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Web testing checklist

Perform the following web testing checks to ensure your web page is accessible.

Overview

Both automated and manual testing should be performed to verify the accessibility of a web page. Automated testing can generally help to catch 25 – 30% of errors, but alone it cannot confirm WCAG conformance. Automated tools only test for limited subset of accessibility requirements. A website can receive a high accessibility score with automated testing tools, but still have issues that can prevent someone from using the site.


If you are a Commonwealth employee, complete this checklist before requesting an accessibility review.

Helpful testing tools

Automated testing tools such as Deque's axe DevTools, the Web Accessibility Evaluation tool (WAVE) from WebAIM, and Accessibility Insights from Microsoft will provide a report of issues found on the page. Other tools like the Accessible Name and Description Inspector (ANDI) from SSA.gov help you inspect individual page elements and shows you what information assistive technology is receiving from that element.

Screen reader testing qualifications

Screen reader testing is always needed for web pages. However, due to the steep learning curve with screen reader tools, we only recommend testing with a screen reader if you have extensive experience doing so.


It is only recommended to test with a screen reader if you are:

  • An Accessibility subject matter expert, or
  • A tester with at least one year of screen reader testing experience, or
  • A daily native screen reader user
  • NVDA + Chrome
  • JAWS + Chrome
  • VoiceOver + Safari

Check your web page for accessibility

Use this guided checklist to find and fix common issues. The progress indicator will let you know how far through the checklist you are. If items are not applicable because your page does not contain that feature, check the boxes to skip them. Reset at any time.
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