Voice Access on Android 

Voice Access is used to navigate and interact with Android devices using voice commands. 

Basic Requirements 

• Introduced in Android Version 7 and later. 
• Working microphone in Android device for users to give commands. 
• Download Voice Access from Google Play store. 
• Google Assistant should be activated on the device such that users can switch on Voice Access even by giving the command “Turn on Voice Access”. 

Turn Voice Access On or Off 

1. Go to Device Settings  
2. Select Accessibility and then tap Voice Access
3. To start using Voice Access, tap the Voice Access activation button

Tip: You can set up the activation button in Settings  > Accessibility > Voice Access > Settings > Activation button.

Interact using Voice Access 

Activate Voice Access 

After tapping on Voice Access activation button , the text “Voice Access on ” is displayed on screen to indicate that user can give voice commands to perform actions. They can use “Stop Listening” command to stop Voice Access. 

Activate Elements 

We can activate elements using voice commands such as “Tap” followed by the name of the elements. 

Basic Commands to interact with Voice Access 

• Show labels – This command displays an overlay with the name of the elements along with numbers. Users can say label name to activate the respective element. For Example, if users say, “Navigate Up” on Accessibility Settings screen, it will take users to the previous screen. 

• Show numbers – This command displays an overlay with number tags for the elements. Users can say “Tap number” or just the number to activate with respective item. For Example, if users say, “Tap 10″, it will activate the Accessibility Menu button on Accessibility Settings screen and take them to the Accessibility Menu screen. 

Tip:  Users can quickly find out the description of numbered element using “What is [number] ?” Command. 

• Show grid – This command displays numbered grid overlay and user can say “Tap number” on the grid to enlarge that area which will then present a new set of grid overlay. For Example, if users say “Tap 18” it will open an enlarged view of the grid that will display more numbers. Again, when users say, “Tap 8”, the Display & brightness button on Settings screen will get activated and they will be taken to Display & brightness screen.    

Tip: More information on how to interact with Voice Access can be found on https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6151848

Let’s explore opening the browser, to open the browser give the command “Open Chrome”. Now that we have opened the browser, let’s go ahead and open a website and say the following commands: 

1. Use the “Tap Address” command to navigate to the Address Bar. 
2. Dictate the Web address. (For example, https://www.barrierbreak.com/image-description/) 
3. Use the “Tap Go” command to activate the “Go” button to access the screen.

Now to navigate through the Image description screen, whether it is to a link, button or form controls, use the following commands. 

• Tap element name  – To directly activate a link or button. 
• Scroll Up or Scroll Down – To go up and down a screen. 
• Go back – To navigate to previous screen.                

Don’t you feel speech recognition is fascinating? It has come a long way in recent years, and with the way it is being evolving will definitely only lead to more improvements. These features can make it easier for users with any disabilities to interact with their devices and perform a wide range of tasks using their voice. 

Utilizing Voice Access on your Android device can greatly enhance your experience and accessibility. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can easily get started with voice access and enjoy its rich set of features.   

Hope this series of blogs helps you to get started with the speech recognition in Android and iOS. Feel free to drop in your comments and share your experiences of using Voice Access! 

Happy exploring !! 

Looking for a reliable digital accessibility partner that truly understands your commitment to inclusion and accessibility? Why settle for anything less than the best? Choose us as your accessibility vendor and take the first step towards a truly inclusive digital future. 

This article by Jayshree Sharma is a part of our BB Geek series where BarrierBreak team members share their expertise on accessibility and inclusion, drawing from their extensive experience in the field.

The post How to get started with Voice Access (Android)? appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

Label is an important piece of text that tells you what the purpose of the control is. Users can decide based on the label if clicking or activating the button will submit the form details or reset the form! 

Unique and descriptive labels must be provided for all types of controls.  

Adding visual labels is beneficial for all users but it is essential to remember to programmatically define the labels. A programmatically defined label will tell assistive technology users about the purpose of the control when they navigate between different controls on a web page or an application. In the absence of label, assistive technology will identify the control as unlabeled! Furthermore, off-screen labels should be avoided as they are not available for everyone! 

Labels can be provided in the form of text, images, symbols, text along with images or symbols. In the case of images used as labels, make sure that textual descriptions are added such that the information can be made available for assistive technology users! 

Generally, textual labels are provided for input fields, drop-downs, checkboxes, and radio buttons whereas symbols or icons are used for menus and buttons. It is recommended to place labels to the left or top of input fields and drop-downs and on the right of checkboxes and radio buttons.  

For Global Accessibility Awareness Day, (GAAD 2023), BarrierBreak ran a campaign “#LabelYourControls” as we believe Accessibility is a journey and labelling your controls is a crucial step of this journey when it comes to making your digital solutions accessible for people with disabilities! Our team shared helpful tips throughout the day i.e. 18th May, 2023 marking GAAD on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Download the 12 tips on how to #LabelYourControls on web, android and iOS and feel free to share these tips with your colleagues, friends, or anyone who may be interested in promoting accessibility. 

Download Now

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Speech recognition will also be helpful when we find ourselves in a situation where our hands are occupied but need to perform a task. For example, we are in a crowded place and need to make an urgent phone call. Simply give the voice command and get the task done. Yes, we can do this with voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant but speech recognition goes beyond these!  

Let’s delve into the basics of using built-in speech recognition on iOS! 

Voice Control in iOS 

Using Voice Control, we can navigate and interact with our iOS devices using different voice commands. 

Basic Requirements 

• Introduced in iOS 13 and available for later versions as well. 
• Working microphone in iOS device for users to say commands. 
• Active Internet Connection is needed to download required files for first time setup. 
• Siri needs to be setup in iOS device such that users can switch on Voice Control even by using the command “Turn on Voice Control”. 

Tip: Wi-Fi needs to be turned on when using Voice Control for the first time to download initial setup. 

Turn Voice Control On or Off 

1. Go to Settings icon  and select Accessibility.
2. Select Voice Control, then select Set up Voice Control which will initiate a download for initial setup.  
3. When the download is complete, a microphone icon will appear in the status bar of your device.

Tip:  Microphone icon in status bar indicates that Voice Control is enabled or not. 

Interact using Voice Control 

Wake up your device 

We can use the voice command “Wake up” to make your device start listening with a command and for it to stop listening, use the “Go to sleep” command. 

Activate Items 

We can activate items using voice commands such as “Tap” followed by the name of the item. 

Basic Commands to interact with Voice Control 

• Show names – This command displays an overlay with the name of the items. Users can say “Tap item name” to activate the respective item. For example, on Voice Control screen of Accessibility Settings – if users say, “Tap Language”, it will activate the Language button and take them to the Language screen. 

Tip: Switch on “Show Hints” from the Settings > Accessibility options > Voice Control  to get suggestions for Voice commands. 

• Show numbers – This command displays an overlay with number tags for the items. Users can say “Tap number” to activate with respective item. For example, on Voice Control screen of Accessibility Settings – if users say, “Tap 3”, it will activate the Zoom button and take them to the Zoom screen. 

• Show grid – This command displays numbered grid overlay and user can say “Tap number” to enlarge that area which will then present a new set of grid overlay. For example, on Voice Control screen of Accessibility Settings – if users say “Tap 12” it will open an enlarge view of the grid that will display more numbers. Again, when users say, “Tap 2”, Zoom button will get activated and they will be taken to Zoom screen. 

Tip: More information on how to interact with Voice Control can be found on https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/iphone/iph2c21a3c88/ios  
 
Let’s explore opening the browser, to open the browser give the command “Open Safari”. Now that we have opened the browser, let’s go ahead and open a website and say the following commands: 

1. Go to the Address Bar by giving the command “Tap Address” when names of items shown on screen via Show Names command. 
2. Dictate the Web address. (For example, https://www.barrierbreak.com/vpat-creation/) 
3. Say the command “Tap Go” to navigate to the screen. 

Now to navigate through the VPAT creation screen, whether it is to a link, button or form controls, use the following commands. 

• Tap item name – To directly activate a link or button. 
• Scroll Up or Scroll Down – To go up and down a screen. 
• Go back – To navigate to previous screen. 

Tip: We can explore few more commands by saying the “Show Commands” with Voice Control turned on. 

Don’t you feel speech recognition is fascinating? It has come a long way in recent years, and with the way it is being evolving will definitely only lead to more improvements. These features can make it easier for users with any disabilities to interact with their devices and perform a wide range of tasks using their voice. 

Utilizing voice control on your iOS device can greatly enhance your experience and accessibility. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can easily get started with voice control and enjoy its benefits.  

If you’re an Android user, don’t worry – we’ll be covering how to get started with Voice Access in Android in our next blog post. Be sure to keep an eye out for the next entry in this series! 

Looking for a reliable digital accessibility partner that truly understands your commitment to inclusion and accessibility? Why settle for anything less than the best? Choose us as your accessibility vendor and take the first step towards a truly inclusive digital future.

This article by Jayshree Sharma is a part of our BB Geek series where BarrierBreak team members share their expertise on accessibility and inclusion, drawing from their extensive experience in the field.

The post How to get started with Voice Control (iOS)? appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

Digital transformation is the process of embracing new technologies to create better customer experiences. It’s also about adopting new ways of working and new ways of thinking that enable organizations to stay ahead of their competition. 

Digital transformation is a hot topic in the business world today. As technology evolves, organizations must adapt to stay competitive. Here are three digital transformation trends that are gaining popularity: 

Change management 

Businesses are changing rapidly with the use of digital technology. Change management trends are on the rise in the workplace. Implementing digital transformation can be a challenge for any organization. It is important for managers to be able to manage change and lead their teams through it. Digital adoption platforms are being used to facilitate and support change in many different ways. 

Growing cloud migration 

Another top digital transformation trend is the growing migration to the cloud. As businesses strive to become more agile and efficient, many are turning to cloud-based solutions to help them meet their goals. 

Use of advanced technology  

Finally, the use of advanced technology is also a top digital transformation trend. As businesses strive to stay ahead of the competition, they are turning to cutting-edge tech like artificial intelligence and machine learning to help them gain a competitive edge. 

Some companies have successfully transformed themselves from traditional businesses into digital businesses by using new technologies to reduce costs, increase customer engagement, and improve performance. Digital transformation has made it easier for people to access information and services.

But how accessible is this digital world for everyone? 

BarrierBreak is an internationally recognized and trusted accessibility vendor providing cost-effective accessibility consulting and digital accessibility services.

The changing landscape of digital accessibility  

Digital accessibility is an important topic that has been gaining momentum in the past few years. It is the responsibility of companies to make sure that their products are accessible to people with disabilities. As the world becomes increasingly connected and more people gain access to the internet, accessibility is becoming a priority for many organizations. 

There are a number of factors that are changing the landscape of digital accessibility.  

• An important factor that is changing the landscape of digital accessibility is the availability of advanced technologies to help people with disabilities assert their rights. In the past, many people with disabilities were unaware that they had any legal rights to access digital content and services. However, as the internet has become increasingly essential to daily life, people with disabilities have begun to demand greater access to online content and services.  

• Since the past 2-3 years, we have seen an increase in digital accessibility lawsuits. This trend is expected to continue in 2023 and beyond, as plaintiffs become more aware of their rights and the technology to help them assert those rights becomes more widely available. This increased awareness of digital accessibility rights has been fueled by a number of high-profile lawsuits against well-known companies, such as Netflix, Uber, and Sephora etc.  

What to expect in 2023? 

Mobile Accessibility 

As per Statista, the number of smartphone subscriptions worldwide today surpasses six billion and is forecast to further grow by several hundred million in the next few years. As the use of mobile devices continues to grow, it is important for businesses to consider how to maintain ADA compatibility across all mobile platforms.  

In recent years, the Department of Justice has focused on ensuring that mobile applications are also accessible to people with disabilities. In 2017, the DOJ issued guidance on how to make mobile applications accessible and compliant with the ADA. The guidance includes best practices for designing and developing accessible mobile apps, as well as tips for testing and deploying accessible mobile apps. 

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are two of the hottest topics in the tech world right now. And it’s no surprise why – these cutting-edge technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we live and work. From self-driving cars to automated customer service, AI and ML are already starting to change the world as we know it. 

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can be used to increase accessibility for people with disabilities. While AI and ML still have some limitations when it comes to accessibility, the potential is there to make a real difference in the lives of people with disabilities. As these technologies continue to develop, we can only hope that they will be used to make the world a more accessible place for everyone. 

Stricter Accessibility Laws  

Digital accessibility laws are an important part of making the digital world a more inclusive place for everyone. These laws help to ensure that everyone has equal access to digital content and devices, and that they can use them without barriers.  

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the future will focus on the importance of accessibility laws to keep up with technology.  

Conclusion 

Digital technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate and it’s changing the way we interact with the world. It’s also changing the way people with disabilities interact with the world. With digital accessibility, everyone can enjoy all of the benefits of digital technology. 

The recent trends in digital technology have been focused on making more things accessible to more people. Through better design and inclusive interfaces, everyone can experience the convenience and joy of using a computer or mobile device. 

To know more about our digital accessibility solutions and how we can help you in creating an accessibility roadmap, feel free to contact our digital accessibility experts. 

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Food for thought

USD 8 trillion disposable income in the hands of disabled people and their families, but can they really shop on your online store? Research has demonstrated that none of the world’s top 50 websites meet the digital accessibility guidelines with more than one billion people, or 15% of the global population, reporting a disability affecting their ability to navigate websites.

BarrierBreak provides comprehensive retail accessibility testing solution that evaluates your business needs. Ensure your e-commerce websites & mobile applications conform to WCAG 2.0 & WCAG 2.1, and are Section 508 and ADA compliant. We also help you to create VPAT for your products and services to make it more attractive to government buyers and win more RFPs.

Retail trivia

Online shopping, also known as e-commerce, allows customers to buy goods and services directly from sellers on the website. It allows you to shop from the comfort of your home, at any time of day and any day of the year. On the other hand, sellers sell their products, regardless of whether the product is luxurious or meets the needs of the customer, on such portals. It can be difficult for people with disabilities to know what the product contains.

In 2018, consumers around the world spent a total of $2.8 trillion on online retail sales, a figure that could rise to $4.8 trillion in 2021. If you don’t consider the impact of online retail accessibility or web accessibility on your e-commerce revenue margins, you’re giving away a slice of the pie to retailers who make online retail accessibility their priority.

Let’s dive deeper

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift towards online shopping especially for people with disabilities which requires the focus to shift towards digital accessibility.

Customers with a disability encounter many barriers when navigating retail websites. Despite the need to access digital content, most retailers do not see where their access problems lie.

Many of these obstacles are minor inconveniences, but others make navigating the site difficult or impossible without help. While online shopping has its own advantages, accessibility barriers on many e-commerce websites, makes it difficult for people with disabilities enjoy the same experience as everyone else.

The Compound Effect

Companies that prioritize e-commerce accessibility during the pandemic are more likely to see their websites prioritized by Google than by their competitors.

• E-commerce accessibility leads to the removal of barriers to online shopping for people with disabilities and enhances overall user-experience. Customers make their purchases in the traditional way by viewing what the product looks like and reading the description, and when the e-commerce website is accessible, everyone has access to similar information regardless of their disability but can also make their purchase with confidence.
• The accessibility of your online retail shop will bring you more customers than any other sector of the economy, which is reason enough for you to take an action now! Improving the accessibility of websites is a tangible improvement that thousands, even millions, of people will notice. Improving websites that facilitate access to essential goods for people with disabilities during quarantine can have an immediate positive impact on businesses.  
• Another reason to ensure an accessible e-commerce website is legal requirement. From 2017 to 2018, web accessibility lawsuits and litigations rose by 181 percent. If there are any inaccessible sections on your website, it can be deemed discriminatory against persons with disabilities, which violates the accessibility standards and guidelines such as Section 508, WCAG and ADA.

As online retailers are a for-profit business and disabled and elderly people are targeted markets, it is vital that they work hard to make their websites accessible to this demographic.

Why Online Retail or E-commerce accessibility is important?

Here’s what G3ICT has to say, “Committing to inclusive design not only makes a retailer’s website accessible to customers with disabilities, but also creates a shopping environment that is easier for all customers to use. Streamlined designs load quicker.”

Our team of highly experienced accessibility testing team at BarrierBreak which include testers with disabilities, ensures accessible e-commerce website. We ensure that your retail website is in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG ). Write to sales@barrierbreak.com to help us support you.

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The Boom

The mobile app industry in India is growing at an exponential rate. By 2022, the total number of mobile app downloads is projected to reach 6.5 billion. With such a large market potential, it’s no surprise that more and more businesses are starting to develop mobile apps. However, as these apps become more commonplace, it is important to consider the needs of all users, including those with disabilities.

Accessibility should be a key consideration for any mobile app development project. By taking accessibility into account, you can ensure that your app is usable by the widest possible audience. Additionally, accessible apps tend to be better designed and more user-friendly overall.

At BarrierBreak, we believe Making any website or application accessible on mobile devices is equally important as making them accessible on desktops. Our experts in mobile accessibility testing will help you seamlessly integrate accessibility in your mobile applications.

How did it all start?

Until 2016, digital accessibility of ICT-based products and services (including websites and apps) was not recognized in the Indian legal system. However, with the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, accessibility has been made a statutory obligation that every service provider whether public or private has to comply with.

Further, with the notification of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017, Guidelines for Indian Government Websites were made mandatory as the standard of compliance for ICT (a term defined under the act which includes apps and websites).

The rule as it stands today, led to two confusions, one around the applicability of GIGW to private players, and two, only the web standards forming part of GIGW in relation to a website are applicable and not the mobile application-related standards which were included in the GIGW in 2019 because of the way the rule 15 of the rules was worded.

Given the limited users with disabilities which roughly translates to 2.2% of our population as per the data available from the survey conducted by NSSO, the majority of businesses and service providers have ignored the needs of people with disabilities.

What did they say?

“With a view to ensure compliance with the law and to solve the problem of inaccessibility of websites and apps because of which persons with disabilities face problems on a day-to-day basis, a collective initiative called Mission Accessibility, founded by Mr. Rahul Bajaj (Roads scholar and a lawyer) and myself Amar Jain (a corporate lawyer and accessibility professional) both of whom are blind, worked through the route of litigation to get the legal position clarified through the judicially speaking reasoned order pronounced by the Chief Commissioner for Persons With Disabilities.” says Amar Jain.

Amar Jain continues, “The order, interalia clarified that the law including GIGW are applicable to private players, and not only website, but all platforms be it apps or others, will have to be compliant with the accessibility standards. Further, the order clarified that GIGW and BIS standards are good enough directions issued by the Government based on which every private player can comply and ensure ICT accessibility.”

Additionally, the order established a settled process to ensure compliance through the relevant ministry by analyzing the allocation of business rules and accordingly upheld the fact that the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India is the nodal ministry for governing health-related matters, therefore it is the competent body alone to issue relevant directions to the service providers for ensuring compliance with the ICT standards in relation to websites and apps offered in the healthcare sector.

In a country where over billions live with some form of disability, it’s essential that businesses start considering accessibility when developing their apps. By making mobile apps accessible, businesses can not only positively impact the lives of those with disabilities, but also tap into a large and untapped market.

Get in touch with us at sales@barrierbreak.com for getting your mobile applications evaluated by a team of accessibility experts as per user experience and accessibility guidelines.

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At Barrierbreak, our accessibility experts assist you in creating VPATs and ACR for your HR Products & Solutions. We make HR tools & software accessible to ensure they are compliant to Section 508 & ADA.

HR Tech Market

The rapidly changing market dynamics have forced Human Resource in organizations to adopt new ways to respond strategically to the needs of the employees. Post pandemic, companies are most likely to make huge investments in HR Tech to deliver satisfactory employee experience. As per the report by the Fortune Business Insights – The HR Tech Market is expected to grow from $24.04 billion in 2021 to $35.68 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 5.8% in forecast period.

HR is the department that handles employee recruitments, benefits, compensation, growth and development, and other employee issues. Meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce is a challenge for many businesses. The number of workers with disabilities in the US is expected to double by 2020, according to a study by the National Organization on Disability (NOD). Businesses that want to attract and retain talent may need to rethink their hiring process and consider how they can accommodate employees with disabilities.

HR Tech products are designed to make the HR process more transparent and easier for companies but often this does not happen. HR Tech products are not restricted to a particular department but consumed by every staff in an organization. If a company wants their HR tech to be successful, then they need to make sure that it’s accessible to all their employees.

With expertise in WCAG, Section 508 and ADA testing, our team of accessibility testers at BarrierBreak supports organizations to ensure accessibility of HR Tech tools and solutions used for employee payroll and compensation, talent acquisition and management, workforce analytics, performance management, benefits administration, training and development.

Why Accessible HR Tech?

A lot of companies are thinking about accessibility in the procurement process. It is important to start making a roadmap if you want to be considered. Your HR tools become a differentiator if it is accessible.

1. Accessibility of HR tech ensures that the design is useful and accommodates a wide range of people with diverse abilities.
2. Accessible HR tech ensures support to your customers in delivering on DEI initiatives & mandates
3. Employee information is confidential, and it is critical to make it easier to access confidential information independently, irrespective of disabilities.
4. Incorporating Accessibility into HR Tech products is not only the right thing to do but also makes great business sense.
5. There are many federal and state laws that require HR Tech products to be accessible to people with disabilities.

The Gist

There are a lot of tech solutions that are meant to help you be more efficient in your HR department. Some of these solutions can streamline your processes, while others can add more insight into your employees.

HR tech should be more user centric. It is also essential to have a VPAT for your HRMS, HRIS and HCM solutions and ensure that they are accessible to all including people with disabilities.

Get in touch with us at sales@barrierbreak.com to know how you can incorporate accessibility in your HR Tech product.

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Did you know?

According to a survey, 70% of visually impaired people who use a screen reader use it on a mobile device with a view to Internet accessibility.

If you design a mobile app that will have more accessibility such as voice recognition and custom view controls, you will be able to reach a larger audience.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines provide comprehensive best practices for developing and maintaining accessible websites and applications for desktop and mobile users. The latest WCAG guidelines, known as WCAG 2.1, set modern standards for barrier-free mobile technology with the aim of exceeding current legal requirements and achieving improved accessibility for users of mobile devices.

BarrierBreak believes that making any website or application accessible on mobile devices is equally important as making them accessible on desktops. We provide a very cost effective mobile accessibility testing service and follow a considerate approach towards ensuring accessibility of your mobile applications.

What is Mobile Accessibility?

Accessibility is the design of mobile apps for people with disabilities. The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed a series of best mobile practices to eliminate all kinds of barriers for disabled users.

According to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, mobile accessibility refers to making applications accessible to people with disabilities when using mobile devices. Various guidelines from operating system giants such as iOS and Android as well as the World Wide Web Commission (W3C) integrate accessibility into the design of mobile apps. Mobile site and native app testing methods are also available through Creative Commons funds, which can be used in conjunction with WCAG to ensure that websites and apps are accessible for people with disabilities when using mobile and tablet devices.

The Merit of Mobile Accessibility

One of the best things about advancing mobile applications and smartphones is enabling people with disabilities to access the mobile world. The transition to accessible mobile technologies is essential to continue our progress towards a fairer society that does not exclude people with disabilities and handicaps from the benefits of digital tools and services. When we talk about accessibility in the mobile environment, it means that websites and apps for handheld devices can be used by people with disabilities.

As the mobile accessibility expert Paul J. Adam wrote in Part 2 of the Mobile Applications and Litigation series, it is easy and frequent to develop mobile websites and applications that work well but have features that prevent disabled users from viewing, using and navigating the mobile app or website.

This shows why it is so important to implement accessibility in the development of mobile apps. To ensure that your application is accessible, your design and development team must avoid common application development practices that prevent users with disabilities from accessing and using your app or encoding your mobile website or application. Designing and developing barrier-free mobile apps is an indispensable part of any company’s mobile app development, given that it is best practice to have bonus features.

The Conundrum

When creating or purchasing mobile apps, many institutions overlook the importance of mobile accessibility. One reason many organizations are slow to adopt new standards to help disabled users of mobile devices is that their websites and apps are not yet compatible with the digital accessibility of their mobile experience. The slow progression in mobile accessibility is due to the fact that many developers and product teams do not realize how much of the former is applicable to people with disabilities.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAGs) apply to mobile websites and native apps, but they were developed before mobile phones were as ubiquitous as they are today. WCAGs do not cover all aspects of mobile accessibility, and conformance with WCAG2 or WCAG 2.1 will not provide users with disabilities with an accessible experience.

Conclusion

Our team of accessibility testers offer solutions that follow the principles of accessibility testing and promote the importance of mobile accessibility testing to achieve barrier-free products. It is crucial for your business to enhance its Web presence, including mobile apps and strong social media profiles but we will use mobile accessibility to talk about your business’s access to reliable mobile services and how you can deliver for your customers.

When companies bring applications to market, they should consider mobile accessibility testing as an important factor in a world where the population is aging, and older adults are at greater risk of disability.

Get in touch with BarrierBreak, to know why accessibility testing is important and how we can support you with mobile accessibility testing.

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An accessibility audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a website or application’s conformance with accessibility standards to meet the needs of people with disabilities.  

The audit process usually involves: 

• Performing manual and automated testing by Accessibility experts 
• Conducting testing with people with disabilities 
• Assessing the overall design and user experience of the site or the app 
• Reviewing the code for potential accessibility issues 

The accessibility audit help identify potential accessibility barriers and provide recommendations for how to make your site or app more accessible. 

What are the common standards & guidelines that one can conform to? 

When conducting an accessibility audit, there are a variety of standards & guidelines that can be used to measure conformance. The most common standards are: 

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG 2.1 and 2.0 are the versions. 
• EN 301 549 – This is the European standard that covers Accessibility for all ICT. 
• Section 508 – Section 508 requires access to ICT developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies. 

Which technologies should you conduct an accessibility audit for? 

The myth for a long time has been only for websites! But accessibility is needed for all web and non-web Information & Communication Technology (ICT). So time to think: 

• Websites 
• Web Applications 
• Mobile Apps 
• Software 
• Gaming 
• SAAS Platforms 
• Documents 

This list will keep evolving as we see digital technology evolving! 

When should you conduct an accessibility audit? 

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of when to do an accessibility audit.  

The simple answer is start testing your solutions as early on in the process. Often accessibility is one of the last things that we check for and that is why it also feels like a lot of effort.  

It is generally recommended that audits be conducted on a regular basis, prior to launch and then if there are significant updates. But it makes sense to set a regular cadence so that you keep investing the accessibility efforts.  

At BarrierBreak, our accessibility consulting and digital accessibility services assist organizations to audit, maintain and strategize to ensure that accessibility is an on-going effort and not an afterthought. 

Schedule a meeting or write to us at sales@barrierbreak.com to talk to an accessibility consultant and get started on your accessibility journey right away. 

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