Introduction to screen-reader testing

You've made your interface keyboard accessible. Excellent.

Now let's find out what it actually sounds like.

Testing with a screen reader can look intimidating if you have never used one before, but you do not need to become an expert user overnight to find useful problems.

Pick a screen reader appropriate to the platform

On Windows, NVDA is a popular free and open-source screen reader. Windows also includes Narrator. Apple platforms include VoiceOver.

Different screen readers and browsers can behave differently, so one combination is not proof that everything everywhere is perfect.

Learn the basics first

Before testing your own program, learn how the screen reader normally reads controls, moves focus and reports names, roles, states and values.

Start with the real task

Do not begin by asking, "does every control speak?" Ask, "can I complete the task?"

Can you create the document, change the setting, submit the form or play the game? Accessibility is about using software, not collecting spoken control names like Pokémon.

Listen for name, role and state

When focus lands on a control, can you understand what it is? A useful announcement might tell you that something is a checkbox, what it controls and whether it is checked.

Check dynamic changes

What happens when an error appears? When a progress operation finishes? When a new panel opens? A visual user may notice a message immediately while a screen-reader user may never know it exists.

Do not make everything talk

The answer is not to announce every event. Too much speech can be just as frustrating as too little. Communicate changes that matter without constantly interrupting what the user is doing.

Test errors and odd situations

Enter invalid data. Cancel dialogs. Trigger empty states. The nice straight path through a program is usually the easiest part to make accessible.

Automated testing still helps

Use accessibility inspection and automated testing tools too. They can identify problems efficiently. Passing an automated test, however, does not tell you whether the experience is pleasant or practically usable.

Get feedback from actual users

Your own testing is a starting point. People who rely on screen readers every day will use software faster and in ways a new tester may not think of.

Further reading and external resources

• NV Access and NVDA
• NVDA user guide
• Apple VoiceOver User Guide for Mac
• W3C: Evaluating Web Accessibility

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