Introduction to Accessibility Testing

Standard:

VisualVault will provide access to Digital Content and Services by complying with the Section 508 Standards (Revised) and the current version of WCAG. WCAG Levels A and AA are required, and level AAA is encouraged.

Section 508 Standards (Revised):

A final rule, published in January of 2017, updating accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.

WCAG

WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

It defines how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

There is a total of 78 WCAG 2.1 success criteria.

There are 3 levels of accessibility.

• Level A – Must be done
• Level AA – Should be done
• Level AAA – Can be done

Principles of Accessibility Testing:

Objective of Accessibility Testing in QA

1. Validate Compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA
2. Provide a Roadmap to Resolve Issues
3. Fix any issue before release

Scope

What

Accessibility Testing (AT) is a series of automated and manual tests where components are tested for proper web accessibility for users with disabilities.

When

Accessibility Testing is carried out during the development and configuration phases.

Why

To ensure that content and functionality are useful in the real world for users with access needs. 

Testing Environment

AT will be performed in pre-production VisualVault environments such as vv5dev, sandbox, or lab

Testing Approach

Tools

Automated Testing: Pa11y automated accessibility tool

Manual Testing: WAVE Evaluation Tool; Lighthouse Performance Viewer; NVDA screen reader; Magnifier on Windows 11