508 Compliance Testing for Web Applications

What is 508 Compliance?

508 Compliance Testing for Web Applications ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ was passed in 1990 to establish accommodations for individuals with disabilities in the physical world. Since the upsurge in the popularity of the internet necessitated similar accommodations for disabled individuals and their ability to access and consume digital content. While according to the Rehabilitation Act 1973, federal law prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in programs and services, Section 508 was added later in 1998 and subsequently refreshed in 2018 to ensure that access to technology for the disabled was included.

Section 508 compliance criteria use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to access web apps. According to WCAG, the content on the web application must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust to suit the needs of disabled users. Section 508 compliance testing for web applications allows businesses to test their digital content’s compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). In the end, the goal remains to check how easily people can use a web app. Moreover, section 508 compliance testing for web apps can improve future designs and implementations.

While complying with a standard set of 508c compliance rules is one thing, maximizing the accessibility of a web app is another. A fully 508 compliant web app addresses and balance the needs of people with all disabilities. Such web apps match the needs of differently-abled users to optimal techniques and use clear language to express needs or techniques.

Why is 508 Compliance Testing an Integral Part of Every Web Application Development Process?

A significant chunk of the population indeed suffers from different disabilities. In addition, what’s more, pressing is that 50% of the people above the age of 65 have reduced capabilities. Running 508 compliance testing on a web app allows businesses to cater to the market for disabled people. Companies can make their web app differently able-friendly by resolving accessibility issues by making 508c testing an integral part of the software testing life cycle.

Moreover, there is a surge in the trend of legalizations that require IT products to be accessible by disabled people. Thus, 508c testing or accessibility testing is essential to ensure legal compliance. Building web apps that support the disabled is a sure shot way to avoid potential lawsuits.

Moreover, having a 508 compliant web app can significantly increase the number of people you can reach. Compliance makes it easier to sell web apps. In the end, the most important reason to test a web app for 508 compliance is that it would be the right thing to do. As assistive technology helps people with disabilities in an increasingly digital world, creators need to ensure that they meet WCAG standards. Conclusively, accessibility and enjoyable user experience go hand-in-hand in perfect harmony. 508 compliance testing helps businesses optimize the experience to include as many people as possible, and it benefits every user and not just the disabled.

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Types of Web Application Security Testing

A real comprehensive web app 508c testing plan must include both automated and manual testing modules. While Automated 508c tests can process large quantities of content quickly, they cannot catch everything that subjective judgments of human testers can. The best kind of 508c testing environment often includes testers with disabilities.

Web Application 508 Compliance Testing Best Practices that ASTAQC Team Swears By

More and more businesses intend to conduct accessibility evaluations today. 508 compliance testing for people with disabilities allows web apps to be more accessible to all. Here are some web application 508 compliance testing best practices that the ASTAQC team swears by:

Accommodate for Different Types of Disabilities in the Testing Effort

All businesses need to brainstorm what disabilities to include in their 508 compliance testing effort. We know that the internet of things is inherently visual. That is why it is best to have some participants with visual disabilities like blindness, low vision, colour blindness, etc.

Further web apps necessitate user interaction like liking, scrolling, and filling in forms. Thus, web apps QA tester must include some people who have difficulty with excellent motor control and those who cannot use a mouse or other input device. This allows the development team to learn how they use their web app. Businesses also need to keep in mind the needs of hearing and cognitive impaired people.

Remote Moderated Accessibility Testing to Achieve Cost Efficiency

Conduct in-person moderated testing with people with disabilities for web apps can be a costly exercise to carry out. Moreover, it brings along several logistical challenges as navigating the physical world can be difficult for participants with disabilities. Business must allow participants to use their own devices and conduct remote moderated 1:1 sessions. Remote moderated accessibility testing for web apps unearths additional insights which could be an added benefit for the business process.

Emphasize on Color and Contrast

Visual details must identify active user interface controls and their states. Everything including buttons, form fields, focus and selected state indicators need to have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 with adjacent colours. This ensures that even users with low vision can identify features of controls and states (non-text) in a distinguishable manner. Weak contrast controls are difficult to perceive, especially by people with a visual impairment. Further, to identify the controls, there is a need for sufficient contrast with the adjacent background. Also, the color should not be the sole method of indicating a link within the non-linked text. Even error messages should be indicated by using more than just color.

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