1. Testing Native Mobile Apps
Jonathan Avila
Chief Accessibility Officer
SSB BART Group

2. Agenda
Applicable standards
Approach
Choose device/platform version
Configure accessibility features
Know how to use accessibility features
Testing
Resources

3. Can apply Section 508 software standards
Applicable Standards
Can apply Section 508 software standards
Can apply WCAG 2 (typically Level A and AA)
Some gaps for touch and small screen size
Touch target size
Gesture access with AT running
Single touch access
Touch up events
Mobile Accessibility Task Force at W3C proposing to fill the gaps in WCAG 2.1+
Refer to platform accessibility guides for expected behaviors on mobile

4. Choose Device and Platform Version
iOS version (current version and one previous)
Choose iPhone and iPad if app layout is different
Use of external keyboard limited to input without AT
Android (current and one version back)
Many users don’t have or can’t upgrade to latest version
Test with external keyboard
Choose common hardware
Samsung
Nexus devices from Google
Beware of vendor UIs and on-screen keyboards
Consider to use or skip vendor specific accessibility features
Choose multiple phone and different tablet sizes

5. Testing Approach without Access to Code
iOS
Test with accessibility features
Android
Accessibility Scanner (Google App)
Can write your own accessibility service for testing

6. Testing Approach with Access to Code
iOS
Accessibility Inspector
Xcode 7 - show properties of on-screen controls
New Xcode 8 updates
Check structure/reading order, Inspect, properties, and Run checks
AMP for Mobile (IBM Mobile accessibility checker)
Android
Lint in Android Studio
Check for missing contentDescription

7. Accessibility Features Versions and Platforms
IOS
With iOS accessibility features can only be updated with OS
No platform wide third-party accessibility features – accessibility built in
Android
TalkBack and some other accessibility features may be updated separately
Even with newer versions of Talkback some features may not be available on older versions of the platform
Some third party screen readers and assistive touch features available
Vendor specific accessibility features

8. Apps with Embedded Web Content
Some content within a native app may be web content within a webview
Webview uses system browser (Chrome Android – no Firefox in webview) (iOS Safari)
Detecting web content
Use iOS rotor or Android local context menu to determine if web related options are present
Options like move between links will be available
Test using same approach as software (with accessibility features, keyboard, etc.) unless you have access to code
Guidance to developer will be different for web content

9. Configure Accessibility Features
Enable external Bluetooth keyboard
Settings > Bluetooth
Choose default platform on-screen keyboard if custom one is used
Configure other Accessibility Features separately
Covered under interoperability

10. Configure Android Accessibility
TalkBack (may need to install from Play store)
Show spoken text (Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Developer Options > Display speech output)
Enable suspend and resume shortcut (Settings > accessibility > TalkBack > settings > Talkback suspend and resume shortcut)
Confirm you have the latest version of TalkBack
(Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Open Talkback in the Play store)
Choose comfortable speech rate
Enable captions
(Settings > Accessibility > Captions)

11. Configure iOS Accessibility
VoiceOver
Enable triple tap home to turn on and off VoiceOver
Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut
Add items to the rotor such as links, form controls, etc.
Speak "hints" enabled
Set speech rate to comfortable settings
Captions/Audio Description
Settings > Accessibility > Media: Subtitles and captions/Audio Descriptions

12. Know how to use Accessibility Features
When the screen reader is active the touch screen has alternative mode of interaction
Touching screen focuses item and announces it
Double tap activates item
Swipe gestures move sequentially through content
All non-decorative content must be in swipe order
Know how to pause speech/turn off screen reader
Scroll screen with three fingers (iOS) and two fingers (Android)
iOS: adjustable controls/rotor are operated with up/down gestures

13. Android Specific Notes for Talkback
Note that sometimes audio cues are used instead of spoke roles
E.g. links in web content may be indicated with sound (e.g. earcon but word link is not announce)
Tutorial on how to use Talkback is built-in
(Settings > Accessibility > Talkback > Settings > Launch Tutorial)
Long press will give you additional details such as if something is interactive

14. Testing Quick Check
Keyboard/Focus – physical keyboard/Screen Reader/Switch Control
Color/contrast – use grayscale or take pictures to examine contrast
Captions/video descriptions – options in Settings > accessibility
UI Controls/Forms – test with AT
Interoperability/display settings – turn on accessibility features

15. Keyboard
Android
Use physical keyboard to perform all actions w/o TalkBack
Arrow keys and/or tab keys for navigation
Enter to activate control
iOS
Keyboard without VoiceOver will only work in limited fields such as input and passcode fields
Keyboard can be used with VoiceOver instead of using gestures

16. Color and Contrast Android Contrast
Take screenshot and send to desktop
Use Accessibility Scanner for automated checking
Color: On Samsung: Turn on Settings > Accessibility > Vision > Gray scale

17. iOS Color and Contrast OS Contrast
Use app like Color Contrast to check colors from screenshot or
Take picture and transfer to desktop to check contrast
Color: Settings > Accessibility > Color Filters > Grayscale

18. Captions and Audio Descriptions
After enabling captions and audio description under Settings > Accessibility
Check that captions and audio description are provided
If not, look for app specific settings

19. Check for the following (generally this order)
UI (role, name, state, value) Compare what is announced to expected output
Check for the following (generally this order)
Name (always required)
Role (e.g. checkbox, button, etc. not announced for text)
Value (if applicable, e.g. for input, drop down fields)
State (if applicable, e.g. checked, not checked)
Hint (if applicable, when purpose is not clear)
Compare announced properties to platform controls
Compare swipe gestures and interaction patterns
Adjustable controls use rotor to change values like date picker

20. Interoperability with Accessibility Features

21. Large Text and Zoom Large text Zoom
Check for apps where text does not enlarge
Check for overlapped text/truncated/cut off text
Zoom
Check for crashes
Check for conflicts with gestures

22. Switch Control
Check Focus order, controls gain focus, can be activated

23. Assistive Touch/Stylus
Check for gestures that require more than one touch point

24. Other Interoperability with Accessibility Features (continued)
Color filters
Check to see if they are not overridden or cause visual anomalies
Without sound
Check without sound, mute device
Android Voice Access (Speech recognition) (beta)
Check that all controls can be activated by speech and user can input via speech
Without speech
Can all actions and communications be performed without speech

25. Resources
Mobile Accessibility: How WCAG 2.0 and OtherW3C/WAI Guidelines Apply to Mobile
iOS Accessibility Best Practices
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Android Accessibility Best Practices
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26. Resources Continued Designing for Accessibility (Android)
iOS Accessibility
Android Accessibility Scanner
ps.accessibility.auditor