Accessibility Testing System for Mobile User Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users with disabilities face difficulties accessing computer programs due to user interfaces primarily designed for sighted, hearing, and keyboard-mouse users, lacking accessibility for those with disabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system generates an indication of appropriate tests to ensure user interfaces are accessible, including keyboard, gesture, and audio tests, using screen readers and haptic outputs to provide information to users with disabilities, categorizing user interface elements and providing presentations before release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If user interfaces are designed for traditional keyboard and mouse users, then ease of operation is improved for able-bodied users, but accessibility deteriorates for users with disabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal accessibility testing framework that evaluates user interfaces against multiple accessibility criteria and provides tailored test indications for different disability types (visual, auditory, motor). The framework generates comprehensive test plans that cover keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, gesture recognition, and haptic feedback, enabling a single interface design to be validated across multiple accessibility dimensions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts testing parameters based on the specific disability being evaluated. For visual impairments, it focuses on screen reader compatibility and audio cues; for auditory impairments, it emphasizes visual indicators and haptic feedback; for motor impairments, it tests keyboard and gesture alternatives. This parameter adaptation allows the same testing system to effectively assess different accessibility requirements without redesigning the entire evaluation framework.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive accessibility tests are implemented, then accessibility for users with disabilities is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accessibility testing system is segmented into distinct testing modules, each dedicated to specific accessibility aspects: keyboard navigation testing, screen reader compatibility testing, gesture recognition testing, and haptic feedback testing. The system further divides these into sub-tests based on specific disability types and interface elements. This segmentation allows the comprehensive accessibility evaluation to be broken down into manageable, independent test units that can be executed systematically without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary testing framework that acts as a mediator between the user interface and the accessibility evaluation process. This framework includes automated testing tools that simulate different user scenarios and generate structured test indications. The intermediary layer translates complex accessibility requirements into standardized test protocols, reducing the complexity of implementing comprehensive accessibility testing while maintaining thorough evaluation coverage.
3Reliability
If multiple types of tests (keyboard, gesture, audio) are provided, then completeness of accessibility testing is improved, but time required for testing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the user interface to automatically generate prioritized test indications before actual testing begins. By pre-identifying critical accessibility barriers and generating optimized test plans based on the interface structure and target user population, the system eliminates redundant testing and focuses resources on the most impactful accessibility checks. This preliminary action significantly reduces the time required for comprehensive accessibility testing while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial testing strategies that select the most relevant accessibility tests based on the specific interface elements and target disabilities. Rather than always executing every possible test, the framework dynamically determines the minimum sufficient test set that provides reliable accessibility verification for the given context. This partial action approach maintains testing completeness for critical accessibility aspects while reducing overall testing time by excluding irrelevant tests.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed here is a system to enable interaction between a user with a disability and a computer program. The system can obtain a representation of a user interface to present to a user. The system can determine an element associated with the user interface, where the element is configured to provide information to the user, however, the user interface presentation of the element at least partially fails to provide the information to the user. Based on the element, the system can determine an appropriate test to perform. The appropriate test indicates at least two of: a test to perform with a keyboard, a gesture test to perform with a mobile screen reader, and an audio test to perform with a screen reader. The system can generate an indication of the appropriate test. The system can provide the indication of the appropriate test prior to releasing the user interface to the user.