Considerations for Accessibility Testing

At a Glance

This article provides resources for how to approach accessibility while planning your tests.

 

Introduction

Template: Action Plan and Accessibility

Inclusive Screener Questions

 

Introduction

Accessibility is about ensuring that all users, including those who are physically disabled or neurodivergent, can access the products and services that your company makes available to them. Some organizations are required by law to ensure the accessibility of their products and services. Laws in your locale may vary (see the United States rules about accessibility here).

No one team is responsible for accessibility, as it requires collaboration among product, development, and design. Testing and evaluation of accessibility is a multifaceted process, too—including code reviews and design reviews.

Please note, we do not currently offer a formal program or product to comprehensively test or ensure accessibility compliance. We encourage customers to consult the resources at the bottom of this page for a sampling of organizations that specialize in helping others meet accessibility requirements and compliance.

 

Our Templates do offer test plans that may be adapted, in order to ask test contributors about accessibility. For example, here is an adapted test plan that asks contributors about their feelings on a company or organization's plan for disabled customers or employees: 

Template: Accessibility

1. Task: We’ll begin by asking you to share your thoughts on accessibility. Then we'll ask you about a company's plan in response to accessibility needs. Please move on to the next task when you're ready.

2. Verbal response: Please describe the need for accessibility in your own words.

3. Launch URL: You have been taken to a new page. When you're finished reading the plan, move on to the next step.

4. Verbal response: Describe this plan in your own words and who you think this plan was created for.

5. Written response: Who do you think the target audience for this plan is? Please explain aloud how you reached your conclusion.

6. Verbal response: What, if anything, do you **like** about this plan?

7. Task: What, if anything, do you **dislike** about this plan?

8. Rating scale: [Not at all effective - Very effective] How effective or ineffective do you think this plan will be for accessibility? Please explain your rating.

9. Rating scale [Strongly disagree - Strongly agree]
I think this plan provides adequate support for accessibility needs. Please spend 1-2 minutes explaining your rating.

10. Rating scale [Strongly disagree - Strongly agree]
This plan aligns with the organization's brand. Please spend 1-2 minutes explaining your rating.

11. Rating scale: [Not at all likely - Very likely] After reading this plan, how unlikely or likely are you to patronize this business in the future? Please spend 1-2 minutes explaining your rating.

12. Verbal response: What changes would you make to improve this plan?

 

Inclusive Screener Questions

We also have current best practice recommendations for inclusive screener questions when testing disabilities as well, which are as follows: 

 

Disability

Due to HIPAA considerations, we do not collect sensitive information about health and mental status. Therefore, we provide the following guidance on screener questions.

You may qualify contributors who are managing or living with a disability, or providing care for someone who is disabled, through self-identification via specific questions as long as your company has completed a Business Associate Agreement with UserTesting.

With a BAA in place, you may ask or otherwise record information related to medical records, medical history, or other Personal Health Information as defined by The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). Examples include:

  • Specific treatment/medical details
  • Hospital names
  • Doctor names
  • Medical records
  • Other Personal Health Information subject to HIPAA

Consent

Your first screener question should enable contributors to opt out of providing any answers about their mental or physical status. We recommend using phrasing like this:

We are collecting perspectives about experiences related to contributors’ mental and physical status that includes Personal Health Information (PHI). We will use this information to understand your needs and preferences. None of this information will be shared publicly; it will only be used by the teams who are working on projects related to the topics covered in this test. Are you willing to participate in this study?(single select)

  • Yes, I am willing to participate in this study
  • No, I am not willing to participate in this study

Here are suggested approaches to screening to find contributors who either have disabilities or provide care to people who have them. If you are interested in getting feedback from caregivers, adjust the language by adding (or replacing, as appropriate) “...or anyone you provide care to.”

Physical Disability

Vision

It is recommended that if you are looking for people who will need to use a screenreader during the test, that you use all three of these questions, in the order they appear in this document.

What, if any, difficulties do you have seeing? (choose all that apply)(multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I have no visual difficulties
  • I use corrective lenses e.g. glasses or contacts (some or all of the time)
  • Low vision (e.g., blurry vision, seeing only the middle of the visual field, seeing only the edges of the visual field, clouded vision, glaucoma, light sensitivity or night blindness)
  • Blindness (i.e., substantial loss of vision in both eyes.)
  • Color blindness (i.e., difficulty distinguishing between colors generally red and green, or yellow and blue, and sometimes the inability to perceive any color.)

Vision Supporting Assistive Technology

What, if any, assistive devices or software do you use with your computer or phone? (choose all that apply)(multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer.
  • I do not use an assistive device.
  • I use a screenreader (e.g., VoiceOver, JAWS, ZoomText, etc.). [must select]
  • I use a monitor magnifier.
  • I use a Braille translator.
  • I use electronic glasses (e.g., eSight).
  • I zoom in or use other software options.
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list. (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test.)

[If you require contributors to use a screenreader]

You will be asked to use a screenreader or other related assistive device during today's test. Please confirm that you have such a device and are willing to use it as you complete the test today.(single select)

  • Yes
  • No [reject]

We recommend that you use only 7-10 total answer choices to avoid choice fatigue. Since most people in the UserTesting contributor network use JAWS or NVDA, those two options should always be included.

What, if any, screen reader(s) and/or magnifier(s) do you use? (choose all that apply) (multi-select)

  • I do not use a screen reader or magnifier
  • ChromeVox
  • CDesk Compass
  • COBRA
  • Dolphin Guide
  • Eyepal Ace Plus
  • iMax for Mac
  • iReader Reading Device
  • JAWS
  • MAGic
  • NVDA
  • Screen Reader I [reject - misdirect]
  • Speakup
  • SuperNova Magnifier
  • System Access
  • Thunder Free
  • VoiceOver
  • Vio Read [reject - misdirect]
  • ZoomTest Fusion
  • ZoomTest Magnifier/Reader
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)

Color Blindness

It is recommended that you avoid using gender as a filter when screening for colorblind contributors; the majority of people who experience color blindness are male.

Option One: Find Any Color Blindness

What, if any, challenges do you have with seeing colors? (can be single or multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I have no challenges in seeing colors
  • I have difficulty seeing one or more colors (follow up with a question during the test to ask for more detail around what type of color blindness the contributor experiences.)
  • I cannot see colors at all

Option Two: Find a Specific Type of Color Blindness

What, if any, challenges do you have with seeing colors? (choose all that apply) (multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I have no challenges seeing colors
  • It is hard for me to see the difference between red and green
  • It is hard for me to see the differences between blue and green, purple and red, and yellow and pink
  • It is hard for me to see the difference between yellow and red as well as blue and green
  • It is hard for me to see the difference between blue and green
  • I cannot see colors at all

Mobility/Gross Motor (in Metric System Locations)

What, if any, difficulties do you have with lifting items that are 5 kilos/10 pounds or heavier? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • No difficulty
  • Some difficulty
  • A lot of difficulty
  • I cannot lift more than 5 kilos/10 pounds

What, if any, difficulties do you have walking on flat ground? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I can walk five or more city blocks (0.3 miles or 400m) without assistance
  • I can walk one city block (300ft or 100m) without assistance
  • I can not walk one city block (300ft or 100m) without assistance
  • I am not sure

What, if any, difficulties do you have walking up or down 12 stairs? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • No difficulty
  • Some difficulty
  • Cannot do at all
  • I am not sure

Mobility Supporting Assistive Technology

Do you use any of the following to walk or move your body? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I can walk without assistance
  • Cane or walking stick
  • Walker or Zimmer frame
  • Crutches
  • Wheelchair or scooter
  • Artificial limb (leg/foot)
  • Someone’s assistance
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)

Fine Motor

What, if any difficulties do you have with using your hands to do things like pick up small objects like pencils or containers or use a keyboard or mouse? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • No difficulty
  • Some difficulty
  • A lot of difficulty
  • I cannot use my hands at all

Fine Motor Supporting Assistive Technology

What, if any assistive devices do you use with or in place of your keyboard? (choose all that apply) (multi-select)

  • I do not use any assistive devices
  • Intellikeys
  • KeyGuards
  • KeyWizard [reject - misdirect]
  • BigKeys
  • KidGlove
  • On-Screen keyboard
  • Chording keyboard
  • Speech to text software
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)

What, if any, assistive devices do you use with or in place of your mouse? (choose all that apply) (multi-select)

  • I do not use any assistive devices
  • Adaptive keyboard
  • Joystick
  • Trackball
  • Trackpad
  • Switch interface
  • Sip and puff
  • Mouth-stick
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)

Hearing

People who have complete hearing loss are more likely not to be able to speak clearly. We recommend that you either plan to use only Task, Written, Multiple Choice, or Rating Scale questions to gather feedback or to require people who use text-to-voice hardware or software.

What, if any, difficulties are you currently experiencing with hearing? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I have no difficulties with hearing
  • I have partial hearing loss
  • I have complete hearing loss
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)

What, if any, assistive devices do you use to hear? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I do not use any assistive devices
  • I use a phone with headphones/earbuds
  • I use a hearing aid
  • I use a device or technology that is not included in this list (You must be willing to demonstrate or describe how it works during the test)

Neurodiversity and Cognitive Disability

Neurodiversity

Dyslexia

Many people have not been formally diagnosed with dyslexia, and may only suspect that they experience it. Diagnostic tests are often time consuming and may be perceived as invasive, so for the purposes of testing, we do not recommend that a formal diagnostic test be completed within the context of a UserTesting test.

Common symptoms of dyslexia include reading and writing more slowly than most, problems with spelling, difficulty with reading, extra time completing tasks that involve reading or writing, or mispronunciation of names or words; you may see these behaviors as you watch videos, regardless of whether or not you have screened for people who have identified themselves as experiencing dyslexia.

It is recommended that you add a verbal response question to the test to understand more about the contributor's experience. An example question would be "Briefly describe how you were diagnosed with dyslexia."

What, if any, difficulties do you have with reading? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • I have dyslexia
  • I have hyperlexia
  • I have difficulty with reading comprehension
  • The difficulty I have is not described above (You must be willing to describe this difficulty during the test)

How do you feel about reading? (single select)

  • I read as often as I can
  • I read when I have to, but don't seek it out
  • I avoid reading as much as possible

Have you been diagnosed with any of the following? (multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • ADHD
  • Autism
  • Dyscalculia
  • Dysgraphia
  • Dyslexia
  • Dyspraxia
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Williams Syndrome
  • I have not been diagnosed with any of the above conditions

Cognitive Disability

Many people have not been formally diagnosed with cognitive disabilities. As this type of disability might make it difficult to complete tests, it is recommended that you consider recruiting and testing with caregivers.

What, if any difficulties do you have with concentration?

  • I prefer not to answer
  • No difficulty
  • Some difficulty
  • Cannot do at all
  • I am not sure

What, if any difficulties do you have with your memory?

  • I prefer not to answer
  • No difficulty
  • Some difficulty
  • Cannot do at all

How often, if at all, do you have difficulties concentrating for more than 10 minutes? (single select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Often
  • All of the time
  • I am not sure

Have you been diagnosed with any of the following?(multi-select)[alternatively] Are you a primary caregiver for someone who has been diagnosed with any of the following?(multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • Alzheimer's
  • Amnesia
  • Aphasia
  • Dementia
  • Huntington's disease
  • Lewy body dementia
  • Mild cognitive impairment
  • Parkinson's disease
  • I have not been diagnosed with any of the above conditions

Mental Health

Have you been diagnosed with any of the following? (choose all that apply) (multi-select)

  • I prefer not to answer
  • Anxiety disorder
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Depression
  • Eating disorder
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Personality disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • I have not been diagnosed with any of the above conditions

 

Learn More

Need more information? Read these related articles.

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