UX Accessibility Research 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which set of guidelines serves as the primary international standard for web accessibility?
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (Correct answer)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III
- ISO 9241 Ergonomics Standard
Correct answer: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
WCAG, published by the W3C, is the globally recognized technical standard for web accessibility, organized around the POUR principles.
Question 2: What does the POUR acronym stand for in WCAG accessibility principles?
- Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust (Correct answer)
- Practical, Observable, Usable, Reliable
- Perceivable, Observable, Understandable, Responsive
- Practical, Operable, Usable, Robust
Correct answer: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust
WCAG organizes all success criteria under four principles: content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
Question 3: When conducting accessibility research, which participant group is essential to include to surface real-world assistive technology barriers?
- Domain experts who review the product without using it
- Users with disabilities who use assistive technologies in daily life (Correct answer)
- Developers who built the product's accessibility features
- Participants who have never used the product before
Correct answer: Users with disabilities who use assistive technologies in daily life
Including users with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies (screen readers, switch access, etc.) reveals barriers that automated tools and non-disabled testers miss.
Question 4: What is a 'screen reader' and which user population primarily relies on it?
- A tool that magnifies on-screen text; used by users with low vision
- Software that converts on-screen text and UI elements to speech or braille; primarily used by blind and low-vision users (Correct answer)
- A color contrast analyzer; used by researchers to audit interfaces
- Hardware that reduces screen glare; used by users with photosensitivity
Correct answer: Software that converts on-screen text and UI elements to speech or braille; primarily used by blind and low-vision users
Screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver parse on-screen content and present it as synthesized speech or refreshable braille, enabling blind users to navigate digital interfaces.
Question 5: What does WCAG AA conformance level require regarding color contrast for normal text?
- A contrast ratio of at least 3:1
- A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 (Correct answer)
- A contrast ratio of at least 7:1
- No specific contrast ratio — contrast is evaluated subjectively
Correct answer: A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1
WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text (under 18pt or 14pt bold) to ensure readability for users with low vision.
Question 6: What is 'keyboard accessibility' and why does it matter for UX researchers?
- The ability to customize keyboard shortcuts; matters because power users rely on efficiency
- The ability to navigate and operate all interactive elements using only a keyboard; matters because many users cannot use a mouse (Correct answer)
- The ability to enter text in multiple languages; matters for internationalization
- Support for physical keyboard connections; matters for mobile device testing
Correct answer: The ability to navigate and operate all interactive elements using only a keyboard; matters because many users cannot use a mouse
Keyboard accessibility is essential for users with motor impairments, those who use switch devices, and power users — all interactive elements must be reachable and operable via keyboard.
UX Accessibility Research 1
Which set of guidelines serves as the primary international standard for web accessibility?