iOS technology

This technology platform covers iOS based products. The iPhone (3gs and later), iPad and the iPod Touch (4th generation and later).

iOS provides a rich Accessibility API allowing developers to design diverse accessible user interfaces using standard and custom controls.

Apple provides extensive documentation on the API that can found in the Accessibility Programming Guide for iOS

Audio, Video and Multimedia

Ensure audio does not disrupt text to speech functionality of assistive technologies

Ensure audio information is not the only method used to indicate completion or error

Ensure audio is not played automatically on load

Ensure multimedia playback can be controlled

Ensure visual multimedia content is sufficiently described in the audio portion of the multimedia

Provide a text transcript for audio only presentations

Provide synchronized captions for multimedia content

Provide text transcript or audio track of video only presentations

Provide user controls for audio description at the same menu level as the user controls for volume or program selection.

Provide user controls for the selection of captions at the same menu level as the user controls for volume or program selection.

Authoring Tools

Ensure authoring tools are capable of prompting authors to create content that conforms to WCAG 2 Level A/AA and conformance requirements

Ensure authoring tools capable of exporting to PDF 1.7 allow for the author to create PDF/UA conformant documents

Ensure authoring tools preserve the information required for accessibility when converting content from one format to another or saving content in different formats

Ensure when templates are provided a variety of accessibility conformant templates are available

Color

Ensure a variety of color contrast selections when colors from the iOS are not used

Ensure active user interface components have sufficient contrast

Ensure all parts of charts and infographics required for understanding the content have sufficient contrast

Ensure color and text formatting are not the sole means of communicating information

Ensure color and text formatting are not the sole means of communicating selection

Ensure content that provides meaning through color, also conveys this meaning without color, directly in the content, on-screen, and without additional user interaction

Ensure parts of graphical objects essential for understanding content have sufficient contrast

Ensure text and images of text provide sufficient contrast

Dynamic Content and Animation

Ensure addition and removal of on-screen components are properly exposed to assistive technology

Ensure animation content is sufficiently described in text

Ensure assistive technologies are aware of content changes in real time

Ensure auto-updating dynamic content can be paused, stopped, or hidden

Ensure elements blink or flash in a safe threshold

Ensure elements do not blink or flash more than twice a second

Ensure layout changes are indicated programmatically

Ensure screen transition and decorative animation settle within 5 seconds

Provide a non-animated method to step through/control animation

Error Handling

Ensure error messages are in a platform specific alert or focus is moved to the error message after submit

Provide a clear indication of errors

Provide a consistent implementation of error and alert mechanisms

Provide error prevention for legal commitments and financial data

Provide suggestions for error messages when known

Focus

Ensure all input elements and controls can receive focus

Ensure context is not changed when focus changes occur

Ensure focus is logically set when a module opens and when pop-up alerts close

Ensure focus is not forcibly shifted on input

Ensure focus, text insertion point, and selection attributes that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through the use of assistive technology.

Ensure navigation and input focus is indicated visually and programmatically

Ensure that content that appears on hover may be moved over with a pointer without disappearing

Ensure the focus order of interactive elements on the page is logical

Forms & Controls

Ensure applications allow assistive technology to programmatically execute available actions on objects.

Ensure elements are sufficiently described

Ensure form field constraints are clearly indicated

Ensure multi-part (grouped) controls are accessible and provide context

Ensure that instructive text is placed at the beginning of a form

Ensure the current value and any set or range of allowable values are programmatically determinable

Ensure the visible text label for a control is included in the control’s accessible name

Provide a keyboard type for text input fields

Provide a programmatically determinable list of all actions that can be executed on an object

Provide an accessible alert method for content changes that occur without explicit user knowledge

Provide valid labels for all form elements

Provide visible labels or instructions for all input controls

General Use

Avoid restricting the operation or viewing of content in different display orientations

Document accessibility and compatibility features

Enhancements that are provided for users with disabilities shall not be provided in a mutually exclusive fashion

Ensure Accessibility Inspector or VoiceOver is enabled before automated testing begins

Ensure accessibility is initialized for contained elements and container element count is correct

Ensure accessible usage of time based sessions

Ensure all controls and non-decorative content enable accessibility

Ensure alternative user interfaces that functions as assistive technology use platform and other industry standard accessibility services.

Ensure apps allow user preferences from platform settings for color, contrast, font type, font size, and focus cursor.

Ensure container view itself is not accessible

Ensure editable text that can be set by the user can be set programmatically, including through assistive technology

Ensure element traits (role and state) are correct

Ensure ICT support services provides information on accessibility and compatibility features

Ensure multi part controls that act as a single unit appear as a single accessible control

Ensure speech is not the only means to access content

Ensure states and properties that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

Ensure text is displayed using proper platform functions

Ensure that applications do not interfere with documented accessibility features of the platform and assistive technology

Ensure values that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology

Identify table header cells and provide a relationship between header and data cells

Provide support for effective communicate to support services

Language and Content

Ensure an app’s natural language is identified

Ensure changes in natural language are identified inline

Ensure content that appears on hover or focus is persistent until dismissed, not valid, or the trigger is removed

Ensure content that provides alternatives for non-accessible content provides equivalent functionality

Ensure headings and labels are descriptive and unique

Ensure headings are denoted through structure and not implicitly

Ensure hidden, decorative and duplicate content and artifact elements are not exposed to assistive technologies

Ensure instructions do not rely solely on sensory characteristics

Ensure pages reflow without requiring two-dimensional scrolling without loss of content or functionality

Ensure shape and location are not the sole methods used to communicate information or hierarchy

Ensure that content that appears on hover or focus may be dismissed by the user

Ensure that the reading order of content is logical

Provide a clear title for all screens

Provide consistent labels for controls, images and other common elements

Provide for user control of font size

Provide headings to organize content

Navigation and Input

Ensure access to alternative input methods

Ensure controls provide support for the accessibility input methods used by the assigned trait/role

Ensure element text is meaningful out of context

Ensure element text is meaningful within context

Ensure events triggered by single-point activation can be cancelled

Ensure focus is not trapped

Ensure screens use a consistent navigation structure

Ensure scrolling occurs as needed when logical navigation is used

Ensure that character key shortcuts without modifiers can be reconfigured or deactivated

Ensure that functionality can be operated through a single pointer except when a multi-point or path based gesture is essential

Ensure that motion is not the only method to activate user interface components

Ensure there is more than one way to locate an app in a set of apps

Ensure touch focus areas for active elements do not overlap

Ensure touch screen actions are triggered on removal and not on initial touch

Provide a mechanism to skipping past repeated content within an app that is within a set of apps

Provide inactive space around touch screen elements

Non-text Elements

Avoid duplication of information such as control name, state or role in alternatives

Ensure non-decorative images provide informative alternative text

Ensure text is used instead of images of text when technology allows

Provide textual equivalents for all non-text elements including sounds and images