Service History Pattern: Accessibility Review & Discussion

This document outlines the accessibility review for the Service History Pattern, addressing various checkpoints to ensure compliance with accessibility standards. This review encompasses color contrast, keyboard navigation, content reflow, and the use of automated tools like axe DevTools. Proper accessibility ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can effectively use and navigate the Service History Pattern.

Product Information

This review pertains to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Vets Design System documentation. Ensuring that all elements within this system are accessible is crucial for providing equitable access to services for veterans.

Use of Color and Color Contrast Checks

Color contrast is a critical aspect of web accessibility. Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background colors is essential for users with low vision or color blindness. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide specific contrast ratio requirements:

• All text of 20px or smaller should have a 4.5:1 contrast ratio to its background or better.
• All text of 20px or larger should have a 3:1 contrast ratio to its background or better.
• Non-text elements (e.g., icons, graphical controls) should have a 3:1 contrast ratio to their background and neighboring elements or better.

It's also vital to avoid using color as the sole means of conveying information. For instance, links should be distinguishable from surrounding text not just by color but also through additional cues like underlines. Charts, maps, and infographics should convey all information without relying solely on color.

During the review, it must be confirmed that the Service History Pattern meets these color contrast requirements across all its components. This includes verifying that any mobile app implementations support dark, contrast, and inverted color modes while maintaining appropriate contrast ratios and element meaning.

Axe Checks

Automated accessibility testing tools like axe DevTools play a crucial role in identifying accessibility issues. Axe scans should be integrated into the development and testing process to ensure continuous monitoring of accessibility.

Key steps include:

• Scanning each page or screen using axe.
• Integrating axe into end-to-end testing workflows.

The results of axe scans should be thoroughly reviewed to address any identified violations. These scans can detect a wide range of issues, from insufficient color contrast to improper use of ARIA attributes.

Content Zoom and Reflow Checks

Ensuring that content remains readable and usable when zoomed is essential for users with low vision. Content reflow refers to the ability of the content to adapt to different screen sizes and zoom levels without losing usability.

The following checks should be performed:

• (Web only) All page elements should be readable and usable at 200%, 300%, and 400% zoom.
• (Mobile app only) All page elements should be readable and usable when the device text is at the maximum possible size.

This testing ensures that users can zoom in to read content without horizontal scrolling or loss of functionality. Proper implementation of responsive design principles is crucial for achieving this.

Keyboard Navigation Checks

Keyboard navigation is a fundamental aspect of accessibility for users who cannot use a mouse. All interactive elements must be accessible via keyboard, and the focus order should be logical and intuitive.

The following checks should be performed:

• Each link, button, form input, checkbox, radio button, select menu, and custom element should be able to receive keyboard focus.
• Each of these elements should respond to expected keys (e.g., [Enter] to activate a button, arrow keys to navigate radio buttons).
• All elements under focus should have a visible focus indicator.
• The order of [Tab] stops should make sense and be appropriate for completing tasks.

Testing keyboard navigation ensures that users can navigate and interact with the Service History Pattern using only a keyboard.

Detailed Accessibility Review Points

To ensure comprehensive accessibility, the following points should be meticulously reviewed and documented:

1. Color Contrast Compliance: Verify that all text elements meet the minimum contrast ratios as specified by WCAG. This includes text on buttons, form fields, and any other interactive components. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker can be used to evaluate contrast ratios.

2. Non-Color Dependency: Ensure that color is not the sole method used to convey important information. For example, if a chart uses color to differentiate data series, alternative labels or patterns should also be provided.

3. Axe DevTools Integration: Confirm that Axe DevTools is integrated into both development and testing workflows. Regularly scan all pages and components for accessibility violations and address any issues promptly.

4. Zoom and Reflow Testing: Test the responsiveness of the Service History Pattern at various zoom levels (200%, 300%, 400%) to ensure that all content remains readable and functional. Verify that text reflows properly without causing horizontal scrolling or overlapping elements.

5. Keyboard Navigation: Conduct thorough keyboard navigation testing to ensure that all interactive elements are reachable and operable using the keyboard alone. The focus order should follow a logical sequence that aligns with the visual layout of the page.

6. Form Accessibility: Ensure that all form elements (inputs, labels, buttons) are properly associated and accessible. Use appropriate ARIA attributes where necessary to provide additional context for assistive technologies.

7. Image Accessibility: Verify that all images have descriptive alt text that accurately conveys their content and purpose. Decorative images should have null alt attributes (alt="") to be ignored by screen readers.

8. Multimedia Accessibility: If the Service History Pattern includes multimedia content (videos, audio), ensure that captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions are provided to make the content accessible to users with hearing or visual impairments.

9. Consistent Navigation: Ensure that the navigation structure is consistent across all pages and that users can easily understand and use the navigation menus and links.

10. Error Handling: Implement clear and informative error messages that help users understand and correct input errors in forms. Error messages should be accessible to screen readers and provide specific guidance on how to resolve the issues.

11. Dynamic Content: If the Service History Pattern includes dynamic content that updates without a page refresh, ensure that these updates are announced to screen readers using ARIA live regions.

12. Third-Party Content: If the Service History Pattern includes content from third-party sources (e.g., embedded videos, social media feeds), ensure that this content is also accessible or provide accessible alternatives.

By addressing these points, the Service History Pattern can be made more accessible, ensuring that all veterans and users can effectively access and use the services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Conclusion

Accessibility is not just a compliance requirement but a fundamental aspect of creating inclusive and user-friendly digital experiences. By adhering to accessibility guidelines and conducting thorough reviews, the Service History Pattern can be made accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities. Regular testing, continuous monitoring, and a commitment to inclusive design practices are essential for maintaining accessibility over time. Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)