Accessibility General Discussion Notes Q1 2025

[barugonman]

Overview

Discussion space to store meeting notes, ideas, questions etc. related to the Q1 Aerie Accessibility Audit Task.

Approach

• Combine automated tools with manual testing
• Attempting to stick to on 'free'/open source tools. Compare available tools and see if we can find a small number of tools with good coverage. Skipping tools that require network access to a URL.
• Identify issues, organize, and review as a team for prioritization
• Knock of some low hanging fruit as we go

Work tracking

Coding tasks and other specific questions are here as an 'epic', with a sub-issue covering all coding tasks for each of the Aerie pages:

#1608

General Information

WAI docs:
https://www.w3.org/WAI/
https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-principles/

a11y Project Checklist
https://www.a11yproject.com/checklist/

JPL resources:
https://accessibility.jpl.nasa.gov/resources-tools/accessibility-tools
Some additional tools listed here to look at e.g. color blindness simulation.

Top 20 tools:
https://www.audioeye.com/post/free-accessibility-testing-tools/

Audit Tools

The following represents tools we may decide to use for auditing. Expect we will want more than one, but not a lot.

WAVE
Chrome extension:
https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/wave-evaluation-tool/jbbplnpkjmmeebjpijfedlgcdilocofh

Accessibility Insights
Open source Chrome extension:

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/accessibility-insights-fo/pbjjkligggfmakdaogkfomddhfmpjeni

Includes both auto-checking plus procedures for manual checks. Like the report formats.

Accessible Web Helper

Free Chrome extension:
https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/accessible-web-helper/gdnpkbipbholkoaggmlblpbmgemddbgb

Includia Accessibility Checker

Free Chrome extension:
https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/includia-accessibility-ch/ialekgfeghfiggcbglciaihbpdafidnn

Axe Monitor

Popular tool but requires a license long term:
https://www.deque.com/axe/monitor/

Mac VoiceOver Tool

Mac has a built in text reader called VoiceOver:
https://www.apple.com/voiceover/info/guide/_1121.html

For a PC you should be able to download a tool like:
https://www.nvaccess.org/download/

Development Tools

shadcn-svelte

Bryan mentioned this tool in support of jumpstarting accessibility updates.
https://www.shadcn-svelte.com/

sa11y

Embedded JS plugin supporting checking as you develop:
https://sa11y.netlify.app/overview/

[barugonman]

28 Jan 2025 Discussion

• A main target of acc is health care and welfare web apps
• How close to the standard to get?

Yes:
1- vision impaired but not blind (color blind, big font needed)
2- support for alternate input devices
3- (maybe) content and language hierarchy. "more intuitive for everyone"

No:
1- 8th grade reading level
2-

Maybe:
1- support for screen readers (is a bit low hanging)
2-

• Have a branch for all the work or push as we go? (push as we go)
• Use of epics? Or just labeling? Have 'big tickets', and subtasks
• Use the accessibility label (a11y)

Try out 'eslint' plugin

• Is enabled in Aerie
• compare to sa11y

User centered design/stories to help lay out priorities

• blind person using screen reader
• only one arm works etc.
• what do we think are our valid use cases?
• what level to target? (AA is required/was required)

Things like adding textual descriptions

• largely in support of screen readers

Forms aren't well organized for tabbing

• may have two similar looking components that behave differently

Dark theming is close (may help certain people)

• look this one up (e.g. high contrast mode/low contrast mode is valuable)

First AMMOS task for a11y

• How we went about what to audit etc.
• Do a report out to management

Shape up dev process

• In the middle of transitioning from 2 week sprint to 'shape up' from basecamp (there's a book), splitting into smaller subteams and the subteams will do 6 weeks on 'pitches'. Think Dan A. goes into 'smaller' ad hoc work/feature requests. Add to standups and meetings.