fullest potential. It is just like Hiccup’s prosthetic allowing him to ride Toothless. The goal is to create software or applications that are accessible to users of all abilities. Accessibility testing is a part of usability testing that ensures that the application being tested is accessible to people with hearing, color blindness, cognitive and other disabilities.

This can be an arduous and time-consuming process. It’s easy to miss something when manually testing your app or website, which is why so many companies overlook this important step in their production process. Thankfully, there are Accessibility Testing Automation Tools that can streamline and simplify this procedure for you. These tools will automatically scan your code, alert you to any issues that fall under the accessibility umbrella and help you rectify them. Additionally, these resources will automate all your tests, so you don’t have to repeatedly go through the same processes.

The history of these tools will give you an even clearer picture of why we need accessibility testing. So, without further ado, let’s fly to our next destination!

History Of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools

Source

When you think about the 1970s, a lot of things come to mind, including bell-bottomed trousers like the picture above, seriously groovy mustaches and the TV show M*A*S*H, right? What you may not remember is The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prohibited organizations from discriminating against individuals with disabilities through employment, financial aid or technology. Everything from kiosks to websites to applications developed must be accessible to those with disabilities - this marked the beginning of accessibility testing.

In 1996, when the Internet spread like wildfire, manual accessibility testing became a tedious job and thus, Bobby, the first accessibility testing tool, came into existence. This tool allowed developers and designers to detect and resolve accessibility issues, thus improving customer experiences. The early accessibility testing tools had an undeniable impact on digital accessibility.

The California State University (CSU) system began an initiative in early 2007 to make its information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Campuses hoped to use automated testing tools to examine their sites for accessibility and determine what repairs were required. However, it was discovered that automated testing was severely limited in identifying important problems, making software developers work on improving them.

Just the way Hiccup met his goal of making peace with dragons, these tools realized our goal of digital inclusion in this era of fast digitization. As standards changed and the web evolved with each passing year, these tools continued to work towards creating dynamic technologies.

Now that you know the history of these tools, let’s move forward to learn how they work.

Working Of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools

Source

Every tool has a mechanism. Remember the saddle made by Hiccup to ride Toothless with his prosthetic leg? Well, it had a unique working and so do these tools. So, here is the working of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools:

Step 1: Test The Guidelines

These tools test against local and international guidelines such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.0 (A, AA, AAA), WCAG 2.1 (A, AA, AAA), Stanca Act and many other guidelines for accessibility.
Step 2: Report The Bugs

After testing the guidelines, these tools report the existing bugs as well as those likely to occur. They also report the potential resolutions which are handed over for human decision-making.
Step 3: Export The Reports

Once the bugs are identified, these tools export the accessibility testing reports to different teams and developers for improvement.

The best part is, you don’t need to go through each step manually, these tools perform them automatically. That’s just one of the benefits – read on for more!

Benefits Of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools

Source

Did you know, just like Hiccup, even Toothless had a prosthetic fin? Well, Hiccup accidentally broke it; however, he also made a new prosthetic fin that helped Toothless fly stronger the before. This benefitted both of them and made their bond even stronger.

Here are some of the benefits of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools that will create a stronger bond between your organization and clients:

Avoids Legal Complications

Before an application goes live, many countries require that it meet accessibility requirements. These tools come in handy to satisfy legal and industry compliance.
Growth In Business

Applications developed in accordance with accessibility guidelines would lead to increased userbase and company revenue.
Better User Experience

When digital interactions are designed to be accessible to all, it is often beneficial for users. Keeping the navigation, text legibility, appearance and other features of the application appealing and user-friendly will improve the user experience.

No one knows the future. Well, if we could, we would have stopped Toothless from striking Stoick the Vast but that’s a story for another day. However, we can still predict what the future of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools holds.

The Future Of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools

The need to satisfy everyone’s demands as digital transformation accelerates is crucial. Accessibility Testing Automation Tools made us realize that cognitive advantages are not just important for disabled people but for every user.

In the coming years, we expect these tools to be integrated with the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to minimize human supervision. This will not only reduce the efforts but will also speed up the process of bug identification and remediation.

The WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) have been expanding with WCAG 3.0 already in the public domain. Beyond hearing or visual impairments, cognitive and autistic spectrum disorders will be part of accessibility testing guidelines. Therefore, improved guidelines will bring inclusive growth on account of their diverse forms and alignment with the latest technology. #AcessForAll

The End

In an era where the user experience and user interaction are paramount, your software must be rigorously tested for accessibility. With Accessibility Testing Automation Tools, you can confirm that your application meets the needs of users with disabilities and is also usable by them. You should always design and code keeping in mind people who have visual, hearing or other physical limitations so that they can use your app without any hassle. We hope that our article will prove fruitful for your organization and help you make informed decisions!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Accessibility Testing Automation Tools?

Accessibility Testing Automation Tools are resources designed to streamline the process of ensuring that applications and websites are accessible to users of all abilities. Much like Hiccup's prosthetic leg enabled him to ride Toothless, these tools help developers create software that can be utilized by everyone, regardless of disabilities. They automate the testing process, scanning code for accessibility issues and alerting developers to any potential problems, ultimately simplifying the task of making applications accessible.

How Do Accessibility Testing Automation Tools Work?

Accessibility Testing Automation Tools follow a systematic approach to assess applications for accessibility compliance. First, they test against local and international guidelines such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to ensure adherence to established standards. Then, they report identified bugs and potential resolutions for human decision-making. Finally, these tools export accessibility testing reports to development teams, streamlining the process and eliminating the need for manual intervention at each step.

What Are The Benefits Of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools?

The benefits of Accessibility Testing Automation Tools are manifold. Firstly, they help organizations avoid legal complications by ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements before applications go live. Additionally, they contribute to business growth by expanding the user base and increasing company revenue through accessible applications. Moreover, these tools enhance the overall user experience by ensuring that digital interactions are designed to be user-friendly and accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities.

Enjoyed what you've read so far? Great news - there's more to explore!

Stay up to date with the latest news, a vast collection of tech articles including introductory guides, product reviews, trends and more, thought-provoking interviews, hottest AI blogs and entertaining tech memes.

Plus, get access to branded insights such as informative white papers, intriguing case studies, in-depth reports, enlightening videos and exciting events and webinars from industry-leading global brands.

Dive into TechDogs' treasure trove today and Know Your World of technology!

Disclaimer - Reference to any specific product, software or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by TechDogs nor should any data or content published be relied upon. The views expressed by TechDogs' members and guests are their own and their appearance on our site does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by TechDogs' Authors are those of the Authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of TechDogs or any of its officials. All information / content found on TechDogs' site may not necessarily be reviewed by individuals with the expertise to validate its completeness, accuracy and reliability.

Tags:

Web Accessibility Testing Automated Accessibility Testing. Accessibility Audit Accessibility Testing Automation Software

Join The Discussion