With billions of people using mobile phones all over the world, these devices are now everywhere. But it is very important consider that everyone should have fair access to the digital world no matter what their abilities are. Unfortunately, people with disabilities often face difficulties when using mobile apps. This is where testing for accessibility on mobile becomes very important. By making sure apps can be used by all people, building a digital world that includes everyone will be more advantageous.
In this blog post, we will look into what is mobile accessibility testing and give you a list of top accessibility testing tools for doing this type of testing well.
What is Mobile Accessibility Testing?
It is essentially a mobile app testing process to ensure that mobile applications and websites are accessible to all users. Accessibility testing evaluates an application or website’s ability to be used by people with disabilities. The primary goal of accessibility testing is to ensure that users with disabilities can access and interact with digital content without barriers or difficulties.
This testing involves a variety of checks, including keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, color contrast, text alternatives for images, and other features that help people with disabilities access digital content. As a result, accessibility testing for mobile apps has become crucial to application development, ensuring that digital content is accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities.
What are the two categories of accessibility testing?
Accessibility testing can be divided into two categories: manual testing and automated testing.
- Manual Testing: This involves human testers, often individuals with disabilities or accessibility experts, manually assessing an application to ensure its accessibility.
- Automated Testing: This utilizes application tools to evaluate an application’s accessibility automatically.
Manual vs Automated Mobile Accessibility Testing
Manual mobile accessibility testing involves personally evaluating a mobile application or website for compliance with accessibility standards and guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This process typically includes manually testing the accessibility of the application or website using specific devices and browsers. Testers manually navigate the site or application and employ various tools and techniques to ensure usability for people with disabilities.
Conversely, automated mobile accessibility testing uses application tools to assess the accessibility of a mobile application or website automatically. These tools scan the site or application and identify any issues or potential barriers that could hinder use by people with disabilities. Although automated testing is generally faster and more efficient than manual testing, it may not detect all accessibility issues.
The Need for Accessibility Testing
Mobile app accessibility testing is vital for any competent mobile app tester. Ensuring an application is accessible to everyone is crucial for conducting accessibility testing on mobile apps. Additionally:
- Many countries and governments require businesses to perform accessibility testing as part of compliance measures.
- Accessibility testing is essential for achieving compliance, avoiding potential legal actions, and ensuring the application’s success.
- A highly functional mobile app that provides a top-notch user experience involves various types of testing, including accessibility.
- Every application and website should be designed with digital accessibility in mind to ensure all users can access and use them.
- The shift to remote work due to the pandemic has increased the need for mobile apps to be accessible to everyone.
Consider a corporation whose website is accessible to all customers. This inclusivity will undoubtedly enhance its brand identity. Improved user experience, resulting from increased accessibility, leads to a more substantial brand presence. Additionally, better accessibility contributes to higher SEO rankings, which in turn drives more website traffic.
Digital accessibility is gaining importance across various contexts, including legal, mandatory, and compassionate considerations. It is the right thing to do and benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities.
Mobile Accessibility Testing Tools
Accessibility testing tools are crucial in ensuring that mobile products are accessible and usable for all, including individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments. A variety of tools are available to assist in evaluating the accessibility of mobile apps on both Android and iOS platforms.
- Accessibility Scanner
This is a free utility for Android smartphones that evaluates an app’s accessibility and makes recommendations for improvements.
- TalkBack
TalkBack is a screen reader for Android smartphones that evaluates the accessibility of apps and websites.
- Deque WorldSpace Attest
This is a paid tool for evaluating the accessibility of mobile applications and websites for iOS and Android.
- Accessibility Insights
This is a free tool for determining the accessibility of mobile applications and web pages for iOS and Android devices.
- AccVerify
This is a paid tool for evaluating the accessibility of mobile apps on iOS and Android platforms. It provides automatic and manual testing alternatives.
- aXe
aXe is an open-source tool for assessing mobile app and website accessibility across iOS and Android devices. It may be used as both a browser extension and a standalone program.
- Accessibility Testing Framework
This is a free tool for determining the accessibility of Android applications. It allows users to develop their tests and connects with the Android testing framework.
- TestFairy
This is a paid platform for evaluating the functionality and performance of mobile apps for iOS and Android. It contains tools for testing apps’ accessibility, such as the ability to record voice and touch events during testing.
- ATK
This is a free and open-source tool for assessing the accessibility of Android apps. It covers both automatic and manual testing tools.
- Android Accessibility Suite
The Android Accessibility Suite is a collection of accessibility applications that allow Android devices to be used hands-free or by switching between devices.
It is crucial to highlight that while these tools can help discover accessibility concerns, they should not be used alone. Manual testing is also required to guarantee that mobile applications and websites are accessible to all users.
Final Thoughts
To summarise, accessibility testing for mobile apps is an essential part of ensuring that mobile technology is accessible to all users, including those with impairments. It entails assessing the usability of a mobile app or website for people with impairments, such as blindness, low vision, hearing loss, or limited mobility.
This procedure, which may be performed manually or with automated tools, helps to guarantee that everyone has equal access to information and functionality while using assistive technology. By adopting mobile accessibility testing, we can ensure that the ever-expanding world of mobile technology is accessible to all people, regardless of physical ability.
