Accessibility Testing​

Software accessibility means applications that are designed to work for people who experience disabilities, such as visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments.

What is Accessibility Testing?​

Digital accessibility testing is the process of evaluating a website or digital product to ensure it can be accessed and used by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. This includes making sure that individuals who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, or who have cognitive, neurological, or motor impairments can interact with the website effectively.

Why Test Your Website or Application for Accessibility?​

Since 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability, accessibility testing is a business mandate. Some of the many reasons for testing your website or application for accessibility include:

• Legal Compliance: Many countries have laws and regulations that require digital accessibility, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States and the Web Accessibility Directive in the European Union. Testing helps ensure compliance and avoid potential legal issues.
• Inclusivity and Audience Reach: Ensuring your website or application is accessible allows all users, regardless of their abilities, to access your content and services. Making your website accessible also opens it up to a wider audience, including people with disabilities, which can increase your user base and potential customer pool.
• Usability: Accessibility features often enhance the overall user experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities. For example, captions on videos can be helpful in noisy environments, and keyboard navigation can benefit power users.
• Enhanced Brand Reputation: An accessible website or application can improve your brand’s reputation, showing that you care about all your users and provide a positive experience for everyone.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Benefits: Accessibility improvements, such as providing alternative text for images and improving site structure, can also enhance search engine optimization (SEO), making your website more discoverable.

Accessibility Testing Challenges​

1. Lack of awareness: Lack of knowledge of developers, designers, and testers about the importance and benefits of accessibility.
2. Diversity of users: Users’ needs, preferences, and abilities. You need to test your product with a variety of users and scenarios, use personas and user stories, and follow the principles of universal design.
3. Complexity of code: Code complexity requires the need to use code analysis tools, automated testing tools, and manual testing methods, and best practices of coding for accessibility.
4. Time and cost: Accessibility testing can add to the development and testing time. However, accessibility testing can also save you time and money by reducing the risk of lawsuits, increasing your customer base and loyalty, and improving your reputation and brand image. 
5. Evolving standards: Accessibility is a dynamic and ongoing process that adapts to the changing needs and preferences of users and the changing technologies and platforms. Testers need to stay updated on the accessibility trends and innovations, monitor the feedback and satisfaction of your users, and continuously test and improve your product.

RTTS’ Skilled Resources​

• RTTS QA Managers, who are experts at implementing test processes around test automation, will handle all tasks and issues regarding planning and testing architecture, artifacts, interfacing with your technical team, managing our engineers and delivering success.
• RTTS Test Engineers, who are skilled in test automation, use either automated test tools of your choice or solutions that we provide with the same benefits at no cost to you.
• All RTTS resources, both managers and engineers, are full-time W2 employees of RTTS and all have computer related degrees: computer science, computer engineering, or computer information systems. And all live and work in the continental US.