What is Accessibility Testing?
Accessibility testing ensures websites and apps can be used by everyone, including people with visual, motor, cognitive, and hearing disabilities. Here is everything you need to know.
WCAG 2.2 · Section 508 · axe-core · Pa11y · Lighthouse · VPAT
The Short Answer
Accessibility testing is the process of evaluating a digital product to ensure it works for people with disabilities. This includes people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with motor impairments who cannot use a mouse, and people with cognitive disabilities.
The goal is to identify and remove barriers that prevent users from accessing content, completing tasks, or understanding information. Accessibility testing is guided by international standards, primarily the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and EN 301 549 in Europe.
Why Accessibility Testing Matters
Legal Compliance
Section 508, ADA, EN 301 549, and AODA require accessible digital products. Non-compliance can result in lawsuits and government contract disqualification.
1 in 4 Adults Has a Disability
According to the CDC, 26% of US adults have some form of disability. Inaccessible products exclude a massive portion of your potential users.
Enterprise Procurement
Government agencies and large enterprises require VPAT reports before purchasing software. Without accessibility testing, you cannot generate a VPAT.
Better UX for Everyone
Accessibility improvements benefit all users. Captions help in noisy environments. Keyboard navigation helps power users. Clear labels help everyone.
Automated vs Manual Accessibility Testing
Accessibility testing has two complementary approaches. Neither alone is sufficient for full WCAG compliance.
Automated Testing
- Catches ~30-40% of WCAG violations
- Fast - scans hundreds of pages in minutes
- Consistent and repeatable
- Integrates into CI/CD pipelines
- Tools: axe-core, Pa11y, Lighthouse
Manual Testing
- Catches the remaining 60-70%
- Evaluates keyboard navigation flow
- Tests screen reader announcements
- Assesses cognitive accessibility
- Tools: NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver
How to Perform a WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Audit
- 1
Run Automated Scans
Use axe-core, Pa11y, and Lighthouse to scan your website. These tools detect violations like missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, missing form labels, and improper ARIA usage. ConformPilot runs all three engines simultaneously.
- 2
Test Keyboard Navigation
Navigate your entire site using only the Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys. Every interactive element must be reachable and operable. Focus must always be visible. No keyboard traps should exist.
- 3
Test with a Screen Reader
Use NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (macOS/iOS) to navigate your site. Verify that all content is announced correctly, images have meaningful alt text, forms have proper labels, and dynamic updates are announced.
- 4
Check Color Contrast
Verify that text meets WCAG 2.2 contrast ratios: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text (18pt or 14pt bold). Use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker or browser DevTools.
- 5
Map Violations to WCAG Criteria
For each violation found, identify the corresponding WCAG 2.2 success criterion (e.g., 1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum). This mapping is required for VPAT generation.
- 6
Generate a VPAT Report
Document your conformance levels for each WCAG criterion in a VPAT 2.5 template. ConformPilot automates this step, generating a complete Word document with all violations mapped and conformance levels assigned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is accessibility testing?
Accessibility testing is the process of evaluating a website, app, or digital product to ensure it can be used by people with disabilities. It checks for compliance with standards like WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549 using both automated tools and manual review.
What tools are used for accessibility testing?
Common tools include axe-core (automated scanning), WAVE (browser extension), Google Lighthouse (scoring), Pa11y (CLI testing), NVDA and JAWS (screen readers), and ConformPilot (enterprise platform combining all three engines with VPAT generation).
What percentage of WCAG issues can automated tools catch?
Automated tools catch approximately 30-40% of WCAG violations. The remaining 60-70% require manual testing including keyboard navigation, screen reader evaluation, and cognitive accessibility review.
How do you test keyboard accessibility?
Tab through the entire page using only the keyboard. Verify all interactive elements receive visible focus, actions work with Enter/Space, modals trap focus correctly, and Escape closes dialogs. No keyboard traps should exist.
What is the difference between automated and manual accessibility testing?
Automated testing uses software to detect programmatic violations like missing alt text or low contrast. Manual testing involves humans evaluating keyboard navigation, screen reader behavior, and cognitive usability. Both are required for full WCAG compliance.
How often should you run accessibility tests?
Accessibility testing should be integrated into your CI/CD pipeline and run on every deployment. Additionally, perform quarterly manual audits and a full VPAT review annually or when major features are released.
Start Accessibility Testing Today
ConformPilot combines axe-core, Pa11y, and Lighthouse into one platform. Scan your site, get a full WCAG 2.2 report, and generate a VPAT 2.5 document in minutes.