Test recommendations of the AbI-Project

The Aktionsbündnis für barrierefreie Informationstechnik (AbI) recommends 3 test procedures to verify accessibility. The basis for all recommendations is the Barrierefreie Informationstechnik-Verordnung BITV. The test procedures build on one another and which test is selected depends on the stage of the project and the knowledge of the web designers.

The procedures were aligned in the "Test" workshop of the AbI-project. As a member of the AbI-project, WEB for ALL contributed to the "Test" workshop.

WEB for ALL performs all tests which are described. If you are interested you may contact us without obligation: kontakt@webforall.info.  

You can find additional information about the test under 'Our Offers / Tests'

Preliminary test

The preliminary test is aimed at newcomers who do not have extensive experience with accessibility. It gives a first impression.

A selection of especially important BITV criteria is tested. These checks contain points from areas such as noticeability, usability, technological robustness and understandability.

Three pages are completely reviewed:

• Homepage (if there is an introduction then the following page is checked)
• A page that is directly reachable from the homepage and has images and other elements
• An additional page such as a contact form

As the test is heavily restricted it does not prove accessibility and therefore awards like "AbI-Preliminary Test passed" are not possible. The preliminary test is no basis for any certification.

BITV-Short test

The BITV-Short test  determines if a site is created or maintained in an accessible way. The web designer should have intensively addressed accessibility.

The basis for the test is the requirements and conditions of BITV. In the short test both priority levels of the BITV are considered. The test is structured in 52 check steps.

The test procedure which was developed by the project "BIK - barrierefrei informieren und kommunizieren" is mainly recommended by the action alliance (AbI).

The workshop "Test" requests some changes:

• The complete site is verified. Nothing may be excluded from testing - not even archived pages.

• Advertising must not be excluded from the verification. Advertising can possibly lead to the fact that a site contains substantial barriers.

The BITV-Short test is not a basis for the assignment of an award. The test verifies all pages with at least 3 pages selected for verification. The results are assigned to the other navigation points by the person who made the request. For page selection, pages with different construction should be considered. Pages where barriers are expected have to be included. The web designer must not know in advance which areas are to be checked.

Main test

This test is in addition to the BITV-Short test. If the results of the short test were positive then the main test can be carried out. This test is suitable for a provider who wants to sustain accessibility and have this approved. The main test can be basis for a certification.

This test proves accessibility on a long-term basis. In addition to the BITV-criteria, processes are reviewed. The selection of pages varies in the different checks. For the evaluation of understandability different pages could be reviewed than those which are used to evaluate accessible design. Usually at least five pages are selected.

The main test consists of three parts:

• Verification of process quality an sustainability
• Verification of accessible design
• Verification of understandability

You can find more information according test recommendations of the AbI-project under:
www.wob11.de/testempfehlunguebersicht.html