Ensuring that your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is crucial for legal compliance, user satisfaction, and inclusivity. Conducting an accessibility audit is a systematic way to identify and address accessibility issues on your website. This guide will take you through the steps to perform an effective accessibility audit, using a combination of manual checks and automated tools.
Step 1: Understand the Guidelines
Before starting the audit, familiarize yourself with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). WCAG 2.1 is the most widely adopted standard, with three levels of conformance: A, AA, and AAA. Most audits aim for Level AA compliance, which addresses the most significant accessibility barriers.
Step 2: Use Automated Testing Tools
Automated tools can quickly identify many common accessibility issues. While they won't catch everything, they are a good starting point.
Recommended Tools
- SortSite: Is an automated web testing tool that scans entire websites for quality issues, including device compatibility, accessibility, SEO, broken links, and secure connections. It runs over 1300 rules on each page and generates a comprehensive report, making it a powerful solution for efficient website testing.
- WAVE: This web accessibility evaluation tool provides visual feedback about the accessibility of your web content by injecting icons and indicators into your page.
- Axe: An open-source accessibility testing tool that integrates with browsers like Chrome and Firefox, providing detailed reports on accessibility violations.
- Lighthouse: A tool integrated into Chrome’s DevTools that includes an accessibility audit as part of its broader performance and best practices checks.
Steps to Use Automated Tools:
- Run the Tool: Open your website in the browser (or in the Tool directly) and run the accessibility tool.
- Review the Report: Examine the list of detected issues. Automated tools categorize issues and provide guidance on how to fix them.
- Document Findings: Record all issues, including the location (URL, element) and the tool's recommendations for each.
Step 3: Conduct Manual Testing
Manual testing is essential for catching issues that automated tools miss. This involves simulating the experience of users with different disabilities.
Key Manual Checks
- Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all interactive elements (links, buttons, forms) are accessible using only the keyboard. Test tab order, focus states, and keyboard shortcuts.
- Screen Reader Compatibility: Use screen readers like JAWS and NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac) to navigate your site. Check that content is read logically and that all interactive elements are accessible.
- Color Contrast: Verify that text has sufficient contrast against background colors using tools like the Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA).
- Alt Text for Images: Ensure that all images have descriptive alt text. The alt text should convey the same information as the image.
- Forms and Labels: Check that all form elements have associated labels and that instructions are clear.
- PDF and other documents: Check PDF and other documents on the website to ensure they are accessible. Use PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC), Adobe Acrobat Pro and MS Word 2016 or higher to detect and correct accessibility issues.
Steps for Manual Testing:
- Navigate with Keyboard: Unplug your mouse and try to navigate your site using only the keyboard.
- Use a Screen Reader: Turn on a screen reader and listen to how your site is described. Make note of any confusing or missing information.
- Check Color Contrast: Use a contrast checker to ensure text readability.
- Review Images: Examine each image to ensure it has appropriate alt text.
- Test Forms: Fill out all forms to ensure they are navigable and labeled correctly.
Step 4: Review Multimedia Content
Multimedia content, such as videos and audio files, requires specific accessibility considerations.
Key Multimedia Checks
- Captions: Ensure all video content has accurate captions.
- Transcripts: Provide transcripts for audio content.
- Audio Descriptions: Include audio descriptions for important visual information in videos.
Steps for Multimedia Testing:
- Watch Videos with Captions: Turn on captions to check for accuracy and synchronization.
- Read Transcripts: Ensure transcripts are available and accurately reflect audio content.
- Listen for Audio Descriptions: Verify that audio descriptions cover all important visual content in videos.
Step 5: Analyze Mobile Accessibility
With the increasing use of mobile devices, ensuring your website is accessible on mobile platforms is crucial.
Key Mobile Checks
- Responsive Design: Verify that your site is responsive and functions well on different screen sizes.
- Touch Targets: Ensure touch targets (buttons, links) are large enough to be easily used.
- Gestures: Ensure that essential functionality is accessible without requiring complex gestures.
Steps for Mobile Testing:
- Test on Different Devices: Use a range of devices (smartphones, tablets) to test your site.
- Check Touch Targets: Make sure touch targets are appropriately sized and spaced.
- Evaluate Gestures: Ensure all functionality can be accessed with simple gestures.
Step 6: Compile and Prioritize Issues
After completing your automated and manual tests, compile a comprehensive list of all accessibility issues. Prioritize them based on severity and impact.
Prioritization Criteria
- Critical: Issues that prevent access to essential content or functionality.
- High: Significant issues that affect a large number of users.
- Medium: Issues that affect usability but have workarounds.
- Low: Minor issues that have little impact on usability.
Step 7: Create a Remediation Plan
Develop a plan to address the identified issues. Assign tasks to relevant team members and set realistic deadlines for fixes.
Key Remediation Steps
- Fix Critical Issues First: Address the most severe issues as a priority.
- Iterate on Solutions: Continuously test and refine solutions to ensure they fully resolve the issues.
- Document Changes: Keep detailed records of what was fixed, how it was fixed, and who was responsible.
Conclusion
Conducting a thorough accessibility audit is essential for ensuring your website is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. By following this step-by-step guide, you can identify and address accessibility issues, making your website more inclusive and compliant with legal standards. Prioritizing accessibility not only helps you avoid legal pitfalls but also improves the user experience for all visitors, enhancing your website's reach and effectiveness.