UX Accessibility Research 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is an 'accessibility audit' in the context of UX research?
- A legal review of ADA compliance documentation
- A systematic evaluation of a product against accessibility standards to identify barriers (Correct answer)
- An automated performance scan of a website's load speed
- A user interview focused exclusively on participants with disabilities
Correct answer: A systematic evaluation of a product against accessibility standards to identify barriers
An accessibility audit combines automated scanning with manual expert review and user testing to identify and document WCAG violations and usability barriers.
Question 2: Which automated tool is commonly used to check for basic WCAG violations during accessibility research?
- Hotjar
- Axe (by Deque) (Correct answer)
- Optimal Workshop
- Lookback
Correct answer: Axe (by Deque)
Axe is a widely used open-source accessibility testing engine that can be run as a browser extension or integrated into CI/CD pipelines to catch automated WCAG violations.
Question 3: What is 'cognitive accessibility' and which user groups benefit from it?
- Screen contrast adjustments benefiting users with visual impairments
- Design that reduces cognitive load and supports comprehension, benefiting users with cognitive disabilities, ADHD, dyslexia, and situational impairments (Correct answer)
- Motor input alternatives benefiting users with physical disabilities
- Language translation features benefiting non-native speakers
Correct answer: Design that reduces cognitive load and supports comprehension, benefiting users with cognitive disabilities, ADHD, dyslexia, and situational impairments
Cognitive accessibility encompasses plain language, consistent layouts, error prevention, and reduced complexity, supporting users with intellectual disabilities, anxiety, or temporary cognitive fatigue.
Question 4: What is 'assistive technology compatibility testing' in accessibility UX research?
- Verifying that the product works correctly with third-party browser extensions
- Testing how well a product functions with tools like screen readers, magnifiers, and switch access devices used by people with disabilities (Correct answer)
- Checking that the product's API integrates with enterprise IT systems
- Evaluating whether the product runs on assistive hardware like touchscreen monitors
Correct answer: Testing how well a product functions with tools like screen readers, magnifiers, and switch access devices used by people with disabilities
AT compatibility testing ensures that the product works correctly with the specific assistive technologies that disabled users rely on daily, going beyond automated WCAG checks.
Question 5: In accessibility research, what does 'focus order' refer to?
- The visual prominence hierarchy of elements on a page
- The sequence in which keyboard focus moves through interactive elements (Correct answer)
- The order in which screen reader software reads page sections aloud
- The priority order for fixing accessibility bugs post-audit
Correct answer: The sequence in which keyboard focus moves through interactive elements
Focus order defines the path keyboard focus follows as users tab through a page; a logical focus order matches the visual reading order and supports efficient keyboard navigation.
Question 6: What is the purpose of an 'alt text' attribute on images, and what makes alt text effective?
- To provide keyword metadata for SEO; effective alt text uses exact keyword match phrases
- To describe image content for screen reader users; effective alt text conveys the meaning the image communicates, not just its appearance (Correct answer)
- To specify the image file format for browser rendering; effective alt text includes the file extension
- To display fallback text if the image fails to load; effective alt text repeats the image filename
Correct answer: To describe image content for screen reader users; effective alt text conveys the meaning the image communicates, not just its appearance
Alt text communicates the purpose or content of an image to users who cannot see it; it should describe the meaning conveyed, not literally describe every visual detail.
UX Accessibility Research 2
What is an 'accessibility audit' in the context of UX research?