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Thread: Accessibility Testing questions
Number of posts in this thread: 8 (In chronological order)
From: Susan Bignell
Date: Thu, Aug 01 2002 9:16AM
Subject: Accessibility Testing questions
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Hello all,
I've been working on my first accessible site and wish to begin
testing for accessibility. I'm writing to get advice on what size
and scope of test group to set up. How many testers and on what
sorts of assistive technology, what versions of screen readers,
etc. Should I set up tasks, as per a usability study? (I will
likely not be present during the
testing, unfortunately.) What amount of honorarium is generally
acceptable?
Any tips or advice, or links to pertinent info sites would be
much appreciated.
Thank you.
Susan Bignell
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From: Mark Magennis
Date: Fri, Aug 02 2002 2:37AM
Subject: RE: Accessibility Testing questions
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Susan,
Good to hear you are doing some real testing. The main bit of advice I would
give you is to be present during the tests. I know you said you would likely
not be present, but you will gain so much more by seeing issues arise first
hand that you really should try, if at all possible, to be there. Other than
that, I would definitely recommend task-based tests. This will ensure that
the issues that arise are the ones that would arise during real use. It will
also help prevent you unwittingly directing the tests towards the areas of
the site that you expect the issues to arise in and missing other areas
completely. Testing always brings up issues you didn't expect and task-based
testing is the best way to do this.
As for how many users - how long is a piece of string? It is a basic fact of
usability testing that to test any software product thoroughly enough to
ensure a 95% chance of finding all the usability problems would cost more
than the entire software development budget for the next five years. At
least! It is simply not feasible to do "complete" usability testing. Nobody
ever does it. People used to believe in Jakob Nielsen's study which showed
that you needed 5 users before getting into seriously diminishing returns
for revealing problems. That's no longer accepted. More recent studies have
shown that the more users you have, the more issues you keep finding. Also,
the more observers you have, the more issues you uncover. It has even been
shown that different test teams come up with almost entirely different
results. What happens in reality is that you do as much as you have time
for. No more and no less. Then you content yourself that you have done as
good a test as you can.
Try to embrace a wide variety of users, particularly including blind,
partially sighted and fully-sighted keyboard-only users. Older people make
great test participants.
What sorts of assistive technologies they use probably doesn't matter. You
won't be able to cover them all and you probably shouldn't try to bias it to
any specific ones.
I would also advise having two observers - yourself and someone else. The
observers will undoubtedly disagree with each other, not only about how to
interpret what happened, but even about what actually happened! Two minds
arguing about issues and interpretation are much better than one.
Payment to users varies. I used to work in the commercial field where we
always paid 65 Euro for an hour and a half, plus travelling expenses. I now
work in a non-commercial arena where it has not been normal to make any
payment, other than travel expenses.
Hope this helps,
Mark
>
From: tedge
Date: Fri, Aug 02 2002 7:04AM
Subject: RE: Accessibility Testing questions
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Hopefully some helpful links:
rehabtool.com
http://www.rehabtool.org/#community
assistivetech.net
http://www.assistivetech.net/index.cfm
UW-Madison Computer Labs
http://www.doit.wisc.edu/computerlabs/
UAWeb Resources
http://uaweb.arizona.edu/resources/validation.shtml
What we use for testing:
Usability and Accessibility checklist
508 and W3C compliance reports
Also we use Assistive Technology Testing
Here is what we tell our clients:
Beyond Section 508 Compliance.
Assistive Technology Testing is where we help you take your site a step
beyond what is required to what is needed.
In our test lab we will step up the conditions met by a number of web
users who, only through the use of AT device's, can access the web.
We create test cast's for each AT device used.
Here is a list of the disabilities we will create test case's for
including some of the problems they face when trying to access a web
page:
Blindness
. Obtaining information via visual representation.
. Using input tools.
. Understand spatial metaphors for navigation.
. Discerning synthesized speech from other sounds.
Mobility Impairments
. Pressing multiple keys simultaneously.
. Reaching for the keyboard or mouse.
. Performing actions in a specific time frame.
. Performing actions that require precise movements.
Low vision
. Perceiving color, contrast, and depth differences.
. Understanding size-coded information.
. Discriminating between different fonts.
. Locating and/or tracking pointers, cursors, and hot spots.
. Entering information into online forms.
From: tedge
Date: Fri, Aug 02 2002 8:19AM
Subject: RE: Accessibility Testing questions
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I am sorry but I felt the examples of accessibility barriers that people
may encounter on the Web was not enough.
So I have added information I hope it is some how helpful:
Blindness
. Obtaining information via visual representation.
. Using input tools.
. Understand spatial metaphors for navigation.
. Discerning synthesized speech from other sounds.
Color Blindness
. Color that is used as a unique marker to emphasize text on a Web
site.
. Text that inadequately contrasts with background color or
patterns.
. Browsers that do not support user override of authors' style
sheets
Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities
. Lack of options to use alternative devices for information on
Web sites, for instance
lack of alternative text that can be converted to audio to
supplement visuals, or the lack of captions for audio.
. Use of unnecessarily complex language on Web sites
. Lack of graphics on Web sites
. Lack of clear or consistent organization of Web sites
. Distracting visual or audio elements that cannot easily be
turned off
. Lack of clear and consistent organization of Web sites
. Lack of clear or consistent organization of Web sites
Mobility Impairments
. Pressing multiple keys simultaneously.
. Reaching for the keyboard or mouse.
. Performing actions in a specific time frame.
. Performing actions that require precise movements.
Low vision
. Perceiving color, contrast, and depth differences.
. Understanding size-coded information.
. Discriminating between different fonts.
. Locating and/or tracking pointers, cursors, and hot spots.
. Entering information into online forms.
Hearing Disabilities
. Lack of captions or transcripts of audio on the Web.
. Lack of content-related images in pages full of text, which can
slow comprehension for people whose first language may be sign
language
instead of written/spoken language.
. Requirements for voice input on Web site.
. Lack of captions or transcripts.
From: Penguin-Love.Com
Date: Fri, Aug 02 2002 8:41AM
Subject: Re: Accessibility Testing questions
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DON"T E_MAIL ME YOU ALL HAVE THE WRONG E-MAIL ADDRESS!!! THIS IS A SCHOOL
ACCOUNT!!!! THIS E-MAIL IS NOT GOING TO THE ADDRESS YOU WANT IT TO DO NOT
E-MAIL ME!!!!!!!!
----- Original Message -----
From: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
To: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 8:12 AM
Subject: RE: Accessibility Testing questions
> I am sorry but I felt the examples of accessibility barriers that people
> may encounter on the Web was not enough.
> So I have added information I hope it is some how helpful:
>
> Blindness
>
> . Obtaining information via visual representation.
>
> . Using input tools.
>
> . Understand spatial metaphors for navigation.
>
> . Discerning synthesized speech from other sounds.
>
>
>
> Color Blindness
>
> . Color that is used as a unique marker to emphasize text on a Web
> site.
>
> . Text that inadequately contrasts with background color or
> patterns.
>
> . Browsers that do not support user override of authors' style
> sheets
>
>
>
>
>
> Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities
>
> . Lack of options to use alternative devices for information on
> Web sites, for instance
> lack of alternative text that can be converted to audio to
> supplement visuals, or the lack of captions for audio.
>
> . Use of unnecessarily complex language on Web sites
>
> . Lack of graphics on Web sites
>
> . Lack of clear or consistent organization of Web sites
>
> . Distracting visual or audio elements that cannot easily be
> turned off
>
> . Lack of clear and consistent organization of Web sites
>
> . Lack of clear or consistent organization of Web sites
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Mobility Impairments
>
> . Pressing multiple keys simultaneously.
>
> . Reaching for the keyboard or mouse.
>
> . Performing actions in a specific time frame.
>
> . Performing actions that require precise movements.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Low vision
>
> . Perceiving color, contrast, and depth differences.
>
> . Understanding size-coded information.
>
> . Discriminating between different fonts.
>
> . Locating and/or tracking pointers, cursors, and hot spots.
>
> . Entering information into online forms.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hearing Disabilities
>
> . Lack of captions or transcripts of audio on the Web.
>
> . Lack of content-related images in pages full of text, which can
> slow comprehension for people whose first language may be sign
> language
> instead of written/spoken language.
>
> . Requirements for voice input on Web site.
>
> . Lack of captions or transcripts.
>
>
From: Paul Bohman
Date: Fri, Aug 02 2002 9:21AM
Subject: RE: Accessibility Testing questions
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Just a reminder: Anyone can subscribe or unsubscribe at any time by
visiting www.webaim.org/discussion. (The person who sent this message
has been removed from the list.)
Paul Bohman
Technology Coordinator
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind - www.webaim.org)
Center for Persons with Disabilities (www.cpd.usu.edu)
Utah State University (www.usu.edu)
From: tedge
Date: Fri, Aug 02 2002 10:20AM
Subject: Penguin-Love.Com unsubscribe
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We cannot remove you you have to do it.
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From: EASI
Date: Fri, Aug 09 2002 1:32PM
Subject: What is EASI?
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What is EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)???
EASI is dedicated to providing know-how about adaptive computer and
information technology to schools, universities and business to provide a
barrier-free learning and working IT space for people with disabilities.
We server, faculty, instructional design staff, information technology
staff, student support staff, librarians and more
What does EASI do?
EASI provides:
1 a web site of resources: www.rit.edu/~easi
2 a general listserv discussion about AT and IT = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
2 a librarian-oriented listserv discussion about AT and IT
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
3 an e-journal, Information Technology and Disabilities on the web at
www.rit.edu/~easi/itd.htm
and a distribution list for the journal, = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
4 regular webcast interviews with leaders in AT and IT www.rit.edu/~easi
5 online certificate program in Accessible Information Technology
http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
6 campus consulting service www.rit.edu/~easi
7 sponsoring the new National Center for Accessible E-learning
http://easi-elearn.org
ADaptive computer and information technology is a kind of "liberation
technology". It certainly liberated in my professional life:
http://www.rit.edu/~nrcgsh/arts/liberation.htm
Join us in creating this new world of opportunities for students with
disabilities to achieve personal success like everyone else!
September month-long, instructor-led courses are:
Sept. 3 Barrier-free Information tTechnology
Sept. 3 Learning Disabilities and Adaptive Technology.
http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
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