Accessibility testing. Testing special opportunities

Accessibility testing is one of the usability testing types, where users are the people with special needs. The ultimate goal of this type of testing is simplicity and usability of site using.

Examples of such software:

• Speech Recognition Software - used to transform word said to a text with help of which the logging in to PC is executed;
• Screen Reader Software - used for reading the displayed text on the screen;
• Screen Magnification Software - used to increase the text scale and to make the text easier to read for the visually impaired people.

How to use it on Android?

General availability functions on Android can be turned on via Settings → Accessibility.

TalkBack

It is a default reading app from the Android screen. After activation the app reads anything from the screen. In apps it reads all buttons, images, forms, elements, static text, etc. In the mobile browser it includes all the web-content (text, image alterations, links, tables, etc.).

TalkBack users are blind and visually impaired users and also users with some cognitive or learning difficulties.

Main TalkBack commands

Turn on/off TalkBack

Tap and hold the Power button, after vibration tap and hold the screen with two fingers

Element «Speak» 

One tap.

Relocate (scroll)

Scroll with two fingers.

Go to the first element on the screen   

Move the finger up and then down.

Zoom in

Triple tap with one finger

Button «Home»

Move the finger up and then left.

Switching the access

The access switch allows to manage the device using customizable keys combinations with an external keyboard. For using a switch the keyboard is necessary with the tablet or smartphone. After that the keys for actions should be appointed via Settings → Accessibility → Dexterity and interaction → Universal Switch → Settings. Choose «Actions» under the label «Switches» to combine key with action.

Zoom-In gestures

Turned on, it allows users to zoom-in and zoom-out the image using three taps.

To turn on Zoom, it’s required to follow these steps:  «Settings» → «Accessibility» → «Magnification gestures».

When the gestures are turned on, the screen can be scaled, user can move around the screen and relocate the elements:

Stretch or pinch with two or more fingers to adjust the zoom.

Move with two fingers to relocate on the screen.

Grayscale

When this parameter is turned on, it removes all colors from the display, which makes reading easier for people with impaired vision such as color blindness.

To turn on the grayscale on Android, it’s required to turn on the developer mode on the device.

After that you can turn on the grayscale on Android using Settings → Developer options → Simulate color space. This function is available for the OS version starting from Lollipop 5.0 and later.

During the turned on option the device colors are changed to the grayscale.

The grayscale applies to all screens until this function will be turned off. 

The Android grayscale can be used simultaneously with any other modes or apps for Android including TalkBack and Shadow.

How to use  it on iOS?

General availability functions on Android can be turned on via Settings → General → Accessibility.

VoiceOver

It is the default app to read anything from the screen. In the Safari mobile browser it includes all web-content (text, image alterations, links, form fields, tables, etc.). In apps it includes all buttons, images, form elements, static text and etc. VoiceOver users are blind and visually impaired users and also users with some cognitive or learning difficulties. 

To turn on VoiceOver, it’s required to move to Settings → General → Accessibility → VoiceOver.

Zoom

Full-screen magnifier zooms in the content for 200 percent, it requires a double tap on the screen with three fingers. After that, the zooming can be modified from 100 to 500 percent. 

Invert colors

High contrast mode for low vision, color blind and brightness sensitive users. To turn on the color inversion, it’s required to go to «Settings» → «General» → «Accessibility» → «Display» → «Invert colors».

Grayscale

This parameter removes all colors from the display, making the  reading  process easier for people with impaired vision such as color blindness.

To turn on the grayscale, it’s required to go to Settings → General → Accessibility → Display → Color filters and switch the switcher «Color filters» for looking through the grayscale and other filters.

How to use it on macOS?

MacOS has a window «Accessibility Options» which allows quickly turn on or turn off often used accessibility functions such as «Zoom», VoiceOver, «Sticky Keys» and many others. This window can be invoked any time with the help of simple key combination: 

• On the built-in keyboard of the Mac laptop use keys Fn-Option-Command-F5.
• On Mac laptop with triple tap of Touch ID.

Zoom – this function will be useful in the case of paying attention to the certain area of the screen on the presentation or the lecture. With the help of key combination the required screen area can be zoomed in and with the Ctrl key held zoom can be customized using trackpad or Magic Mouse gestures.

Display – section proposes a set of options that are identical to the iOS. Turning on some options (reduce motion, reduce transparency) can positively affect the system performance. 

Mouse & Keyboard – allows to turn on key stuck, slow keys and mouse keys.

Using the «Dictation» function on Mac computer

In macOS Catalina firstly presented  the function «Dictation» – a new way to fully manage the Mac computer only with the voice commands: 

1. Open the Apple menu → «System Preferences»and choose «Accessibility».
2. Choose «Dictation» on the sidebar. 
3. Check the «Enable the dictation». 

When the «Dictation» function is turned on, the microphone is displayed on the screen.

How to use it on Windows?

The «Ease to Access» tab is a place where most of the special Windows settings are placed.

For activation follow the next steps: Start → Settings → Ease to Access.  

1. Display – is used for changing app and text size, also the color calibration can be performed there.
2. Cursor & pointer – the functions of changing size and color of the pointer.
3. Magnifier – the zooming options can be found here. Also after the magnifier is being enabled, the floating toolbar appears. With the help of this panel the screen can be zoomed in and zoomed out and also choose an appropriate type.
4. Color filters – it changes the color palette on the screen and can help differ the elements from each other.
5. High contrast – here you can customize high-contrast themes or choose a theme from the dropdown menu. Theme can also be customized by changing the color of each component.

6. Narrator – in this sector several options are placed, which manage text reading out loud by the computer. After turning on the “Narrator” option, it’s available to choose the narrator's voice, regulate the volume and the tone of sound.
7. Audio – for changing input/output devices, volume regulation, microphone checkings and other settings (“Other sound settings”).
8. Closed captions – allows the user to read speech, which is pronounced in the audio part of video, TV or film.
9. Speech – turning on the speech function during the HoloLens device setting or installing the Windows Mixed Reality, allows the user to use the voice commands, dictation and voice interactions with the apps.
10. Keyboard – in this section the user can switch to On-Screen keyboard, turn on the useful functions such as sticky keys and play a sound whenever pressing Caps Lock, Num Lock and Scroll Lock.
11. Mouse – the cursor settings are placed here and  the switch to control the mouse with a keypad.
12. Eye control – eye control technology is based on the eye tracking to control the mouse, typing function usage on the screen keyboard and communicating with people using text-to-speech.

Accessibility testing is directed on checking availability and understanding of the software for all users. As any other testing type, this testing can run either manually or using automation   instruments.