Hans Hillen (TPG). ive or: tinyurl.com/csun13-responsive

Responsive Design and Accessibility

Hans Hillen (TPG)

Material for this Course

www.paciellogroup.com/training/CSUN2013/responsive

or:

tinyurl.com/csun13-responsive

Links will be sent by email after the workshop

02 / 25 / 13 Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013 2

http://www.paciellogroup.com/training/CSUN2013/responsive



http://tinyurl.com/csun13-responsive



In This Workshop:

Introduction to Mobile Accessibility

Introduction to Responsive Design

How Responsive Design influences Accessibility

Color, Sizing and Reading Order

Supporting Screen Readers

Guidelines and Testing


Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013 4

Training Objectives

Understand how people with disabilities use mobile devices and the barriers they typically face

Understand some of the techniques used to build accessible mobile sites

Learn what to test for and how to do so

Note: This training does not cover accessibility in native mobile apps, and we will be focusing on the main two platforms: iOS and Android02 / 25 / 13

Introduction to Mobile Accessibility



What is mobile?

Not just phones… all portable electronicso Tablets, games consoles, TVs, etc.

o More users: cheaper technology reduces Digital Divide

Native appso Software written for specific mobile devices and their

operating systems and hardware features

o Note: May incorporate web content

Mobile Webo Sites and applications built for viewing on mobile browsers

o Note: Feature gap to native apps is narrowing due to standards such as HTML5 and ARIA

02 / 25 / 13


What is mobile accessibility? Making a website or application more

accessible to people with disabilities using mobile devices

The basics are the same as on desktop:o Alternatives: images, audio, video

o Labeling: form controls, headings, buttons

o Good structure: landmarks, lists, heading levels

o Use native controls where possible

o Content order02 / 25 / 13

Mobile AccessibilityWho are we talking about?

Diverse user model – 4 main user groups:

o Vision

o Hearing

o Mobility

o Cognitive and learning

Assistive technology users

o Speech output (screen readers) or braille output (Bluetooth braille displays)

o Voice input

o Magnification

Access services users

o Captions

o Subtitles

o Audio description

o Sign language interpretation

802 / 25 / 13 Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013

Mobile AccessibilityWho are we talking about? (continued)

Hidden disabilitieso Chronic fatigue

o Photo sensitivity

o Mental health

Agingo Spans various disabilities and user groups

o Often first-time users

o Note: Older people, like young children, find primary solid color easier to see and draw meaning from than pastel colors, etc.



Temporaryo Broken wrist

o Repetitive strain injury

o Tiredness

Culturalo Language

o Color and iconography

Technologyo Connectivity, data limitations, etc.

o Particular software and hardware requirements or preferences• mobileaccessibility.info Device Details


http://www.mobileaccessibility.info/device.cfm?lang=eng

Shared web experienceso Common ground between mainstream users and

users with disabilities• Comparable to temporary disability (in the car, at

concerts, walking)• http://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/experiences

o Empathy• Accessibility is about understanding people and the

barriers that they face.• Getting your own experience of accessibility helps you to

put yourself in the shoes of others and keep accessibility in mind when building and testing your sites and applications

11



http://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/experiences

http://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/experiences

Mobile by definition is disabling for all…

Small screeno iPhone is 1/12 of a typical desktop screen

o 40-pixel finger is big on small targets

o Can be hard to reach some parts of the screen

Small text sizeso is like having low vision

Small input devices

Eyes-free usageo e.g. in car

o is like being blind

12

Mobile AccessibilityConstraints of a mobile environment


Mobile by definition is disabling for all…

Reliant on toucho Not as usable in the rain

o Need to use special gloves

One-handed usage

Low light

Connectivity

Data limitations13

Mobile AccessibilityConstraints of a mobile environment (continued)


Better integrated accessibility than desktop

Location and direction

Camera and augmented reality

Accelerometer and screen orientation

Touch screen

Proximity (NFC)

Environmental awareness (light/dark conditions)

14Possibilities!

Mobile AccessibilityCapabilities of a mobile environment


FaceTime used by the deaf

Custom vibrations as ringtone equivalents

Speeches given using iPad with Proloquo

HueVue app that helps color blind people identify colors

Braille:

o V-B-Reader app (Android) that enables Braille to be read using vibrating touch screens

o Touch-screen Braille writer

Innovative assistive technology that’s useful to all users!

o Apple’s Siri voice recognition

o Google Voice’s voicemail transcription

o Custom vibrations on iPhone and Android

15

Mobile AccessibilityEnabling features and innovations


http://youtu.be/jSADqRwFAV4

http://vbraille.cs.washington.edu/Applications



http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10213356-1.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20118728-1/tablet-app-brings-new-touch-to-braille/

16

Accessibility feature or setting User

Speech output Blind, low vision, cognitive

Zoom Low vision, cognitive, mobility

Inverse colors, brightness control Low vision, cognitive

Headphones Hearing, cognitive

Speak text Low vision, cognitive

Voice input Blind, low vision, cognitive, mobility

External / virtual keyboard, directional pad

Blind, mobility

Captioning Deaf, cognitive

Audio description Blind, low vision

Mobile AccessibilityHow do people with disabilities use mobile devices?


17


Two main interaction methods

1. Explore by toucho Drag finger over screen

o Items under your finger are described by screen reader

o Double tap to open/activate

2. Gesture navigation02 / 25 / 13 Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013

Two main interaction methods

1. Explore by touch

2. Gesture navigationo Swipe right/left moves focus

to next/previous content in sequence

o Items are described by screen reader as focus moves

o Double tap to open/activate

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iOS accessibility features and API are more mature

Android devices have some good accessibility features and Google are working to improve• Current market share favors iOS and Android devices over other

vendors

oOther mobile platforms:• BlackBerry: Curve smartphones have free BlackBerry Screen Reader.

Good information on their site.• Symbian: Phones have accessibility features, including text-to-

speech, but platform currently has no accessibility API.• Windows Phone 8: Phones appears to have accessibility features but

no accessibility API.

Mobile AccessibilityThe current situation

02 / 25 / 13

Techniques for Mobile Accessibility


Principles of accessibility for the Mobile Web:

Use progressive enhancement

Use a responsive design approach

Use web standards as intended

Support native accessibility settings and assistive technology for your target platforms

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Techniques for mobile accessibilityDevelopment strategy


Use progressive enhancement

o Build for lowest common denominator device

o Use feature detection over browser detection – not all devices have the same levels of support for the same features

o Some devices have better support for ARIA and HTML5 by the browser and assistive technology, and color palettes and fonts in the operating system

o Even some basic HTML4 (e.g. the title attribute) is not supported in the same way as it is on desktop

o Note: In this training, we are talking about the Mobile Web with an emphasis on iOS. All techniques discussed are supported by iOS, but some platforms may not

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Use a responsive design approach

o We want content and functionality to adapt to the mobile interface

o Leverages CSS 3 media queries to enhance fluid layouts

No need to maintain two codebases – one for desktop, one for mobile

Can be built to principles of progressive enhancement

o Build for “mobile first” – focus on content and small screen then build up

o May be improved with JavaScript enhancements

Screens of 320-pixel width are typical but not guaranteed

More later on testing sites that use responsive design

Guidelines for Responsive Web Design

Responsive Web Design by Ethan Marcotte

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Techniques for mobile accessibilityResponsive design


http://www.netmagazine.com/features/mobile-first

http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2011/01/12/guidelines-for-responsive-web-design/

http://www.abookapart.com/products/responsive-web-design





Use web standards as intended

o Accessibility is already “baked in” (along with interoperability for browsers, platforms and assistive technology)

o Build core content using HTML, preferably HTML5

• For example, code a button as a <button> rather than a styled link. Screen readers announce the trait of an element before reading the accessible name (link text/label/text alternative). Users expect a link to open a resource and a button to carry out an action. It can be confusing when these are misused.

o Prefer standard control elements over custom implementations

o Enhance content with CSS, WAI-ARIA (for OS-like controls), etc.

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Mobile support for WAI-ARIA

Source: http://caniuse.com/#feat=wai-aria

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http://caniuse.com/

http://caniuse.com/

http://caniuse.com/

http://caniuse.com/

Support native accessibility settings and assistive technology for your target platforms

o Examples:

• Pinch zoom should not be suppressed

• In iOS, you can select text and have it announced (Settings > General > Accessibility > Speak Selection), so:• Use text over images of text

• Support text selection: suppressing the ability to copy/paste text also suppresses the ability to speak selection

26



http://www.iheni.com/mobile-accessibility-tip-dont-suppress-pinch-zoom/

http://www.iheni.com/mobile-accessibility-tip-dont-suppress-pinch-zoom/

Inputting text, numbers, email addresses, URLs, search terms, etc.o Difficult using touch in general

o Especially hard for low vision, mobility or blind users

o Often people revert to Siri and voice input

Support predictive search (autocomplete widget)o Useful for dyslexics

Replace free input with more helpful controlso Drop downs, radio buttons, etc.

o Enhance using HTML5 input types

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Techniques for mobile accessibilityForms


HTML5 input typeso Contextual keyboards in iOS with useful buttons (Previous, Next, Autofill)

helps users to avoid mistakes

o Degrade gracefully to text input elements

o Supported in Mobile Safari and Webkit (Android)

o Can use alternative JavaScript widgets as a fallback

o HTML5 support, solutions and workarounds

28

Techniques for mobile accessibilityForms


http://html5accessibility.com/index-aria.html

Valid HTML is importantoWell formatted code is generally a good idea as it

ensures robustness when software needs to work with HTML

o Use the W3C Validation Service: http://validator.w3.org/

o Not all validation errors are relevant to ensuring accessibility• You can filter results for accessibility using the

Web Accessibility Toolbar or bookmarklet• Use Nu Markup Validation Service with this tool:http

://validator.w3.org/nu/29

Techniques for mobile accessibilityCode validation


http://validator.w3.org/

http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2012/02/wcag-2-0-parsing-error-bookmarklet/

http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2012/02/wcag-2-0-parsing-error-bookmarklet/

http://validator.w3.org/nu/



Introduction to Responsive Design


What is Responsive Design "Responsive web design (often

abbreviated to RWD) is a web design approach aimed at crafting sites to provide an optimal viewing experience—easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling—across a wide range of devices (from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones)."

Wikipedia


But What is It Really Though Basically, responsive design means MEDIA

QUERIES@media screen and (min-width: 980px) { /* desktop */}

@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 979px) { /* tablet (portrait) */}

@media screen and (max-width: 767px) { /* mobile (landscape) */}

@media screen and (max-width: 479px) { /* mobile (portrait)*/}


Support for Media Queries Supported in all modern browsers

o In desktop as well as mobile space

o but not in IE8 (Leave it! Don't try to hack)

o http://caniuse.com/css-mediaqueries


http://caniuse.com/css-mediaqueries

http://caniuse.com/css-mediaqueries

How Responsive Design Influences Accessibility

WHEN IN DOUBT:

General accessibility rules still apply in responsive design!

Follow WCAG 2.0:o Provide proper labeling, descriptions, and text

alternatives

o Ensure text is scalable, avoid using images of text

o Maintain a logical reading and tab order

o Ensure color contrast is sufficient, indicate focus programmatically and visually

o Use semantic markup

o Ensure content is keyboard accessible 02 / 25 / 13 Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013 35

Which Space to Support

"Why can't we just limit the responsive behavior to mobile devices?"

"Why do we have to support keyboard accessibility on mobile devices? That's a desktop thing!"

-- Some angry designers in my past

What do you think the advantage is of responsive design on a desktop screen?02 / 25 / 13 Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013 36

Responsive on Desktop

Ideal for screen magnifier users

Ideal for low vision users

Ideal for cognitively impaired users

Ideal for motor impaired users

So…Responsive is for mobile only? I think not!


Color and Size

Color Contrast

As a responsive page is modified between responsive break points, foreground may overlap background differently

This can cause color contrast issues that were not present in the desktop version of a page.

Testers: Keep on top of your designers!


Example of Responsive Color Contrast Issue


Color Contrast Solution

For risky resolutions, modify the background or foreground to avoid the issue


Text Size / Zooming

I prefer zoom over text-only resize over in page sizing controlso These days browsers apply proper text scaling as part of

zooming

o Supporting browser zooming is sufficient for WCAG 2.0 compliance

o Browser zooming is easier to support for developers, and less disruptive for the existing layout

Make RWD work for you: Increase of text size / zoom level should trigger responsive switch!

This already happens automatically in some browsers, but will have to be applied manually in others


Supporting Screen Readers

Reading Order Problem

Responsive design resizes, reflows and modifies content (no problem here yet)

In some cases, the visual order of content is rearranged, while the structural order is noto While the CSS layout changes, the underlying HTML

stays the same

Negative side effects: o Structural content order no longer matches visual

layout order

o Inconsistencies in visual order across responsive layouts are likely to cause confusion with end users


Problem Example

Search comes before menu

Search now comes before menu

Login button now comes before both

780px

480px

320px


People Affected

Sighted keyboard users:o Expect to traverse focusable elements in the UI in the

same order as the visual layout of the page

Screen reader users:o Will find it more difficult to follow instructions by sighted

people (e.g. “Click the second button to log in...”)

Screen magnifier users:o Will have more difficulty navigating with high magnification

factors (as the order changes depending on viewport size)

Cognitively impaired users (and all users, really): o Depend on consistency for a good user experience


Applicable WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria

Section 508 refresh will require compliance with:o 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: When the sequence in which

content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined. (Level A)

o 2.4.3 Focus Order: If a Web page can be navigated sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation, focusable components receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability. (Level A)

o 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. (Level AA)


Solution It’s fine to resize, reflow, filter and

modify…o as long as the order of content stays

consistent:• visually • and in the document structure

Search field and menu always stay in the same order, even on smaller screens


Use of ARIA in Responsive Design

ARIA is supposed to be supported on mobile devices as well

IOS does a good job, but as usual support is by no means complete

Webkit on mobile is not necessarily the same as webkit on Desktop (accessibility wise)


Notifying Screen Readers In some cases, a responsive switch may cause more

than just a layout reflow.o Content can be filtered out

o Interactive controls may change into different types of UI• For example, a group of links may change into a dropdown button

o For a screen reader user it may not be clear that this change occurs,• e.g. when a window resizes or a tablet's orientation changes

because the user holds it differently.

In this case: Notify the user!o For example, a live region update "The content on this

page has been updated based on a change in the browser window size"


THE CSS Question

In Responsive Design, multiple controls may be present for the same behavioro Links at the top of the page in desktop view

o Dropdown button in mobile view

When CSS is disabled, there may be redundant content o This goes against CSS best practices (don't hide content that

shouldn't be there

o But removing it from the DOM just because a resize occurred isn't good either

What do you think, should this use of CSS be allowed for the sake of responsive design?


Data Tables

Very difficult to make accessible

Changing Layout of table will generally break what makes it accessibleo Changing display styles will also remove how

the table is exposed to AT

o IE does not allow different layout, which means you have to remove table related elements altogether

Failed Attempt


https://dl.dropbox.com/u/573324/testcases/responsive-tables/index.html

Recommended ResponsiveData Tables

Filament group has a good option:o Leave data table in tact

o Allow user to choose columns

Another Recommendation:o Allow users to switch to

original version of the table


http://filamentgroup.com/lab/responsive_design_approach_for_complex_multicolumn_data_tables/

Providing a Way Out

Responsive Design Can be confusing to inexperienced users, or users with specific expectations

Always allow users to switch to the default, desktop version of a site.


Guidelines and Testing


Mobile AccessibilityGuidelines and standards

The problem:

There is no one set of internationally accepted mobile guidelines and standards

WCAG was written for desktop

Mobile is more diverse than desktop

o More browser, OSs, hardware, software

o More agile and fast moving

There is no graded mobile browser support baseline similar to Yahoo!’s Browser Test Baseline

Without clear standards, we fall back on WCAG 2.0, which provides a sound foundation but is only the start of the story


http://yuilibrary.com/yui/environments/

http://yuilibrary.com/yui/environments/

Web Accessibility Initiative resources (now fairly dated)o Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP) 1.0

o Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0

o Relationship between MWBP and WCAG

Mobile Accessibility Guidelines by Funka Nu

Mobile Website Guidelines by the University of Austin

BBC Mobile Accessibility Guidelines by Henny Swano Coming soon!

o 72 technology-agnostic standards and guidelines

o Technology specific techniques – HTML, Android and iOS

o Getting to grips with a mobile accessibility strategy

57

Mobile AccessibilityGuidelines and standards: resources


http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/

http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/

http://www.w3.org/TR/mwbp-wcag/

http://www.funkanu.se/en/About-Funka/News/News-archive-en/Mobile-accessibility-guidelines/




http://www.utexas.edu/brand-guidelines/web-guidelines/mobile




http://www.iheni.com/getting-to-grips-with-a-mobile-accessibility-strategy/


Mobile TestingStrategy

Use site statistics from your own site to assess mobile OS and browser usage of your audience

Assess your existing mobile support strategy

o Which devices in your strategy have accessibility support?

Support most popular devices on the market

o Not all have good support for accessibility at the moment

• HTML5accessibility.com

• caniuse.com (can filter for mobile browsers)

o Monitor upcoming releases

• iOS Accessibility on apple.com

• Android Accessibility (eyes-free) – Note: currently not up to date

Monitor current user preferences

o WebAIM’s screen reader user surveys are useful here

Be aware of the laws governing accessibility in your country02 / 25 / 13

http://html5accessibility.com/

http://caniuse.com/

https://developer.apple.com/technologies/ios/accessibility.html

http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index.html

http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey4/

Mobile TestingStrategy: device usage


Make a test strategyo Henny Swan has developed a great starting

point• http://www.iheni.com/mobile-accessibility-tests/

oMost important to test with speech output only – on iOS, this means testing with VoiceOver

o Also, keep in mind:• Zoom only• Zoom with speech output• Invert colors

60



Responsive Designo Create a baseline test for the site

oWork together with deign / developer team as much as possible

o Identify interface elements that change as different CSS media queries become active

o Test only the elements that change at each of the supported screen resolutions

o Remember to test both landscape and portrait

61



Test without zoom or speech output features:o Is there sufficient contrast?

o Does color reinforce meaning rather than convey meaning alone?

o Are links visually evident?

o Are navigation cues clear?

o Is pinch/double-tap zoom supported (HTML only)?

o Are the correct keyboard/input types used in forms, i.e. tel, date, numbers, letters, etc.?

o Large areas of empty space are not present?

o Labels and form inputs are not separated by large areas of empty space?

62

Mobile Testing Checklist


Test without zoom or speech output features (continued):o Can you complete all actions?

o Do pop ups fit within the viewport, i.e. you don’t have to swipe to find the close/submit/cancel buttons?

o Do pop ups have a close button?

o Is all content and functionality available by touch?

o There is a clear visible focus on links, form fields, buttons, etc. when tested with a keyboard (Android)?

o Text is selectable, i.e. users can copy and paste and use speak aloud options?

63



Test with speech output only:o Note: On iOS devices, use the Rotor to test content

on elements like images, headings, containers/landmarks, forms, links, buttons etc.

o Are images labeled appropriately?

o Are decorative images ignored?

o Is the content order logical?

o Are landmarks labeled or have the appropriate heading announced with them?

o Does the content order logical?

o Do form fields have clear labels?64



Test with speech output only (continued):o Is the appropriate keyboard used in forms, i.e. tel,

date, numbers, letters, etc.?

o Are data table headings read correctly?

o Are hints appropriate?

o Users are notified of navigation cues, i.e. if you can scroll pages/screen by swiping right when in portrait?

o Are changes of state announced?

o Does link text describe the target?

o Are images and links to the same target grouped into one touch zone?

65



Test with speech output only (continued):o Can you complete all actions?

o Is content in a different language read correctly?

o Are buttons used for actions?

o Have the correct HTML controls been used?

o Is hidden content appropriate and necessary?

o Do pop ups have a close button?

o Does focus stay in the pop up rather than continue though the rest of the page/screen?

o Is all content and functionality available by swiping left and right and up and down?

66



How to test

Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013


Basicso No longer in touch-to-activate mode; now touch-to-

explore

o Double-tap to activate

o Horizontal swipes move focus between elements

o Vertical swipes move between landmarks (set via Rotor)

o The Rotor – a virtual wheel for changing modes

o Three-finger scrolling

Tips (gestures as of iOS 6)

o Three-finger triple tap = Speech Off

o Three-finger quadruple tap = Screen Curtain

Testing Accessibility on iOSVoiceOver

02 / 25 / 13 68


1. Triple click the Home key to activate

2. Dial to open the Rotor

3. Swipe up/down to navigate parts

4. Swipe right/left for next/previous content















These mostly “just work”, but must test in combination – e.g. VoiceOver running with Zoom may experience focus issues

Pinch zoom

Zoom (system-wide)

o Three-finger gestures for zoom control/movement

o Zoom up to 5x

Large Text

o Note: Only available in some of Apple’s own native apps

Invert Colors / Black on White

Captioned content (QuickTime)

Testing Accessibility on iOSOther accessibility features

02 / 25 / 13


PracticePractice using accessibility features

VoiceOver on iOS has a VoiceOver Practice screen

Zoom can be practiced from its screen in Settings

02 / 25 / 13 73


PracticeGet a feel for an accessible app

Use iOS system apps such as Mail, Notes, Calendar, Stocks

Useful cheat sheet – Learning iOS VoiceOver gestures: http://a11y.cc/iosvoref

02 / 25 / 13 74

http://a11y.cc/iosvoref



http://youtu.be/t60voPIY5xY

75

Testing Accessibility on iOSVoiceOver: videos

http://youtu.be/QJr8HDviws0

http://youtu.be/OVA76LGyB1o02 / 25 / 13 Responsive Design and Accessibility - CSUN 2013

http://youtu.be/t60voPIY5xY






http://youtu.be/OVA76LGyB1o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJr8HDviws0&feature=plcp


Questions?



Documents

Hans Hillen (TPG). ive or: tinyurl.com/csun13-responsive