Accessibility Testing Tools
Comprehensive tools and resources for testing web accessibility and standards compliance.
Effective Accessibility Testing Strategy
Important: Automated tools can only detect about 30-40% of accessibility issues. A comprehensive testing strategy includes:
Automated Testing
Quick scans for common issues
Manual Testing
Keyboard navigation, logical flow
User Testing
Testing with people with disabilities
Automated Testing Tools
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
Developed by: WebAIM
Type: Browser extension + Web service
Features:
- Visual feedback on accessibility issues
- Color-coded icons for errors, alerts, and features
- Contrast checker
- Structure/order analysis
Best For: Quick visual overview of accessibility issues
Visit WAVEAxe DevTools
Developed by: Deque Systems
Type: Browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
Features:
- Intelligent Guided Tests (IGT)
- Detailed issue descriptions with solutions
- Export reports
- Integration with dev tools
Best For: Developers during development process
Visit AxeLighthouse
Developed by: Google
Type: Built into Chrome DevTools
Features:
- Accessibility audits
- Performance metrics
- SEO analysis
- Best practices checks
Best For: Comprehensive site audits including accessibility and performance
Learn MorePa11y
Type: Command-line tool / CI integration
Features:
- Automated accessibility testing in CI/CD pipelines
- Command-line and Node.js API
- Dashboard for monitoring
- Customizable standards (WCAG 2.0, 2.1, Section 508)
Best For: Continuous integration and automated testing
Visit Pa11yManual Testing Tools
Screen Readers
Purpose: Test how assistive technologies read your content
- NVDA: Free, Windows (most popular)
- JAWS: Paid, Windows (professional standard)
- VoiceOver: Built-in, macOS/iOS
- TalkBack: Built-in, Android
Keyboard Navigation Testing
Purpose: Ensure all functionality is keyboard accessible
- Use Tab key to navigate
- Check visible focus indicators
- Test arrow keys for menus/components
- Verify Enter/Space for activation
- Test Esc to close dialogs
Color & Contrast Tools
Purpose: Verify color contrast meets WCAG standards
- WebAIM Contrast Checker
- Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA)
- Chrome DevTools Contrast Tool
Code Validators
W3C Markup Validation Service
Validates HTML against W3C standards. Valid HTML is foundational for accessibility.
- Check by URL, file upload, or direct input
- Identifies syntax errors and warnings
- Validates HTML5 and earlier versions
W3C CSS Validation Service
Validates CSS against W3C standards to ensure proper styling implementation.
- Check by URL, file upload, or direct input
- Validates CSS3 and earlier versions
- Identifies syntax errors and compatibility issues
Mobile Accessibility Testing
Mobile accessibility requires specific testing approaches:
iOS Testing
- Test with VoiceOver screen reader
- Check touch target sizes (44x44pt minimum)
- Test orientation changes
- Verify zoom functionality
- Test with Accessibility Inspector
Android Testing
- Test with TalkBack screen reader
- Check touch target sizes (48x48dp minimum)
- Test orientation changes
- Verify zoom and font scaling
- Use Accessibility Scanner
Testing Checklists
Perceivable
- All images have alt text
- Videos have captions
- Audio has transcripts
- Color contrast meets 4.5:1 ratio (normal text)
- Content is not conveyed by color alone
Operable
- All functionality available via keyboard
- No keyboard traps
- Focus indicators visible
- Skip navigation links present
- No time limits (or adjustable)
Understandable
- Language of page declared
- Consistent navigation
- Form labels clear and associated
- Error messages descriptive
Robust
- Valid HTML
- Proper ARIA usage
- Compatible with assistive technologies
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