Technology | 25 minutes read
My first attempt to understand accessibility and how to test it started back in 2016. I was working for a company where accessibility was already an important part of the process. I was asked to perform accessibility testing on the product to determine whether we could claim to be accessible.
you have established which kind of assistive technology your audience most likely will use, you understand what kind of environment it is going to be (mobile app or web app), and you now know which types of disabilities and how your product can affect (for example, if you have videos in your web page, then sound is very important for people with visual impairment, but transcripts will be very important for people with audio impairments).
Assistive technologies are tools or devices designed to help people with disabilities interact with technology and perform tasks more efficiently. These technologies are crucial for promoting accessibility and inclusivity in various digital environments. Here are some common types of assistive technologies used for accessibility
Screen Readers: Screen readers are software programs that convert digital text into synthesized speech or braille output. They enable individuals with visual impairments to access and navigate digital content, such as websites, documents, and applications.
Screen Magnifiers: Screen magnification software enlarges on-screen content, making it easier for users with low vision to read text, view images, and navigate graphical interfaces. Users can adjust the level of magnification to suit their preferences.
The next question you should ask yourself is: what kind of assistive technology may our product use, and what kind of audiences do we have?
It is a fundamental question because some web pages will have videos and motions, while others will not. Some will contain an interactive interface, while others will be just pages with a lot of text and information. The assistive technology can also differ depending on the product and the devices users will use to interact with it.