Accessibility testing is a specific area of usability testing that focuses on users with disabilities who may rely on assistive technologies or alternative interaction methods.
It ensures that web applications are usable by people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.
If you’re wondering what is accessibility testing in software testing, it’s about validating that your application complies with standards like WCAG and works effectively for everyone, regardless of ability.
From my experience working on a government portal, accessibility testing was non-negotiable.
It’s about ensuring your app works not just for the average user but for people using screen readers, keyboard navigation, or voice input.
We used tools like Axe and NVDA to simulate real-world usage, and honestly, it opened our eyes.
It’s not just about compliance; it’s about respect. When done right, it improves UX for everyone.
I once worked on an e-commerce platform and we failed to catch that some buttons were completely invisible to screen readers.
Accessibility testing helped us uncover that early and avoid customer complaints.
It involves checking if the site follows WCAG guidelines and supports tools like JAWS or VoiceOver.
It’s critical not just for inclusivity, but also for SEO and even legal reasons depending on your region.
We started accessibility testing after a few users reached out saying they couldn’t complete basic tasks with just a keyboard.
That was a wake-up call. We learned that accessibility isn’t just for users with permanent disabilities, it includes people with temporary issues too, like a broken arm or situational limitations.
Once we implemented proper ARIA labels, tab navigation, and contrast fixes, our user feedback improved significantly.