SC Web Testers Program
Training
Web Testing Using the “SC Web Accessibility
Tester Questionnaire”
Janet Jendron
Janet.Jendron@uscmed.sc.edu
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How to Use This PowerPoint
We recommend that you go through the
slides, with the questionnaire in front of
you.
This presentation addresses
• What do the questions mean?
• What tools do we have to answer them?
• What are we looking for, in your responses?
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Overview of Web Testers Program
What was the
Pilot
Program?
What's the
Purpose?
What's the
Timeline?
Who are the
Testers?
The Questionnaire!
Note: Some questions can’t be
answered by JAWS users (e.g., color
contrast)
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Web Accessibility Toolbar
Web Accessibility Toolbar (WAT)
WAT Toolbar Functions from AIS
Webcredible on Using the WAT
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Web Developer Toolbar
Firefox Web Developer’s Toolbar (WDT)
WebAIM Instructions for use of the WDT
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Q - Title and Headers
Do the title and tagged headers give an
accurate picture of the purpose of the web
page?
WDT – Outline tab, “outline headings”
WAT – Structure, “heading structure”
JAWS User Demonstration (online)
JAWS user demonstration (online)
Try these tools on the following two web pages and note the
difference
USC Student Disability Services
Groundwire – Writing Online
Q – Cascading Style Sheets
When CSS is disabled or unsupported,
does the pages structure allow for an
understandable reading order?
What is a Cascading Style Sheet?
Evaluation Tools:
• WAT – CSS tab – “Disable CSS”
• WDT - CSS tab – “Disable Styles”
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CSS Evaluation
Looking for structure of page, and that CSS
positioning is correct (DIV placement may
create logical visual order but incorrect
logical order)
Try these sample web sites:
WebAIM
USC Student Disability Services
What’s the difference in the two sites?
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Q – Skip Navigation
Does the site provide you with the option
to skip repetitive navigation links?
• Why do people want to skip nav?
• Should the skip nav link be visible?
• Does everyone agree on that?
• Where should the link be located?
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Q – Skip Navigation
Tools to evaluate skip nav:
WAT – CSS tab – Disable CSS
WDT - Disable Styles tab – Disable all
styles (you’ll see invisible links and
location)
Evaluate these sites for skip nav:
SC Vocational Rehabilitation Dept
SC Commission for the Blind
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Questions – Alt Text
Do images have appropriate alternative
text?
Tools to see alt text quickly:
WAT – Images Tab “Toggle Image/Alt
WDT – Images Tab “Display Alt Attributes”
Evaluate this site using the tools above:
DMV
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Q – Meaningful Alt Text
If there images with alternate text, is the
alternate text easy to understand and
meaningful to you?
• When should an image have a null alt tag?
• What is meaningful alt text?
• More on meaningful alt text
• Alt text for images that contain content
Sample sites:
SC Commission for the Blind
SC Voter Registration
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Q – Meaningful Alt Text
Sample sites:
SC Commission for the Blind
SC Voter Registration
What do you think of the alt text
on each site?
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Qs - Video Content
If the page contains video content or a
link to video content, does the video
have synchronized text captioning?
WAT - “identify Multimedia files”
command on “doc info”
Example:
SCATP’s Web Testers Interview
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Qs - Video Content
If the page contains video content or a
link to video content, are logical audible
descriptions provided?
Examples:
Marty McKenzie Success Story
(transcript of what was said, that a screen reader would
read)
Jonathan Success Story
(video description that a screen reader would read)
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Questions about Color
Does the page rely on color alone to
convey important information?
– Read the page, and look for any phrases such as
“Click the blue button” “Required fields marked in
red”
– Note it’s OK to use color as a visual emphasis.
WebAIM Explanation
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Q – Color Contrast
Is there sufficient color contrast used on
the page so that you are able to read
the information?
Tools:
WAT – Color Tab – “Greyscale”
Juicy Studio Color Contrast Analyzer”
WDT – doesn’t have a testing tool
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Q – Color Contrast
Check out these pages:
World’s Worst Website
go to the second example on this page, too
This page illustrates many web design mistakes!
My Web Page
When responding to this question, you might suggest
other ways to convey the information without use of
color.
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Q - Browser/Font Size
Could you use the browser to control the
font size?
How you do this in the browser:
Internet Explorer – View Tab – “Text Size”
Firefox – View Tab – “Zoom” – “Zoom Text
Only” Control + or –
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Q - Browser/Font Size
Practice on these sites
SCATP
Schuchart
CNN – try it in both IE and Firefox
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Q – Meaningful Link Text
Are link texts meaningful out of context?
Tools to quickly see the links:
• WAT – Doc Info tab – “List Links (new
window)
• WDT – Information tab – “View Link
Information”
JAWS Demonstration (online)
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Q – Meaningful Link Text
Examples of non-meaningful link text
“Click Here” - School of Aquatic Arts
(U Wisconsin example of accessible vs.
inaccessible)
“Download”
“Learn more .. More info” - Shutterfly
“See video” SCATP Success Stories
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Meaningful Link Text
• Before: Please click here to download your
certificate as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file.
After: Download your certificate as a Portable
Document Format (PDF) file.
• Before: To report problems with this web page, click
here.
After: Report a problem with this web page to the
webmaster.
• Before: For information on where to stay and eat in
the area, click here.
After: Consult our lodging and dining guide for more
information.
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More on Link Text
• Links should be formatted to stand out from
other text.
• Links should describe their destination.
• Links should be succinct.
• Link text should be straightforward. Avoid
riddles, sarcasm
• Doug Addison, The Web Site Cookbook
• Webguidelines on writing link text
• Imagine you were only reading links on the page…
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Q - Data Tables
If the page includes data tables, do they
include tagged headers?
Web Aim on tables
Webusability on tables
How to “see” table headers
• WAT– Structure tab – “Show Table Headers”
“Simple data table”
• WDT – Information tab – “Display Table
Information”
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Q - Data Tables
Other tips for evaluating tables
• Look for table summary (summary=) in
TABLE tag.
• Data tables need column and/or row headers
via the “scope” attribute or “ID” “axis”, and
“headers” attributes. Note: our testers agree
that “ID” is preferable to “scope”
• JAWS – read the page and use your
commands to zero in on a piece of
information
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Data Tables – practice sites
Try these two sites with data tables. What
are the differences?
ABC
Fidelity
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Q – Tables used for Layout
Is a table used for page layout? If so,
does the content read in an
understandable, logical order?
• Screen readers read through tables in the order in which cells
are defined in the HTML code, which can be very different from
the order that someone reading visually would follow. It is
essential that the reading order match the logical flow of the
document so that a screen reader user would hear the
document in the same order that a visual reader would read it.
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Q – Tables used for Layout
Is a table used for page layout? If so,
does the content read in an
understandable, logical order?
Screen reader users can listen for logical order.
WAT - Structure tab – “Linearize” – shows the reading order (you
might have to disable CSS first)
WDT – Miscelleanous tab – “Linearize Page” shows the table
reading order
Try these on the SC Judicial Department Page
Jim Thatcher on Tables (some good examples)
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Questions about Flash, Java
If the page has content elements that are
created by scripts such as JavaScript or
Flash, are such scripts accessible? Can the
user interact with the content (e.g. keyboard
access)?
WebAIM’s Flash Tutorial
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Questions about Flash, Java
Tests: Screen readers can read the page content and
listen for announcement of Flash or applets.
Source code: look for OBJECT tag.
WAT = “Identify Multimedia” and “Identify Applets” on
“Doc Info” menu. Check keyboard control.
USC Innovista Page with Flash
Needs a link to the next page, early on the page
USC Innovista Page without Flash
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Questions about Plug-Ins
• If the page includes links to files or
content that require plug-ins, does the
page provide a link to an accessible
plug-in?
• If the link takes you to a pdf, are you
able to access the information therein?
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Questions about Plug-Ins
• Is the link located in an appropriate
place on the web page?
This is subjective. Our screen reader users suggest that
if there are a lot of pdf files (for example) on the
page, then one link to a plug in early on the page is a
better idea than a link before or after each document
link. All agree the bottom of the page (after the links)
isn’t a good location.
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Plug-In Examples
SCATP’s Web Testers Interview
SC Voter Registration
JAWS users: What will happen on the Voter
registration page if you try to access the pdf?
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Questions about Forms
If the page includes an electronic form (including a
search box), are you able to fill out the form
successfully? (can you search for something and get
results?)
If you are unable to submit the form successfully, does
the site contain an error message that enables you to
correct your mistake?
If the form on the page is not accessible to you, is there
an alternative offered to you? (e.g., address, phone
number, email contact)
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Evaluating Forms
– Try to perform a real task on the form.
– Try to “break” the form. Enter bad
characters or blank entries in required
fields.
– Disable JavaScript to test error checking.
– Tests: JAWS form field mode. Source code
look for “input” and “Label for” tag.
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Still on Forms!
– If there is an error message, check to see
that it’s located near the form field that
needs correcting. Check that they don’t
use color to convey meaning (e.g., “Correct
all fields shown in red.”
– Evaluate the wording of the error message.
Is it clear and easy to understand?
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Forms- Not done yet…
WDT – Forms Tab – “View Form
Information?” “Display Form Details”
WAT - Structure Tab - “Fieldsets / Labels”
USC Admissions Account (Firefox)
Indian Waters Council Registration
Click on “Council Calendar” and try to register
for a Webelos Waters event.
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Assigned task
Describe your experience (positive and
negative) in the assigned task for this
web site.
Remember that the reader probably won’t
understand much about the assistive
technology you use (if any). Tell how
much time it took you to complete the
task (or before you gave up).
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General Questions
What are some things you liked about the
web pages you tested?
What were your challenges in accessing
the web pages?
Describe, briefly, your experience,
negative and positive, but do it in a
positive way.
Do you have any other suggestions for
improving the web pages you tested?
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Q – Site Navigation
Generally, were you able to navigate the site
successfully and efficiently? Why or why not? Is the
site designed in a way that you can remember the
navigation and use it more effectively when you
return to the site?
Look for clear, consistent, simple navigation. If you’re a
sighted tester, try to remember the navigation without
looking at the screen.
Examples are important! Let the reader “feel” your
experience. Make suggestions for things that would
make the site easier for you.
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Q – Written Language
Was the information written in a way that is clear and
understandable to the target audience? (Note: this
question is about the language and terminology used,
not about how the page is organized)
Think about the target audience; their literacy levels,
their computer skills (e.g., older users might not be as
intuitive on the Internet).
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Reports!
Possible alternate responses (other than “yes”
and “no.”
Yes, but… No, but…
“Yes and no” (explain)
“Unable to determine” (tell why – e.g., JAWS
users can’t see if a video is captioned)
“Not applicable.” (e.g., “there is no video
content on the page”)
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Examples of good report writing
A Sample Report
Be specific, be positive, be polite!
Describe your experience.
Take the opportunity to “teach people”
about how your assistive technology
works.
Another sample summary report
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Web Accessibility
Concepts
Keyboard operability.
If a page requires mouse operation for
navigation or form submission the page is
not accessible.
Try to tab through the page and see if it’s logical and
efficient way to navigate the page
• WAT – Structure tab – “Show tab order”
• WDT – Information tab – “Display tab index”
More on keyboard accessibility
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Testing Tools/Tips
• Some JAWS Modes
– Form field list- “Insert” + “F5” –Displays a list
of all form fields on page
– JAWS Headers mode – “Insert”+ ”F6”
– JAWS Links mode- “Insert” + “F7”
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Testing Tools - WAT Menus
•
•
•
•
•
•
Validate: ctrl+alt+1
Resize: ctrl+alt+2
CSS: ctrl+alt+3
Images: ctrl+alt+4
Colour: ctrl+alt+6
Structure: ctrl+alt+5
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Testing Tools - WAT Menus
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tools: ctrl+alt+7
Doc Info: ctrl+alt+8
Source: ctrl+alt+U
IE options: ctrl+alt+S
Refs: ctrl+alt+9
Magnifier: ctrl+alt+M
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Resources
•
•
•
•
Web Questionnaire Resources - SCATP
Web Accessibility Resources – SCATP
Section 508 for Web content
W3C Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0
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