Accessibility in Survalyzer

This article will explain all accessibility requirements for WCAG Level A & AA (which is the basis for all requirements for the European Accessibility Act [EAA] and therefore for the EN 301 549) and how to achieve it with Survalyzer.

General rules & key information

Survalyzer is WCAG Level AA Compliant. This means that we offer all tools to make a survey accessible. Since certification is only possible for static websites, Survalyzer cannot be certified.

In the following we will split the requirements for Level A & AA into two categories:

1. Requirements that can only be met if the settings are used right (responsibility of user)
2. Requirements that Survalyzer meets automatically

User depending requirements

Level A – 1.1.1 Non-text Content

This requirement talks about images or similar. In general whenever you as a user place an image in your survey, then this image should at least have an “alt” attribute set to define an alternative text for a screen reader to understand the content of the image.

To achieve that, in the rich text editor, you can select the image, and then click on the “i”-icon “alternative text”:

Define the alternative text and press update:

Make sure that the text describes the content well and does not just say “Logo” or “Image”. The Alt-Text should be descriptive.

Level A – 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)

This requirement is about the use of audio or video recordings inside your survey. To meet accessibility standards you need to provide the content in different ways to make it more accessible to people with audio or visual impairments.

For Audio-only content it is important to provide for example a text file that is providing the same information as the audio content. This file can be linked or published on another page, but must be linked.

For Video-only content it is important for everyone that cannot see or similar to the audio requirement, you can add a transcript of the video that can be read by a screen reader.

Level A – 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)

This topic is about videos with audio. Videos with audio should contain captions, or as we usually call it “subtitles”.

If you for e.g. want to show a new commercial to do market research on it, then it is important, that this video contains subtitles for everyone that has a strong hearing impairment.

Level A – 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)

This topic is about videos with audio. Videos with audio should contain audio-description, or as an alternative a link to a page that contains the video script that can be read by a screenreader.

If you for e.g. want to show a new commercial to do market research on it, then it is important, that this video contains audio descriptions or an alternative for everyone that has a strong visual impairment.

To reach the AA standard the audio description inside the video is a must. See Level AA – 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded)

Level AA – 1.2.4 Captions (Live)

This requirement talks about live audio. Surveys usually do not have live audio, therefore this requirement can be ignored. Otherwise, to reach the AA Standard, the live audio needs to have subtitles and captions.

Level AA – 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded)

To reach the AA standard the audio description is a must have for embedded videos.

An audio description is added narrator voice explaining what happens in the video, when no dialog takes place. This allows visual impaired people to understand what’s happening in the video.

Level A – 1.4.1 Use of Color

In the used layout you should not only use colors to convey errors. This is by default done by the additional smiley in error messages. Keep this in mind when adjusting designs.

Level AA – 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)

The used contrast in the layout (contrast between text and background) should never be below 4.5:1 except in the following cases:

Large Text: Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1;

Incidental: Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are not visible to anyone, or that are part of a picture that contains significant other visual content, have no contrast requirement.

Logotypes: Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no contrast requirement.

Level A – 2.4.2 Page Titled

The user is required to add page title (a h1 heading) on each page of a survey to meet accessibility requirements.

Level A – 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)

Whenever a link is used within a text, the clear purpose of that link must be clear from the context of that link. This means that the text surrounding the link should explain where the link goes and what it is for.

Level AA – 2.4.6 Headings and Labels

The headings and labels for questions must be stating clear what the intended purpose is, so that anybody can understand what it is about.

Level A – 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions

By default the system tells the respondent what to do, but you should help the respondent understanding the purpose of a question by providing a helpful hint text to the question.

System depending requirements

These requirements are met by the Survalyzer System and you don’t need to take care of them.

Level A – 1.4.2 Audio Control

Videos embedded via our File Manager automatically allows the HTML 5 media player standard which supports all necessary functions.

Level AA – 1.4.4 Resize Text

The user can zoom the page up to 200% without loosing functionality.

Level AA – 1.4.10 Reflow

There is by default never the need to scroll vertically and horizontally at the same time.

Level AA – 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus

When keyboard navigation is enabled (which happens if a respondent uses the TAB key) then the element that is focused is highlighted.

Level A – 2.1.1 Keyboard

Any survey is operable via keyboard navigation. The controls are working as supposed by the default keystrokes.

Level A – 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap

Our software is designed to not have any keyboard traps by default.

Level A – 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts

We don’t use any special character key shortcuts, except in implicit association, where the control keys must be explained in the explanation text before.

Level A – 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable

Time limits are not existing in default surveys. If time limits are setup via value assignments, then the survey is not accessible.

Level A – 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide

This requirement is not applicable to our software.

Level A – 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold

This requirement is not applicable to our software.

Level A – 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

This requirement is not applicable to our software.

Level A – 2.4.3 Focus Order

This is met by the system by dynamically and automatically assigning tab index to all elements in the correct and meaningful order it appears on the screen.

Level AA – 2.4.5 Multiple Ways

This requirement is not applicable to our software.

Level AA – 2.4.7 Focus Visible

The focus indicator gets visible in the moment the respondent uses the TAB key, which ensures the focus visibility.

Level AA – 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)

By default no elements overlap each other. Therefore, the focus will never be obscured.

Level A – 2.5.1 Pointer Gestures

The finger gestures for swiping are only used in implicit association, where it works and is essential.

Level A – 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation

For functionality that can be operated using a single pointer, at least one of the following is true:  Hide full description

• No Down-Event: The down-event of the pointer is not used to execute any part of the function;
• Abort or Undo: Completion of the function is on the up-event, and a mechanism is available to abort the function before completion or to undo the function after completion;
• Up Reversal: The up-event reverses any outcome of the preceding down-event;
• Essential: Completing the function on the down-event is essential.

Requirements are met by implicit association.

Level A – 2.5.3 Label in Name

Is applied by our software.

Level A – 2.5.4 Motion Actuation

This requirement is not applicable to our software.

Level AA – 2.5.7 Dragging Movements

Requirement met with rank order question type. The question type is also working with keyboard navigation or by just clicking, mitigating the drag and drop.

Level AA – 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)

The size of any “clickable” or “touchable” element is at least 24px times 24px in size.

Level A – 3.1.1 Language of Page & Level AA – 3.1.2 Language of Parts

The lang property is used on the page itself, all elements should stay in that one language. Language mixing is not supposed to be done in surveys.

Level A – 3.2.1 On Focus

The respondent never changes context on focus, since the context is the survey.

Level A – 3.2.2 On Input

The respondent never changes context on input, since the context is the survey.

Level AA – 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation

Applied to our software.

Level AA – 3.2.4 Consistent Identification

Applied to our software.

Level A – 3.2.6 Consistent Help

Not applicable to our software.

Level A – 3.3.1 Error Identification

The errors are clearly marked, and explained in text and additionally the first error on page is focused.

Level AA – 3.3.3 Error Suggestion

Any automatically found error message contains a hint how to fix the issue.

Level AA – 3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)

Not applicable to our software.

Level A – 3.3.7 Redundant Entry

Only required in case of password definition. Otherwise never required.

Level AA – 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)

Not applicable to our software.

Level A – 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

Requirements applied to our software.

Level AA – 4.1.3 Status Messages

Not applicable to our software.

Limitations

The following question types are not entirely accessible or not supposed to be accessible, and therefore should not be used in an accessible study:

• Implicit association
• Map question