Getting Started with Accessibility Testing

What is accessibility testing?

Accessibility testing refers to testing elements of digital content to determine if they meet accessibility guidelines and standards. Accessibility testing can help you identify areas where your content needs work, sometimes assist in remediating accessibility issues, and give you a place to start ensuring that digital resources are usable by people with a wide range of disabilities and abilities.

There are many types of accessibility testing; this guide focuses on two main types:

  • Automated testing involves using tools to scan digital content for potential accessibility issues. These tools typically compare your content to a defined threshold or standard and alert you if your content does not meet that threshold or standard. Automated tools are a great place to start, but many times, they are not sufficient as the only form of testing.
  • Manual testing involves people using techniques to evaluate if content meets an accessibility standard. Where automated testing alerts you if something doesn’t meet a standard, in manual testing you are determining if your content meets a standard. This guide intends to give you context and techniques so you are able to do manual testing when needed.

Why should I test for accessibility?

Hey, that’s a great question to ask! There are many reasons why you should test for accessibility:

  • You want to ensure that all patrons and staff have equitable access to all library resources.
    • Ensuring that content is accessible benefits everyone, including people with disabilities.
    • For example, captioning videos is essential for people with hearing disabilities, but also benefits non–native English speakers and people in noisy environments.
  • You may be legally mandated to ensure that your content is accessible.
  • You want to promote community engagement. Conducting regular accessibility testing signals to your community that you and your library value inclusion.

How do I know if this section of the toolkit is right for me?

You’re in the right place if you:

  • Are new to accessibility and want a foundational understanding of how to get started with testing.
  • Want to know more about accessibility testing techniques and tools to integrate them into your workflows and routines.
  • Are seeking practical, actionable steps to test and improve the accessibility of your library’s resources and services.
  • Are responsible for maintaining or updating digital resources and want to start on the process to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.
  • Are creating content (websites, documents, videos, etc.) and want to make sure they are accessible.

This section does not:

  • Provide comprehensive guidance about creating accessible content.
  • Capture every accessibility testing tool and technique.
  • Guarantee full compliance with all accessibility standards or regulations.
  • Serve as a substitute for professional accessibility audits or legal advice.
  • Provide strategies for institutional change.
  • Replace the need for ongoing training and professional development in accessibility practices.
  • Provide tutorials or guidelines for tools that require a subscription.

How do I use this section of the toolkit?

You can navigate this section in two ways: 

  • The first way is to browse the Core Concepts and Resources section. This contains information relevant across content types and links to tools and resources which are widely applicable.
    • This section will be helpful for those familiar with accessibility testing who just want to browse tools and resources. 
    • This section will also be helpful to those who are brand new to accessibility testing and want to get big-picture context about digital accessibility concepts.
  • The second way is to use the guide at your point of need by navigating to the specific content type you are wanting to test.
    • Within each content type, you’ll find:
      • a core concepts section relevant to that type of content 
      • and, when applicable, a more detailed description of how to test in specific applications of that content type. For example, the Word Processing Documents content type contains information about testing Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Pages documents.
    • This section will be helpful for those familiar with some basic accessibility concepts who are trying to apply these concepts to a specific content type.
    • This section will also be helpful for beginners if read in combination with the Core Concepts and Resources section.

Due to the guide functioning in both ways, there is intentional repetition throughout. If you read it top to bottom, you’ll notice some of the information between the main core concepts and each section overlaps or repeats.

Content Types

What questions or feedback do you have? 

Let us know using our DUX Accessibility Toolkit feedback form.