Reflow is one of the most practical accessibility requirements, ensuring content adapts without loss of information or function, even at 400% zoom or on small mobile screens. I break down how automated tools, AI-driven approaches, and manual testing each play a role in catching reflow issues, and why a blended approach is the most effective path to real accessibility.
Testing approaches for WCAG 1.3.6 Identify Purpose (Level AAA), which supports adaptable, personalized content for users with cognitive and learning disabilities.
WCAG 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose ensures that each input field’s purpose can be programmatically determined if it matches a defined input purpose and is implemented using technologies that support semantic identification of form data.
WCAG 1.3.4 Orientation is a Level AA conformance level Success Criterion that ensures content should not limit viewing and interaction to only one screen orientation (portrait or landscape), unless a specific orientation is absolutely necessary.
WCAG 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics is a Level A conformance level Success Criterion. It ensures that instructions for understanding and using content is not depend only on sensory attributes like shape, color, size, visual position, orientation, or sound.
WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence ensures that the order of content on a webpage makes sense, even when someone isn’t looking at it visually.
WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships states that information, structure, and relationships conveyed by the presentation must be discernible through text or programmatically.
WCAG 1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded) is a Level AAA conformance level Success Criterion. It states that an alternative for time-based media is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media and for all prerecorded video-only media.
WCAG 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) is a Level AAA success criterion, requiring videos to include extended spoken descriptions of visual content. When pauses in the main audio don’t fully convey the video’s meaning, extended audio descriptions are provided for all prerecorded, synchronized video content.
Read more Testing Methods: Prerecorded Extended Audio Description
WCAG 1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded) is a Level AAA conformance level Success Criterion. It states that Sign language interpretation is provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media.
WCAG 1.2.5 (Level AA) requires audio description for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.
1.2.4 Captions (Live) is a Level AA criterion that requires captions for all live audio content in synchronized media.
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) requires an audio description or alternative for synchronized media—unless the media is clearly labeled as a text alternative.
Read more Testing Methods: Prerecorded Audio Description or Media Alternative
WCAG 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) is a Level A Success Criterion requiring captions for prerecorded synchronized media, unless it’s clearly labeled as a text alternative.
WCAG 1.2.1 (Audio-only and Video-only – Prerecorded) is a Level A requirement. It mandates alternatives for prerecorded audio-only (e.g., transcripts) and video-only content (e.g., audio descriptions or text alternatives).
Read more Testing Methods: Prerecorded Audio-only and Video-only
People in their early stages of their accessibility journey are often confused about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Conformance levels and what the expectations are to meet them. Here’s a quick glimpse into their meaning and how you should approach them.
There’s a lot of chatter on the intertubes of late around the thoroughness and accuracy of various accessibility testing approaches; Manual, Automated and AI-based testing. I thought it might be good to take a look at these comparisons, to have a better sense when different approaches can be effective.
Read more Automated vs. AI vs. Manual Testing – Text Alternatives