Accessibility testing in Web Design

Accessible web design is the practice of building websites and digital content that people of all abilities can easily navigate, understand and interact with. In other words, an accessible site ensures that a person with a disability can perform the same tasks and consume the same information with equivalent ease as someone without a disability.

To accomplish this, you need to design for a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, cognitive and others. The key goals of accessible design include:

1. Removing barriers: Content should not have obstacles that prevent certain users (e.g. blind, deaf, or motor-impaired users) from accessing information on your webpage or app.
2. Providing alternatives: For example, offering text alternatives for images or transcripts for audio so that everyone can get the content in a form they can consume.
3. Inclusive experiences: Ultimately, accessibility strives for inclusive design that allows anyone to use, enjoy and engage with the web, regardless of their condition or circumstances. As the W3C famously puts it: "Web accessibility is essential for some, and useful for all."

In summary, accessible web design means creating websites that work for as many people as possible, including those with disabilities, by following established guidelines and best practices.

Designing with accessibility in mind is crucial for several reasons: legal compliance, ethical responsibility, enhanced user experience (UX) and even SEO benefits.

• Legal Reasons:

  Many countries have laws requiring web accessibility. For instance, in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been interpreted to apply to websites as "places of public accommodation". Non-compliance can lead to serious legal consequences. In 2022 alone, over 3,200 federal website accessibility lawsuits were filed in the U.S., a 12% increase from the year before.

  High-profile cases (e.g. lawsuits against retailers and restaurants over inaccessible sites) underscore that failing to be accessible can result in costly litigation or settlements. Simply put, meeting accessibility standards (like WCAG or Section 508 in the US) helps avoid these legal risks.

• Ethical and Inclusive Imperative:

  Accessibility is fundamentally about equal access. The web is a public space and excluding people with disabilities from using a website is similar to preventing them from entering a building.

  Around 1.3 billion people (16% of the world's population) experience a form of disability.

  Ignoring accessibility means potentially alienating a huge segment of users. Ethically, web designers have a responsibility to ensure everyone can access information and services online. An accessible site reflects a brand's commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility. It demonstrates that you value all your users and customers.

• Better User Experience for Everyone:

  Accessible design tends to improve overall usability. Many accessibility features benefit all users, not just those with disabilities. For example, providing clear navigation and headings makes it easier for everyone to find information.

  High color contrast and readable fonts help all users in low-light or glare conditions, not just users with low vision. Captions on videos help not only deaf users but also anyone in a noisy (or quiet) environment. This is often called the "curb-cut effect,"" drawing an analogy to how sidewalk curb cuts (designed for wheelchair users) also help parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, etc.

  As W3C notes, many accessibility requirements end up improving usability for everyone. When users of all abilities can navigate and understand your site easily, customer satisfaction and engagement increase.

• SEO and Business Benefits:

  There's a strong alignment between accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO). Accessible websites often rank better because they are built on clean, semantic HTML that search engine crawlers prefer. For instance, using proper heading structure, alt text for images and descriptive link text (all accessibility best practices) also helps search engines understand and index your content.

  Moreover, providing transcripts for audio or video content gives search bots more indexable text. One study found that sites implementing accessibility improvements saw a 12% bump in overall traffic within a few months.

  Google has stated that it rewards sites that offer a good user experience and accessibility is a big part of UX.

  An inclusive site can attract more visitors (including those who might otherwise bounce off due to barriers), which can translate into higher traffic and conversions. Simply put, SEO helps people find your site; accessibility helps people use it.

By prioritizing accessibility, you comply with laws, do right by your users, enhance UX for everyone and likely boost your SEO and market reach. It's a win-win situation where both your users and your business benefit.

The internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) distill accessibility into four core principles known by the acronym POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. These principles provide a framework for thinking about and implementing accessibility:

• Perceivable:

  Users must be able to perceive the content on the page through one or more of their senses. In practice, this means nothing should be "invisible" to people with disabilities. For example: provide text alternatives for non-text content (images, audio, video) so that if someone can't see the image, a screen reader can still read an alternative (alt) text description.

  Ensure content can be presented in different ways (e.g. a user can enlarge text or use a braille display) without losing meaning. Make content distinguishable, such as using sufficient color contrast and allowing users to adjust text size.

  Essentially, provide multiple ways for users to perceive and consume content, whether visually, audibly or tactilely.

• Operable:

  Users must be able to operate the interface and navigation. This means all functionality should be available to everyone and you should not require an interaction that someone can't perform. For example: ensure keyboard accessibility – a user who cannot use a mouse should be able to navigate and use all features via keyboard only (using Tab, Enter, arrow keys, etc.).

  Provide adequate time for users to read and interact with content (e.g. avoid auto-advancing carousels that move too fast). Avoid design elements that can cause seizures or physical reactions.

  In short, make sure every user can interact with your site’s controls and that nothing traps or hinders them.

• Understandable:

  Users must be able to understand the information and how to use the site. This involves both the content and the interface behavior. Content should be clear and concise, avoiding unnecessary complexity. Use readable language and explain jargon or acronyms.

  The website or app should also behave in predictable ways, for example: navigation menus and buttons should be consistent across pages so users aren't confused by a new layout on each page.

  If users make an error (like form input mistakes), provide helpful instructions and error messages to guide them. For example: Ensure form fields have labels and instructions so users know what to input.

  Overall, reduce cognitive load: a user shouldn’t have to struggle to comprehend your content or be surprised by how your UI works. Simplicity and clarity are key.

• Robust:

  Content must be robust enough to work with a variety of technologies, including assistive technologies, now and in the future. This means using valid, semantically correct HTML/CSS/JS so that screen readers, browsers and other user agents can reliably interpret your content.

  If your code is full of errors or deviates from standards, assistive devices might not parse it correctly.

  Also, consider cross-browser and cross-device compatibility – an accessible site should work on different browsers, older or newer and on mobile devices. This is where TestingBot can help: test your website and apps on multiple browsers and mobile devices.

By following the POUR principles, developers and designers can ensure that their websites are Perceivable by all senses, Operable by all users, Understandable in content and interface, and Robust across platforms and assistive tools. These principles form the foundation of all specific accessibility guidelines.

Achieving accessibility involves many practical techniques and best practices. Below is a list of actionable steps you can take to design and build a more accessible website. Incorporating these will help your site meet standards (like WCAG 2.1 AA) and provide a better experience for everyone:

• Use Proper HTML Semantics and Alt Text (Support Screen Readers):

  Always use semantic HTML elements (like <header><nav>, <main>, <footer>, <button>, <form>, etc.) for their intended purposes. This provides meaning and structure that screen readers can interpret. Crucially, provide alt attributes for all images describing the image or its function.

  This way, a blind user’s screen reader can "read" the image’s description. Similarly, label form fields with tags, use descriptive headings (<h1>–<h6> in order), and mark up lists and tables appropriately. Avoid using visuals or text embedded in images without textual equivalents.

  Good semantics ensure assistive technologies can navigate and announce your content properly. For non-text media, provide alternatives: e.g. transcripts for audio and captions for video (discussed next).

• Provide Captions and Transcripts for Media:

  Audio and video content should be accompanied by text alternatives so that users with hearing impairments (or those who can't play sound) can still get the information. For videos, add closed captions that sync with the dialogue and important sounds. For audio-only content (like podcasts), provide a transcript.

  Why: Deaf or hard-of-hearing users rely on these alternatives to consume the content. In fact, WCAG guidelines require captions for prerecorded audio content and live captioning for live broadcasts where possible.

  As a bonus, captions and transcripts also help search engines index your media content and allow all users to search within or skim the content. Modern video players and services make it fairly easy to add caption files. Make sure the captions are accurate and synchronized.

• Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast and Text Resizability:

  Text should be easily readable for users with low vision or color vision deficiencies. Follow the WCAG contrast guidelines which generally require a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background for normal text (and 3:1 for large text).

  Use tools to check your color combinations, for example using TestingBot's accessibility checker.

  High contrast benefits everyone in bright sunlight or on low-quality screens, too. Additionally, don't fix font sizes too small or prevent users from zooming. Users should be able to resize text up to 200% without breaking the layout.

  Use relative units (like em or %) or responsive design so that text enlarges gracefully.

  Testing with browser zoom and OS large font settings is a good practice. By ensuring adequate contrast and flexible text sizing, you make content more perceivable for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties.

• Don’t Rely on Color Alone to Convey Information:

  Color should not be the sole means of indicating something, because not everyone can distinguish colors. Approximately 1 in 12 men have some form of color blindness.

  If your form errors are marked only with red text, a color-blind user might not notice them. Instead, use additional cues: add an icon, underline, or text label (“Error: ...”) along with color changes.

  In charts or graphs, use patterns or shapes in addition to color coding the lines or bars. For required fields, don’t just outline them in red—also include the word “required” in the label or an asterisk (with appropriate explanation).

  This way, whether or not someone perceives the color difference, they can still understand the information. The aim is to convey information in multiple ways, ensuring no one is left guessing due to a color distinction they can’t see.

• Offer Multiple Ways to Contact or Get Support (Not Just Phone):

  If your website provides contact information or customer support, be mindful that not everyone can use a telephone. Deaf or hard-of-hearing users, for example, may prefer email, text, or chat options.

  By offering alternatives like email addresses, live chat, contact forms or text relay services, you ensure all users can reach you.

  Many organizations make the mistake of only listing a phone number; this is a barrier for those with hearing or speech disabilities. Provide at least one text-based contact method. Doing so not only improves accessibility, it can also improve customer satisfaction overall (plenty of users without disabilities also prefer the convenience of chat or email).

  As a best practice, clearly list multiple contact options and response times for each.

• Enable Full Keyboard Navigation:

  Ensure that every interactive element on your site can be accessed via keyboard alone. This is critical for users who cannot use a mouse or touchpad, such as those with motor disabilities or vision impairments.

  Test your site by using the Tab key to navigate through links, buttons, form fields, etc. The focus should move in a logical order and be clearly visible (use CSS to highlight focused elements, often with an outline).

  Users should be able to activate dropdown menus, modal dialogs and other controls with keyboard (e.g., using Enter or Space to "click" a button, Arrow keys to move in menus).

  If you have custom widgets, ensure they have appropriate ARIA roles/properties to be operable by assistive tech.

  Also, make interactive elements large enough or with sufficient clickable area, so that users with limited dexterity can more easily target them. For example, provide generous padding on buttons and links.

  Small click targets can frustrate not just disabled users but anyone on a small mobile screen. Aim for at least 44x44 pixels for touch targets as recommended by mobile guidelines.

  In summary, a user should never get "stuck" because something requires a mouse hover or tiny click; keyboard and accessible controls are a must.

• Use Form Labels and Autocomplete:

  Forms should be designed for accessibility since forms are where a lot of usability issues occur. Every form field should have a visible label (or an aria-label if a visible label isn't possible) that clearly describes what input is expected. Place labels adjacent to fields (usually above or to the left) so screen readers and users can associate them easily.

  Additionally, utilize autocomplete attributes on fields for common data like name, email, address, etc. Autocomplete not only helps users without disabilities by speeding up form filling, but it can be critical for users with motor or cognitive impairments, reducing the effort needed to type out information.

  Modern browsers and assistive technologies will recognize these and may provide custom input modalities (for instance, showing a picker for email addresses or credit cards). Also make sure to provide helpful instructions and error messages. For example, if a certain format is required for a date or phone number, state that in the label or a hint. By making forms self-explanatory and minimizing the required typing, you ease the experience for everyone.

• Choose Clear Fonts and Consistent Layouts:

  Visual design plays a role in accessibility. Use fonts that are easy to read – generally sans-serif or simple serif fonts, with sufficient sizing (no tiny text).

  Avoid overly decorative or condensed typefaces for paragraph text. Also, maintain consistent layouts and navigation across pages. Header menus, sidebars, and footers should appear in the same place on each page of your site.

  This consistency helps users with cognitive disabilities (and frankly all users) know they can find the menu or search bar in the same spot every time. It reduces the learning curve for navigating your site.

  Similarly, use consistent icons and symbols throughout (don’t use one style of icon on one page and a completely different style on another for the same function). A predictable design makes the site more understandable.

  Ensure your content structure is logical – use headings to outline sections, keep a clear hierarchy of information, and use whitespace to separate concerns. This all contributes to a cleaner, more digestible interface for users who might struggle with complex or cluttered layouts.

• Minimize Distractions and Highlight Key Information:

  For users with attention disorders or cognitive impairments, a busy or noisy webpage can be overwhelming. Try to reduce unnecessary distractions such as autoplay videos, flashing ads, or too many animations popping up.

  If you use pop-ups or modal dialogs, allow them to be easily closed and don’t show them repeatedly. Provide an option to pause or stop any moving content (per WCAG requirements).

  At the same time, help users focus on what’s important by using a clear visual hierarchy. Use larger or bold text to emphasize headings or key points, and consider summaries or highlights for long articles. Breaking up content into shorter paragraphs and using bullet points (like this list!) also makes content easier to scan and absorb. When the essential information is readily visible and extraneous noise is eliminated, users with cognitive or learning disabilities can more easily understand your content. For example, if you have a very long page, include a quick summary or use anchor links to let users jump to sections.

• Use Simple Language and Clear Content:

  Whenever possible, write in plain language. This means using common, straightforward words and short sentences. Avoid heavy jargon or explain it when you must use it. Simplifying content benefits people with cognitive or reading disabilities, as well as those who may not be fluent in the language. According to cognitive accessibility guidelines, using clear and simple text greatly helps users understand and retain information.

  You can also support understanding by using lists, images, or icons to illustrate points (with appropriate alt text of course). Structured content—using headings, subheadings, and logical flow—helps all users, especially those who might get confused by complex or unorganized information.

  Essentially, communicate as if you’re writing for a broad audience: be concise, direct and organized.

• Avoid Flashing or Strobing Content:

  Flashing content can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. As a rule, do not use content that flashes more than 3 times per second.

  If you have animations, ensure they are subtle or slow enough. This is an important safety aspect of web design. For example, avoid rapidly blinking banners or flickering effects. If high-contrast flashes are part of your media (like a video with lightning photography), provide a warning and ideally an alternative. Adhering to the "three flashes or below" threshold is actually a WCAG success criterion to prevent causing seizures.

  Also note that even aside from seizures, flashing or blinking can cause dizziness or discomfort for many users. It's best to steer clear of such effects or give users full control to disable them.

• Keep Navigation Menus Consistent and Accessible:

  A key part of web design is the navigation system. Make sure your navigation menus are consistent in their structure and placement on every page.

  Use clear, descriptive labels for menu items (e.g., use "Contact Us" instead of just "Contact" if possible, to be very clear). Ensure that menu items can be focused and selected via keyboard.

  If you have dropdown sub-menus, they should appear on focus/hover and be navigable with arrow keys.

  Also, include a visible focus indicator on menu links. For long or complex sites, providing a sitemap page or a search function is another way to help users find content (WCAG even has a guideline about providing multiple ways to find pages).

  Breadcrumb navigation can also assist users in understanding where they are on your site. Ultimately, a user with a disability should be able to move around your site structure just as easily as anyone. Consistent, accessible navigation is crucial to achieving that.

Implementing these techniques will address many common accessibility barriers. It might seem like a lot to consider, but many of these practices overlap with general good UX design. By integrating these into your design/development process, you make your site welcoming to all users. Remember that accessibility is an ongoing effort—whenever you add new content or features, consider these principles and test for any new issues.

After making your website accessible by design, it's vital to test it to catch any issues and ensure it works as intended for users with disabilities. This is where TestingBot comes in handy for developers and QA professionals. TestingBot is a cloud-based platform that provides both automated and manual testing across a huge range of browsers and devices. Here's how accessibility testing typically works and how TestingBot can add value:

• Automated Accessibility Testing:

  Automated tools (such as TestingBot, axe-core, Lighthouse or WAVE) can scan web pages for many common accessibility issues.

  TestingBot allows you to run automated accessibility audits as part of your test suite.

  For example, you can write a Selenium test that not only check functionality but also scans and reports accessibility violations (missing alt text, insufficient contrast, ARIA errors, etc.).

  The autoamted test will flag issues such as elements with low color contrast, form fields without labels, or improper ARIA usage. By integrating accessibility checks into your CI/CD pipeline via TestingBot, you catch regressions early.

• Manual and Assisted Testing:

  While automated testing is useful, it can't catch everything (for example, whether alt text actually makes sense, or if keyboard navigation order is logical). It's estimated that automated tools catch only 30-50% of issues, so manual testing is essential for thorough coverage. TestingBot offers a Live Testing feature where you can remotely access real browsers and devices, allowing you to inspect for accessibility issues.

  This means you can manually use a screen reader on a virtual device, or navigate your site with just a keyboard on different operating systems, all through the TestingBot cloud. You can test how your site works with screen readers like NVDA or JAWS on Windows, or VoiceOver on macOS and iOS. You can also use TestingBot's mobile device cloud to see how your site behaves with TalkBack on Android, or simply how it renders on different screen sizes when zoomed.

  TestingBot’s platform (with over 5,000 browser/device combinations) allows you to ensure your accessibility features hold up everywhere.

• Testing for Keyboard Navigation and Focus:

  Using TestingBot's remote VMs, you can test keyboard navigation systematically. Many QA engineers will go through each page, tabbing through links and form fields to see if any element is skipped or if focus gets trapped.

  If something isn’t reachable via keyboard, that's a bug to fix.

  You can also verify that focus order follows a logical sequence (which might be different in each browser if the HTML source order vs CSS order differ). TestingBot provides the environment to do this across browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc., which is important because assistive tech support can vary slightly between them.

• Automated Reports and Regression Testing:

  When you run automated accessibility tests on TestingBot, you get reports of violations. These reports list issues (e.g. “Image element missing alt attribute” or “Interactive element not focusable”) so you can quickly pinpoint and fix them.

  By making this a part of every build, you can catch regressions. For example, if a developer introduces a new image without an alt, the automated test will fail, alerting the team to address it before release. TestingBot essentially lets you add an accessibility checkpoint in your QA process.

• Cross-Device Assistive Tech Compatibility:

  Because TestingBot can run tests on real mobile devices, you can also ensure things like responsive design accessibility. For instance, does your responsive menu still allow keyboard access on a phone? Does increasing the font size on a mobile browser work nicely? You might also test platform-specific accessibility features (like dynamic type on iOS increasing text, or Android’s accessibility settings). TestingBot’s breadth of devices helps you not rely on just your local machine’s environment.

• Scale and Collaboration:

  If you're a team serving many clients or large sites, TestingBot allows you to parallelize tests and manage results in one place. This makes it easier for QA teams to collaborate on accessibility findings. It also means you don't need to maintain an in-house lab of devices or VMs; TestingBot provides this infrastructure, including the latest browser versions and OS updates, which is especially helpful when new accessibility features come out (for example, newer browsers might flag accessibility issues differently).

In summary, TestingBot helps incorporate accessibility into your testing workflow by providing automation hooks for accessibility audits and a platform for thorough manual testing across browsers and devices. By using such a platform, you can confidently verify that your site meets accessibility standards (WCAG, ADA, etc.) and works well for all users.

Accessibility testing should cover both technical compliance (checking against WCAG success criteria) and user experience testing (actually using the site with assistive technology). TestingBot facilitates both: automated compliance checks and exploratory testing in real user environments. This combination is powerful in ensuring nothing important slips through. As a result, you can catch issues like color contrast problems or screen reader quirks before your users do.

Despite the clear benefits and guidelines, teams often encounter challenges when trying to implement accessible web design. Understanding these hurdles can help you anticipate and overcome them:

• Dynamic Content and SPAs:

  Modern websites often have content that updates dynamically (without page reloads) – think single-page applications, AJAX-loaded content or interactive UI components. This can be challenging because screen readers or other AT might not automatically know when content changes.

  If not coded properly, dynamic updates can leave some users in the dark. The solution is to use ARIA live regions or alerts to announce updates, and ensure focus management (e.g. when a dialog opens, focus moves into it). Testing dynamic features is also harder, as there are many states to consider.

  According to the W3C, large, highly dynamic sites with many changing permutations can be difficult to fully validate for accessibility.

  Developers need to be vigilant that any new content or DOM changes remain accessible (e.g., updating the page title on navigation, focusing the main heading after content loads, etc.). This often requires additional scripting and careful testing.

• Third-Party Content and Widgets:

  Many sites incorporate third-party elements like embedded videos, social media widgets, maps or CAPTCHA systems. These can introduce accessibility issues outside your direct control.

  For instance, an embedded third-party video player might not be keyboard-friendly or a CAPTCHA might be impossible for blind users. Indeed, third-party content that you did not develop inhouse can suddenly change or break accessibility.

  Mitigating this involves choosing vendors wisely (prefer those with accessibility commitments), providing alternate solutions (like an accessible CAPTCHA alternative or manual verification option) and applying any available settings to improve accessibility (some embeds have “accessible mode” configurations).

  It's also a good idea to regularly review third-party components as they update. In some cases, you might need to add explanatory text or instructions for a third-party widget. The key challenge is you often can't fix their code, so you have to work around it or lobby the provider to improve.

• Time and Resource Constraints:

  Building an accessible website can require extra effort – writing alt text, adding ARIA roles, testing with multiple devices, etc. Teams under tight deadlines might feel they "don't have time" for accessibility. Similarly, small businesses might worry about the cost. These resource limitations are a common challenge.

  However, not addressing accessibility early can lead to greater costs down the line (retrofits or legal fines). One strategy is to integrate accessibility into the development process incrementally – e.g., adopt a policy that no new image goes live without alt text, or every new feature has an accessibility review as a checklist item.

  Using frameworks or component libraries that are accessible out of the box can also save time. Many accessibility fixes are minor once you know them (like adding a few attributes or adjusting color codes) – it's mostly awareness and testing that require the effort. Services such as TestingBot can automate part of the testing, reducing manual effort.

  In the end, allocating some time for accessibility in each sprint is more efficient than trying to "bolt it on" later. Overcoming this challenge is about making accessibility a normal part of the workflow, rather than an afterthought.

• Lack of Awareness or Expertise:

  A very common challenge is simply that developers or designers are not fully aware of accessibility best practices. Web accessibility can be a complex topic with many guidelines, and not everyone has been trained in it. This lack of expertise can lead to unintentional mistakes.

  For example, a developer might not realize that using aria-hidden="true" incorrectly can hide content from screen readers that sighted users can see (creating a disparity), or a designer might pick color combinations that look pretty but have poor contrast.

  Tackling this starts with education and culture: encouraging teams to learn the basics of WCAG, maybe having an accessibility champion on the team and referring to checklists.

  There are many resources and courses available to help teams improve their knowledge. Companies that prioritize accessibility often run workshops or bring in consultants to train staff.

  As the saying goes, accessibility is everyone's responsibility, from content writers (who must write descriptive link text) to QA testers (who must include a11y in test plans).

  Fortunately, awareness is increasing industry-wide. By making accessibility part of the conversation from the start (during design meetings, etc.), teams can gradually build up expertise.

• Testing and Maintaining Accessibility:

  Ensuring ongoing compliance can be challenging especially when a site is frequently updated. A site might be accessible when launched, but if new features are added without oversight, issues can creep in.

  Maintaining accessibility is an ongoing process – it requires re-testing and perhaps re-training as standards evolve (WCAG guidelines do get updates).

  Large organizations might find it challenging to scale manual testing across hundreds of pages or for every release. This is where a combination of automated testing and selective manual audits is crucial. Another challenge is that accessibility guidelines can evolve and vary regionally.

  The solution is to stay informed via official channels (W3C, accessibility blogs, etc.) or use an experienced accessibility service that updates you.

In facing these challenges, the important thing is to not lose sight of why it's worth it. Yes, it takes effort, coordination and sometimes convincing stakeholders, but making your site accessible is both a moral obligation and often a legal one, and it leads to tangible UX and business benefits. Many companies have found that overcoming these challenges gives them a competitive edge.

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time project. It involves testing, iteration, and awareness. Utilizing a comprehensive testing platforms such as TestingBot can integrate accessibility into your QA workflow, making it easier to catch issues across browsers and devices and maintain a high standard of accessibility over time.