Components of an Accessibility Test
- Start with automated testing (this catches about 30-50% of errors)
- Visual navigation with a keyboard
- Non-visual navigation with a screen reader
- Visual access (low vision/colorblind)
- Usable/understandable (cognitive/learning disability)
- Mobile devices and responsive design
- Audio/video files testing
- Downloadable digital documents testing
Testing steps
Step 1: testing tools needed
Another option: Free loan of the ICT accessibility testing toolkit
Testing Tools Specific to Documents
(Note: Browser extensions such as WAVE or Siteimprove cannot check digital document content such as PDF or Word documents.)
Step 2: Web Accessibility Testing Checklist
Now that you know the components of the test and the tools you need, where do you start? How do you make sure you have tested everything?
The following checklist includes every WCAG check you need to complete:
Which version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) apply to your website/application?
- Current state WCAG standard: WCAG Version 2.1 A/AA
- The state will transition to WCAG Version 2.2 with a deadline of April 6, 2026. We recommend to begin testing now for this version.
- Plain text version of the WCAG
- Read more about Missouri’s initiative for ADA Title II accessibility compliance: State Digital Accessibility Roadmap. Deadline: April 24, 2026
Step 3: Documenting Your Accessibility Test
Integrate accessibilty fixes into your normal quality assurance testing process.
- Document errors using your normal error reporting system or process. Retest until errors are fixed.
- If you don’t have a reporting process established, another option is the Web Accessibility Evaluation Report, a reusable template to document accessibilty errors. The report can be passed on to your development team.
how do I know when A website/application is accessible?
1.
Work through the WCAG checklist and report items to be fixed, using the various testing tools outlined above.
2.
Remediate accessibility errors and retest.
3.
Once all your WCAG checklist items are “Yes” for accessible or “N/A” for not applicable, your test is complete (until your next revision).
4.
As websites/applications are revised, integrate this accessibility testing process into your software development lifecycle.
Testing Process & Tools – Training
General Testing
Browser Extensions and Other Testing Tools
Assistive Technology
Mobile APP Accessibility
Want a demonstration of what IS and is NOT an accessible web page?
Here are websites that show the differences, both in presentation and in structure, between accessible and inaccessible web pages. Use these to practice your website accessibility testing and experiment with different AT devices.
We need your feedback!
In order to improve the effectiveness of the content on this page, please give us feedback! What do you like? Don’t like? Are the testing forms helpful? We want to hear from you!
