Mobile accessibility makes mobile apps convenient for use to the people who are physically challenged. It means people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the mobile app in easier way.

1. White Paper
Mobile Accessibility Testing
By:
HimanshaTyagi
ExploratorySoftware Tester

2. Abstract:
Mobile accessibilitytestingisanindispensable partof software testing.Asabout20% of the world’s
populationhas adisabilityissuewhichincludesblindness,deafness,handicapped, oranyother
physical disorder. Sothispopulationchunkhastobe consideredwhiledevelopingandtestingany
app.
Mobile accessibility makes mobile apps convenient for use to the people who are physically
challenged. Itmeans people withdisabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with
the mobile app in easier way.
NeedforMobile AccessibilityTesting,
 ProductOwnersare establishingdisabledfriendlyappsinordertotarget thissignificantpart
of population.
 Withthe introductionof newlawsandguidelineslike,WCAG,WAI,W3C,UAAG.Appsare
beingdevelopedwith accessibilityguidelines.
So testersshouldpractise accessibilitytestingintheirday-to-daytestingcycle. Accessibilitytestingis
a challengingyeteasydomainasitiscompletelydifferentfromtraditionalfunctional testing.
Thispaperwill brief readersaboutthe approachforaccessibilitytestingforbothiOS and android
platform.
Approach for Mobile Accessibility Testing:
As a testerwe shouldmake sure thattestingof all the toolsprovidedfordisabledisdone.Soitis
recommendedtotestforthe following,
 ScreenReader
 FingerGestures
 Zoomingthe application
 Colourratio
 Readability
 Navigationthroughdifferentscreens
 Interaction
 HearingAids

3. 1. For Ios :
 For visually impaired:
 ScreenReader : VoiceOver
o To turn on VoiceOver– Settings> General > Accessibility>VoiceOver>
Turn it on
o Requirements-
 Single tap-> to selectanitem
 Double tap-> to activate the selecteditem.
 Three fingergesture isrequiredtoswipe.
Figure 1 : VoiceOver
 Zoom : magnifiesthe entire screen
o Gestures:
 Double tapthree fingerstozoom.
 Drag three fingerstomove roundthe screen
 Double tapthree fingersanddrag to change zoom.
o FollowFocus
 Smart Typing- Itwill switchtoWindow Zoomwhenakeyboard
appears,andmove the Window so thattextis zoomedbutthe
keyboardisnot.
o ShowController
o ZoomRegion- Full screenzoomandwindow zoom
o ZoomFilter

4.  Invert Colours: Change the colourof the display(If white asbackgroundthenblack
as a textand vice versa)
 GreyScale : Greyscale mode can be enabledwithatoggle buttonandthisremoves
colourfrom iOS8. Users can navigate throughthe operatingsystemexperiencing
onlyshadesof gray, andthe effectappliestothe iOSHome screen,built-infirst-
party apps,and third-partyapplicationsdownloadedonthe AppStore.
Figure 2 Grey Scale Image
 Speech:
o SpeechSelection- A Speakbuttonwillappearwhenuserselectstext.
o SpeakScreen- Swipe downwithtwofingersfromthe topof the screento
hearthe contentof the screen.
o SpeakAutotext- Automaticallyspeaksauto-corrections andauto-
capitalisations.
 Larger Text
 BolderText
 ButtonShapes
 Increase Contrast
 Reduce Motion
 On/Off Labels
 For Interaction:
 Switch Control- SwitchControl allowsusertouse iPhone by
sequentiallyhighlightingitemsonthe screenthatcan be activated
throughan adaptive accessory.

5.  Assistive Touch- Assistive touchallowsusertouse iPhone if they
have difficultytouchingthe screen.
Figure 3 Assistive Touch
 Touch Accommodations- If userhas trouble usingthe touchscreen,
adjustthe followingsettingstochange how the screenwill respond
to touches.
 Shake to undo
 Home Button
 Keyboard
 Hearing:
 Hearing Aids
o Bluetooth- It isrequiredtoconnectto hearingaids.
o Hearing Aid Mode- Itimprovesaudioquality.
 LED Flash for alerts
 Mono Audio
 Phone Noise Cancellation- Itreducesambientnoise onphone callswhen
useris holdingthe receivertothe ear.
 Media:
 SubtitlesandCaptioning
 AudioDescriptions
 Learning:
 GuidedAccess
 AccessibilityShortcut
2. For Android :
 Talkback:
o To start Talkback:Settings> System> Accessibility>Services>Talkback

6. o Whentalkbackison, user’sdevice providesspokenfeedbacktohelpblindand
low-visionusers.
o Requirements –2 fingergesture toswipe anddouble taptoactivate selected
item.
Figure 4 talkback
 Switch Access:It letsuserscan and selectitemsusingone ormore switches.
 Long Shot
 Captions:Captionsare an AccessibilityService forAndroidwhichcanhelpdeaf andhard-of-
hearingusers tointeractwiththeirdevicesmore easily.Otherusers,suchasthose whose
firstlanguage isnotEnglishmayalsobenefitfromcaptionsbeingdisplayed.The service will
displaycaptionsinall appsthatuse captions,suchas videoappswithsubtitles.
Figure 5 captions

7.  MagnificationGestures:MagnificationgesturesisanAccessibilityService forAndroid
feature forAndroidwhichallowsvisually impaireduserstozoominandpan the whole
screento geta closerlookat screencontent.Whenactivated,triple-tappingthe screen
zoomsinon the screento helpyousee whatison the display.
 Large Text: The large textsettingincreasesthe textsize onyourdevice tothe largest size
available. Large textisaninbuiltAccessibilityService forAndroidwhichallowsusersto
increase the textsize. Itisparticularlyaimedto userswithvisual impairments andthose
whostruggle to readsmallertext.
 High Contrast Text: High contrastmakestexteasiertoread onyour device.Thisfeature
fixesthe textcolouraseitherblackorwhite,dependingonthe original textcolour.
 Auto Rotate Screen
 Touch and Hold delay
 Text to speechoutput
 AccessibilityShortcuts:
o Single tap
o Double tap
o Triple tap
o Swipe- Twofingers
o Swipe- Three fingers
o Pinch
 Speak Password: ThissettingcontrolsTalkbackspokenfeedbackasyoutype passwords.
Enabled:Passwordcharactersare announcedaudiblylikeanyothertypedcharacters.
Disabled:Passwordcharactersare onlyaudible viaheadset.
Benefits of implementing Mobile Accessibility testing inour organisation:
 It will helpustesterstoexplore andlearnaboutadifferentandchallengingsubstreamof
software testing.

8.  We can letour customersknowaboutthe importance of accessibilityandhelpthemcreate
one accessible versionof the same app.
 We can standout inthe marketbyaddingthisskill.
 We can alsotarget projectswhichrequire accessibilitytesting.
Conclusion: Mobile accessibilitytestingisachallengingyeteasilyaccomplishable field.Testers
mightencounterfewgapswhile testing,asitisdifferentfromthe day-to-daysoftware testing.But
withplannedandconsiderate approach,testerscanperformaccessibilitytesting.Itshouldbe
practisedineveryorganisation.
Source of reference:
https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT202658
http://w w w.apple.com/in/accessibility/ios/
http://w w w.apple.com/in/accessibility/ios/#learning