What would you choose? A world where everyone can navigate the digital landscape effortlessly, or one where countless individuals are left struggling with inaccessible online experiences? For many, the latter is an everyday challenge. People with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments frequently encounter barriers that prevent them from accessing essential digital content and services. While web accessibility aims to bridge this gap, ensuring an inclusive experience requires more than just good intentions—it demands rigorous web accessibility testing. Without proper testing, even well-designed websites may contain hidden obstacles that hinder usability for people with disabilities. Businesses that overlook web accessibility testing risk alienating a significant portion of their audience. They also face potential legal and compliance challenges.

By integrating web accessibility testing into software development workflows, organizations can identify and resolve barriers proactively, ensuring that all users—regardless of ability—can navigate, understand, and interact with digital content seamlessly.

In the end, it’s about fostering a truly inclusive digital world where everyone has equal access to information and opportunities, right?

In this blog, I’ll dive into the importance of web accessibility and guide you through the steps to effectively conduct web accessibility testing. You’ll discover why integrating accessibility testing into the software development lifecycle is essential and how to implement it seamlessly. Plus, I’ll introduce you to NVDA, a powerful tool for web accessibility testing, and walk you through its configuration.

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What is Web Accessibility Testing and Why Is It Important?

Before moving ahead to the testing part, you should know what web accessibility is. So, it refers to the design of websites and digital content to be usable by everyone, including individuals with disabilities. It allows those with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments to navigate and interact effectively online.

In addition to that, web accessibility testing is the process of evaluating digital products to identify and resolve accessibility barriers. It ensures that websites and applications comply with accessibility standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and are accessible to all users.

I mean both go hand in hand – that is, if it’s accessible, then it must have passed the necessary parameters to make digital experiences seamless.

Here are the top seven reasons why considering web accessibility testing is a must in 2025 and beyond:

• Expand Market Reach: Ensures accessibility for a broader audience, including individuals with disabilities such as auditory impairments (deafness or hearing loss), motor impairments (tremors, restricted movement, difficulty using a mouse), and cognitive impairments (dyslexia, memory issues, difficulty focusing). It also benefits aging users and those relying on assistive technologies. This makes digital experiences more inclusive.
• Enhance User Experience: Accessibility-focused design improves usability, readability, and navigation for all users. Features such as keyboard navigation, clear typography, and adaptable interfaces assist individuals with disabilities. They also create a smoother experience for a wider audience, including those using mobile devices or facing temporary limitations.
• Boost Brand Reputation: Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility builds trust with users and strengthens brand perception. Companies that prioritize inclusivity foster customer loyalty and gain positive recognition. They stand out as socially responsible businesses that value equal access to digital experiences.
• Ensure Legal Compliance: Many global regulations, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), and Section 508, mandate digital accessibility. Compliance helps businesses avoid legal risks, penalties, and lawsuits while aligning with ethical standards and industry best practices.
• Improve SEO and Performance: Implementing accessibility best practices enhances search engine rankings. Structured content, optimized page layouts, and accessible design elements also contribute to faster loading times and improved website performance.
• Drive Innovation: Prioritizing accessibility encourages the development of creative solutions that improve digital interactions for all users. Designing with inclusivity in mind often leads to advancements in user interface design, voice-based interactions, and adaptive technologies. This sets new benchmarks for digital experiences.
• Promote Social Responsibility: Making digital spaces accessible aligns with ethical values and human rights principles, ensuring equal access to technology and information. By fostering an inclusive environment, businesses contribute to a fairer society where everyone, regardless of ability, can engage, interact, and benefit from online services.

Now that you know what web accessibility is, let’s head toward learning about some of the examples of web accessibility testing that you can try to perform.

What Are Some Web Accessibility Tests You Can Try Today?

Here are some of the examples of web accessibility testing that you can perform:

Fig: Examples of Web Accessibility Testing

• Keyboard navigation: Verify that all interactive components, such as buttons, links, and forms, can be used without a mouse to see how simple it is to traverse a website using just the Tab, Enter, and Space keys.
• Color contrast: Verify that the text’s contrast ratio with the background colors satisfies the WCAG contrast ratio specifications.
• Alternative text: For screen reader users, each image should include a meaningful alt text description that explains its purpose or substance.
• Testing for Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA): To enhance the screen reader experience, make sure that ARIA labels and attributes are appropriately applied to elements such as buttons and navigation links.

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Integrating accessibility testing into your agile workflow ensures that inclusivity remains a priority throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). By embedding accessibility best practices early, you can identify and resolve issues before they escalate. This will minimize costly rework while enhancing the user experience for everyone.

Since I’ve mentioned the context about SDLC, let’s walk through the steps of web accessibility testing within it.

How Can You Ensure Web Accessibility at Every Stage of Software Development?

Accessibility should be a priority at every stage of development, not just a one-time effort. To ensure it throughout the SDLC, follow these key steps:

Fig: Ensuring Web Accessibility Through SDLC

• Design phase: Verify for accessible color contrasts, readable font sizes, and flexible layouts using accessibility testing tools such as Stark or Color Contrast Analyzer (CCA).
• Development phase: Create semantic HTML, validate keyboard navigation by making sure all interactive components are focusable and operable with standard keys like Tab, Enter, and Esc. Apply Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) roles and characteristics to improve accessibility. To ensure accessibility compliance, test navigation using common workflows rather than depending on mouse-specific actions.
• Testing phase: Combine automated technologies with manual testing techniques, such as keyboard-only navigation or screen reader validation.

Moving on to the next part of this blog, you’ll discover a powerful web accessibility tool and explore alternative options.

How to Test Web Accessibility Using NVDA?

To get you some context, NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free, open-source, and portable screen reader for Windows, designed to assist visually impaired users in navigating websites and applications through speech and braille output. Developed by Michael Curran in 2006, it is programmed in Python and continues to evolve with community-driven improvements.

Here are the advantages of NVDA:

• It is cost-effective.
• It is easy to use.
• It follows a community-based development process.

How to Test Web Accessibility Using NVDA?

The first step for you is to download NVDA. Once downloaded, you will need to set up the software. If you do not frequently use a screen reader, I suggest disabling the option to launch NVDA automatically upon logging into Windows.

Like several screen readers, NVDA incorporates a modifier key that allows users to activate specific commands swiftly. It suggests that the Caps Lock key be used as a default modifier. You can designate this feature to any other key during setup. But for fundamental testing, I suggest maintaining Caps Lock as the modifier.

Users with sight may want to modify various other settings while installing:

• In the Settings > Preferences menu, choose Vision, then select “Enable Highlighting.” This instructs the software to mark text as it is being read.
• In Keyboard, deselect “Speak Typed Characters.” This will enable you to type without hearing the sound for each character.
• In the Speech section, you can alter the text-to-speech (TTS) voice in the Synthesizer option.

Once you’re done with the configuration process, follow these simple steps for testing:

1. Open the browser.
2. Open the test URL.
3. Turn ON NVDA.
4. Navigate through all the elements using different keys like Tab.
5. Turn ON the Speech viewer.

What Are Some of the Important Commands for NVDA?

When using NVDA, be sure to familiarize yourself with these essential commands:

a. ON: Control + Alt + N

b. OFF: CAPS + Q

c. Use CAPS LOCK + DOWN ARROW to start reading all page content.

d. User can add speech viewer. To do so, follow these steps:

• Press CAPS LOCK + N to open NVDA Menu.
• Select Tools, then Speech Viewer.

e. Use TAB to go forward through interactive elements.

f. Use ARROW KEYS to navigate options or maneuver content.

g. The speed at which announcements are issued may be too rapid for those who are unfamiliar with NVDA. To determine a speaking rate at which you feel at ease:

• Press ‘NVDA modifier key‘ (typically ‘Caps lock’ on a laptop or ‘Insert’ on a desktop) + N‘ to bring up the NVDA menu. From the ‘Preferences’ menu, select ‘Settings’ and then ‘Speech’.

Just like NVDA, several other tools can enhance web accessibility. Before wrapping up, I’ll highlight a few options to help you choose the one that best suits your needs.

What Are Some Alternatives to NVDA for Web Accessibility Testing?

Although NVDA is a highly favored screen reader for Windows, it is not the sole choice available. Here’s a brief overview of additional well-known tools and their comparison with NVDA:

• JAWS (Job Access with Speech): JAWS is regarded as a robust screen reader, providing users with a wide range of features and assistance for intricate workflows. Nonetheless, it can be costly, rendering it less attainable for individuals or small groups. Since NVDA is both free and open-source, users can access similar features without any cost.
• VoiceOver: Integrated into macOS and iOS devices, VoiceOver offers smooth compatibility with Apple products. Although NVDA is restricted to Windows, the intuitive gestures and strong capabilities of VoiceOver make it a preferred choice for Apple users.
• Narrator: Microsoft’s integrated screen reader for Windows is getting better with every update. Yet it still falls short in terms of the depth and versatility found in NVDA. Numerous users favor NVDA due to its customization options and superior application compatibility.
• TalkBack: The built-in screen reader for Android is tailored for mobile devices and works seamlessly with Google’s ecosystem. NVDA, which is centered on desktop use, enhances TalkBack and ensures accessibility across both platforms.
• ChromeVox: Tailored exclusively for Google Chrome and Chromebooks, ChromeVox is lightweight yet restricted in functionality. NVDA provides wider compatibility with Windows apps and browsers, rendering it a more flexible choice for most users.

Ultimately, NVDA strikes a balance between functionality and accessibility. While other screen readers have their strengths, NVDA remains a top choice for Windows users.

So, making a software product, application, or website accessible to individuals with physical, hearing, or vision impairments is a crucial step in the software testing life cycle (STLC). Furthermore, adding accessibility testing to the testing procedure enables businesses to provide outstanding user experience, grow their user base, and gain devoted customers.

I hope this read has inspired you to take the next step in creating an inclusive and seamless digital experience for everyone. If you’d like to share your thoughts, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach us at Nitor Infotech.