If you would like to test your website's accessibility prior to launch, there are many resources available to you!
All content authors, web developers, and web designers are encouraged to reference the WCAG 2.0 Checklist.
You can also use a variety of accessibility checkers. We recommend the following tools to check your web content during development and after publication.
To learn more how to test your site for accessibility, visit the Web Accessibility Training section of this site and choose the Web Development and Design track or the Content Stewards track.
Access Bridge Explorer
This tool allows you to examine Java-based applications. It is very similar to Inspect, but it solely identifies Java. Learn more about Access Bridge Explorer here. Find download instructions for Access Bridge Explorer here.
Accessible Name and Description Inspector (ANDI)
ANDI is an automated testing tool that aids in manual accessibility assessment. It is a "favelet" or "bookmarklet" that will:
- Provide automated detection of accessibility issues
- Reveal what a screen reader should say for interactive elements
- Give practical suggestions to improve accessibility and check 508 compliance
ARC Toolkit
Developed by the Paciello Group, ARC is compatible with Chrome via a free plugin and is keyboard accessible. It examines the current page. After installing the plugin, it can be found in developer tools by right clicking, selecting “inspect”, and scrolling through the tools at the top of the inspect pane. Install ARC today!
axe by Deque
Axe Pro can help you find all accessibility issues that can be accurately detected via automation plus a variety of accessibility issues that would require basic manual testing. The axe browser extension is essentially axe-core wrapped in an easy-to-use interface so you can perform axe testing and view your results without having to build your own interface. The extension is available for Firefox and Chrome. Download axe or learn more about it!
Contrast Checker
This tool is built for designers and developers to test color contrast compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These calculations are based on the formulas specified by the W3C.
Colour Contrast Analyser
One component of the Web Accessibility Toolbar (WAT), now an independent tool! Use the Colour Contrast Analyser, designed by The Paciello Group, to test color contrast against WCAG 2.0 standards. Download the Colour Contrast Analyser here: Choose Download for Windows/macOS and choose CCA-Setup-1.2.1.exe.
Color Contrast Pal
Color Contrast Pal is an accessibility tool that provides feedback about color selections. It also offers suggestions for compliant colors based off of the original colors selected. Try Color Contrast Pal here.
Functional Accessibility Evaluator (FAE)
The Functional Accessibility Evaluator (FAE) evaluates a website or a single web page based on the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A and AA requirements. Try out FAE on your site!
Inspect
An accessibility tool designed by Windows, Inspect "...enables you select any UI element and view the element's accessibility data. You can view Microsoft UI Automation properties and control patterns, as well as Microsoft Active Accessibility properties." Find instructions for Inspect here.
WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
Developed by WebAim, "...WAVE shows your original web content with embedded icons and indicators that reveal the accessibility information within your page...WAVE can help you evaluate the accessibility of your web content. You can submit web content to WAVE for evaluation by providing a URL, uploading a file, or entering/pasting HTML code." Try out WAVE on your site!You can install the Chrome extension, as well.
Last modified April 22, 2020