List of powerful web accessibility testing tools for websites

What is a web accessibility testing tool?

Web accessibility testing tools are software programs designed to help website owners and developers test their websites for compliance with accessibility guidelines. These tools can identify potential barriers to access, such as missing alt text on images or incorrectly labeled form fields, and provide recommendations for addressing those. this problem. Some of the most common types of web accessibility testing tools include:

• Web Accessibility Checker
• Screen Reader
• Color Contrast Analyzer
• Keyboard navigation emulator
• Automated testing tools

Why are web accessibility testing tools important?

Web accessibility testing tools are important for several reasons:

• Comply with legal requirements: Many countries have laws that require people with disabilities to be able to access websites. Failure to comply with these laws may result in legal action against the website owner.
• Improved user experience: Accessible websites will be easier to use for everyone, including users with disabilities. This can lead to increased engagement, improved customer satisfaction, and more repeatability.
• Increase reach: By making their website accessible, website owners can reach a wider audience. People with disabilities make up a significant portion of the global population and they often rely on the internet to access information and services.
• Better search engine optimization (SEO): Search engines like Google favor websites that are accessible and easy to use. By improving accessibility, website owners can improve their rankings in search results.

Who needs web accessibility testing tools?

Web accessibility testing tools are useful for anyone involved in website design, development, or maintenance. This includes:

• Web designer
• Web developer
• Content creators
• Project management
• Quality assurance tester
• Website owner

Top 7 web accessibility testing tools

Here are seven popular web accessibility testing tools along with their brief description and key features:

Ax by Deque Systems

Ax is a powerful and widely used accessibility testing tool. It seamlessly integrates with a variety of development environments and browsers, providing developers and testers with real-time feedback on accessibility issues.

Main function:

• Automated testing for compliance with WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
• Integrates with popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.
• Integration with development environments such as Chrome DevTools and Visual Studio Code.
• Detailed issue reports with suggestions for fixing accessibility issues.

Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool ( WAVE )

WAVE is a web accessibility assessment tool that offers both online and browser extensions. It helps identify access errors on web pages and provides visual indicators and detailed reports.

Main function:

• In-depth assessment of websites for accessibility issues.
• Real-time feedback with visual indicators of errors, warnings, and features that need attention.
• Detailed report with analysis based on WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
• Validate accessibility for single pages or scan the entire site.

aXe-core by Deque Systems

aXe-core is an open source JavaScript library for automated web accessibility testing. It can be integrated into test frameworks and used for automated accessibility testing and continuous integration.

Main function:

• JavaScript library for programmatic accessibility testing.
• Integrates with popular testing frameworks like Selenium and Jest.
• Detailed report with specific problem description, suggestions, and code examples.
• Supports multiple programming languages ​​and platforms.

Pa11y

Pa11y is an automated accessibility testing tool that can be used through the command line interface or integrated into the continuous integration process. It aims to make accessibility testing easy and accessible to developers.

Main function:

• Command line interface for easy integration into the development workflow.
• Supports WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 accessibility standards.
• Provides detailed HTML reports and JSON results for issue tracking.
• Works on Windows, macOS and Linux platforms.

Tenon

Tenon is a cloud-based web accessibility testing tool that offers both automated and manual testing options. It provides comprehensive, integrated reports and API access to support the accessibility testing process.

Main function:

• Automated accessibility testing for WCAG 2.1 compliance.
• The ability to manually test for more complex accessibility issues.
• Detailed report with problem description, recommendations and severity.
• API access for integration into custom reporting and development workflows.

Improve website accessibility

Siteimprove Accessibility is a comprehensive web accessibility testing and monitoring platform. It combines automated scanning with manual checks to identify and prioritize accessibility issues on web pages.

Main function:

• Automatically scan for accessibility issues, including WCAG 2.1 compliance.
• Manual testing capabilities for complex or dynamic sites.
• Prioritize accessibility issues based on impact and severity.
• Integration with content management systems (CMS) and issue tracking systems.

Google Developer Lighthouse

Lighthouse is an open source tool developed by Google. While primarily focused on performance and best practices, it also includes accessibility testing features that can help identify underlying accessibility issues.

Main function:

• Accessibility testing is built into Chrome DevTools and the Chrome browser.
• Automated accessibility testing based on WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
• Suggestions for improving accessibility issues.
• Integration with Chrome extension and command line interface.

These tools provide different approaches to web accessibility testing and meet different user needs, from automatic scanning to manual testing.

Web accessibility testing tools are essential to ensure that all users can access the site, including those with disabilities. Choosing the right tool depends on a number of factors, including budget, expertise, and specific needs. While web accessibility testing tools are not a complete solution, they should be part of any comprehensive accessibility strategy. Vietnam Manpower believes that the above article has provided you with valuable information.