Mobile and Accessible: Step 3 of 5 Toward WCAG Compliance

Step 3: Going Mobile

Grab your tablet or mobile device, it’s time to go mobile.

First up, rotate the screen to ensure your content performs on both horizontal and vertical planes. Some users need their device mounted on a wheelchair or stand which prevents them from physically rotating the screen. As we discussed in the article Website Accessibility: Do The Right Thing – users shouldn’t have to download a widget to get your content to work for them. Next, test your website and apps:

1. Navigation Elements
   1. Are the dropdowns too long for the device?
   2. Is the font too small to easily read?
   3. Are buttons too close together to click without an issue?
   4. Think about the color contrast. If you have a glare, is the font still easy to read? A simple test is to take your device outside in the sunshine. Does the glare make the fonts hard to read or elements hard to navigate?
2. Content
   1. Can users pinch and zoom their way to their proper text size?
   2. Does content (images and text) dynamically resize and adjust to wrap properly?
   3. Do pop-ups fully generate within the screen or do they have elements not viewable?
   4. As with the navigation elements, does the font contrast in different types of light meet the contrast requirements. If you’re not sure, learn more in the “WCAG Contrast Checker” section below.

These are a few key considerations for compliant mobile accessibility. You can get more in-depth details from the W3C standards. Now you’re ready for Step 4: Accessible Off and On-Page Elements (Your SEO was right); or you can browse the other chapters below.

The AIMCLEAR Guide to Web Accessibility and WCAG Best Practices

• Introduction

A Guide to Help Make Your Content Accessible

• What is WCAG and why is it important?
• WCAG Section 508 & The Laws

5 Steps to WCAG Compliance and A Better User Experience

• Step 1: Web Accessibility Statement
• Step 2: Preliminary WCAG Tests and Checks
• Step 3: Going Mobile
• Step 4: Accessible Off and On-Page Elements (Your SEO was right)
• Step 5: Audio, Video, Forms and Design

Summary and Next Steps

• Start Making Your Web Sites & Apps Accessible