They involve the use of tools that examine the site for accessibility criteria violations, such as the guidelines set by the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). These tools can quickly interpret large amounts of content and identify common accessibility issues.
The main deliverables of automated audits include:
Suggestions for error correction and compliance with guidelines.
Classification of issues by severity level.
It's important to note that, although they make accessibility assessments faster and less labor-intensive, automated validators alone do not determine whether a site is accessible or not due to a lack of context. They may generate false positives/negatives and overlook important points, so their effectiveness is not 100%.
How are manual tests conducted?
Manual tests are conducted by accessibility experts who carefully examine the site to identify issues that cannot be detected by automated tools. This includes testing navigability with screen readers, checking the logical order of content, testing keyboard usability, and ensuring all interactions are accessible. This type of test evaluates the actual usability of the site.
The main deliverables of such an audit include:
Detailed report, documenting not only the issues found but also the contexts in which they were identified and their implications for the user experience.
Review of alternative resources, such as image descriptions or audio transcriptions.
Qualitative feedback on the site's usability for people with disabilities.
Documentation of the necessary steps to fix identified issues and prioritization of actions.
What is the process for implementing identified corrections?
After identifying accessibility issues through audits and tests, the next critical step is implementing the necessary corrections. This may involve code modifications, design adjustments, and content improvements. It's important to ensure that the corrections are implemented properly and that the site is tested again to verify successful issue resolution.
How is the implementation of automated tests in the development and publishing process?
Automated tests involve running accessibility tests during the development process. These tests help identify issues quickly and efficiently, allowing corrections before any changes are published.
Configuration of an automated testing framework.
Integration of automated tests into the development workflow, ensuring they are run during the site-building process.
Training the development team to understand and act based on the results of automated tests.
Documentation of accessibility standards and guidelines that the team must follow.
Integration of automated test results with quality control processes and project management.
What is WCAG?
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), or Diretrizes de Acessibilidade para Conteúdo Web in Portuguese, is a set of guidelines developed by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) to make web content more accessible to a wide range of people with disabilities.
