Comments on: Checklists are useless. Really?

By: Emanuela Gorla

Emanuela Gorla — Fri, 28 May 2010 00:28:49 +0000

I couldn’t agree more Vlad, the accessibility of websites cannot be assessed using automated testing tools. Understanding the issues that each checkpoint was written to address and the benefits that is meant to bring to users with disabilities is absolutely necessary to decide whether a website satisfies the checkpoint. Clearly, automated testing software cannot do that.

However, in my opinion the origin of the problem does not lie in the fact that checkpoints are not an appropriate mean to evaluate the accessibility of websites. The origin of the problem is, again, that organisations do not understand the importance of accessibility and do not address it seriously.

By: Vlad Alexander

Vlad Alexander — Thu, 27 May 2010 20:15:19 +0000

Many authoring tool vendors have implemented WCAG/Section 508 checklists into accessibility checking features. These checklists give content authors a false sense of accomplishment. The content author’s focus is on doing anything that will pass the checkpoint test rather than real review of content for accessibility issues. Unfortunately, accessibility cannot be packaged into a neat set of automated tests. Let’s take an example. A blank alternate text value will raise an error in accessibility checkers even if it is appropriate for the given image. And if an image contains practically any value for alternate text will cause the checkers to give a passing mark to the checkpoint even if it causes comprehension issues.

By: Gary Barber

Gary Barber — Thu, 27 May 2010 01:30:11 +0000

I can see where you are coming from with the checklists. And I agree in part. However I have seen these checklists so abused and used as the definitive solution. It would be to the point of 9/10 sites that have had the checklist applied have just glossed over most of the issues that are applicable and ticked them off. We all know the story – If is just becomes to hard to do, the solution is simple, just tick it off – no one will know. After all people using the accessibility components don’t use web sites.

Years ago the accessibility community pointed out that the checklist would be open to abuse. And now I say that we have our evidence.

Yes they are helpful in setting a direction and starting point. But when the completion of the checklist is seen as all that is required you really have to question what is the point.

I don’t have the solution (yet) we need something, maybe a stronger peer review process, that can stop this wholesale checklist abuse.