Tools for Testing Accessibility
Accessibility Checkers | Blackboard Ally | Color Contrast Tools | Screen Reader Testing
Accessibility Checkers
Many software applications have a built-in accessibility checker to facilitate creators in making content accessible for people with disabilities.
- Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker (PDFs)
- Blackboard Ally
- Microsoft Accessibility Checker (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Blackboard Ally
Blackboard Ally works seamlessly with Blackboard to gauge the accessibility of your content. Ally provides guidance and tips for lasting improvements to your content accessibility.
- Receive feedback on the accessibility of your content
- Improve content accessibility with Ally's step-by-step instructions
In addition to providing you with insight to your content accessibility, Ally automatically creates alternative versions of your files. This allows students to choose the type of file that best suits their needs or wants. While you're in the process of improving files, students can still access alternative copies.
Color Contrast Tools
Use a dedicated color contrast checking tool to check color contrast in your files.
- WebAIM: manual color contrast checker where you input foreground and background color values (like hex codes) to receive a contrast ratio
- WAVE Evaluation Tool: browser extension that extracts color values directly from your page or file
- ARC Toolkit: browser extension that extracts color values directly from your page or file
Screen Reader Testing
Screen readers help users who are blind or vision impaired to interact with digital content. Some common examples of screen readers include:
- JAWS: most popular screen reader, available for download on Windows
- NVDA: free and available for download on Windows
- VoiceOver: integrated into MacOS and iOS
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
There are many reasons to listen to your document, such as proofreading, multitasking, assistive technology, and increased comprehension. Microsoft Office has several built-in accessibility tools for listening to your documents:
- Read Aloud (Windows and Mac users)
- Speak (Windows users)
- Speech (Mac users)
Adobe Acrobat (PDFs)
Use Adobe Acrobat's Read Out Loud command to listen to all or part of a document, regardless of operating system. Acrobat allows users to customize their listening experience by controlling the voice, reading speed, and timing.