Assessment for Road to IELTS by Conestoga - Module 1: Interface Appearance

Submitted by Kcaporiccio@co… on
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are very few images on the entire website as the focus of the content is on test preparation. Most of the multimedia content on the site is video. Some of the exercises use a decorative stock photo, but they are always in the same spot with the same dimensions. The few images that are there are prominent on the page and are functional or decorative.
Are there functional images embedded in the background?
Answer: Never
Score: 2
Notes: None of the functional images are embedded into the background of the website. There wasn't an option to increase text size, however when the browser width and height was changed, none of the functional images became misaligned. The images all adapted with the change.
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: With some of the informative images there is the inclusion of an appropriate textual alternative. An example of this is the "Reading" "Listening" Speaking" and "Writing" categories on the homepage. However, in the modules themselves there is no usage of alt text or an appropriate textual alternative. The images relate directly to the content of the module (supplements the examination subject area) but there is no way to know this with a screen reader. Across the entire website there is no usage of Alt text.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: With each functional image there is appropriate accompanying text, however there is no usage of Alt Text across the entire website.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is no usage of alt text on this website.
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: This website is primarily module based with any PDF content, downloadable material, or printable material opening to a new tab. The website itself does not contain icons.
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: When zoomed at 200% most text is intact, readable, and not cut off. There were a few instances where it became difficult to navigate test materials. For example when zoomed at 200% listening - practice zone- set 4- labelling diagram became almost impossible to see with such a small window to scroll in.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images that are visible remain clear at 200%. When zoomed however, some decorative images or informative images that were visible disappear from the modules entirely. It is unclear if they are cut off, or if they are intentionally removed when Zoomed. Ex: Listening- Practice Zone- Set 4- Form Completion, the tiger is visible at 175% but disappears at 200%.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There was only one instance of horizontal scrolling that I was able to see when zoomed: resource Bank page. I am still including it in the "always section" since it is a rarity.
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Some of the images and text fail the contrast ratio. The icons and text for navigation do not make this ratio on any page, the percentage of completion does not on the homepage, and licensing information does not in the footer.
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are limited graphics on this website. However the ones I was able to find in the 'progress report' section do not have text equivalents for colour coded graphs. You would not know which colour indicated which segment if you were unable to see them. [Image attached].
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All content is separated on this website with whitespace or borders.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: I have not found any instances where colour is used to indicate an action. The site utilizes buttons for anything that is clickable outside of a module.
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There is no option for text to speech on this website. I think it is because of the unique usage of this website. It is broken down into specific skill sets for formal examinations; English reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Using your mouse, is the clickable area around links and buttons large enough for users to see and activate easily?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The clickable area around links and buttons are quite large, they are easy to see and activate.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The buttons and links are far enough apart for users to accurately activate.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All of the links that I tested were active links.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: You are not able to use keyboard navigation for nearly all of this website let alone links. The only place in which you can attempt to keyboard navigate is the resource bank. A few of those links are accessible vie keyboard navigation.
Can users pause carousel movement?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no carousels on this website.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no carousels on this website.
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: One note, on smaller screen sizes there are very rare instances in which the text for the homepage [overall coverage x%] becomes quite small. [image attached].
eResource: Road to IELTS
eResource Type: Website
Vendor: NAS
Institution: Conestoga
Score: B-

Key Findings

Strengths

  • Information is not distorted when zoomed in at 200%
  • Information is preserved at different screen resolutions

Weaknesses

  • Some text and images meet contrast requirements
  • Some images contain a textual alternative

Images

Positioning of Images

Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Always There are very few images on the entire website as the focus of the content is on test preparation. Most of the multimedia content on the site is video. Some of the exercises use a decorative stock photo, but they are always in the same spot with the same dimensions. The few images that are there are prominent on the page and are functional or decorative.

Functional images embedded in the background

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Never None of the functional images are embedded into the background of the website. There wasn't an option to increase text size, however when the browser width and height was changed, none of the functional images became misaligned. The images all adapted with the change.

Presence of Icons

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc? Not Applicable This website is primarily module based with any PDF content, downloadable material, or printable material opening to a new tab. The website itself does not contain icons.

Alt Text

Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes With some of the informative images there is the inclusion of an appropriate textual alternative. An example of this is the "Reading" "Listening" Speaking" and "Writing" categories on the homepage. However, in the modules themselves there is no usage of alt text or an appropriate textual alternative. The images relate directly to the content of the module (supplements the examination subject area) but there is no way to know this with a screen reader. Across the entire website there is no usage of Alt text.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always With each functional image there is appropriate accompanying text, however there is no usage of Alt Text across the entire website.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Never There is no usage of alt text on this website.

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Sometimes When zoomed at 200% most text is intact, readable, and not cut off. There were a few instances where it became difficult to navigate test materials. For example when zoomed at 200% listening - practice zone- set 4- labelling diagram became almost impossible to see with such a small window to scroll in.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Always Images that are visible remain clear at 200%. When zoomed however, some decorative images or informative images that were visible disappear from the modules entirely. It is unclear if they are cut off, or if they are intentionally removed when Zoomed. Ex: Listening- Practice Zone- Set 4- Form Completion, the tiger is visible at 175% but disappears at 200%.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always There was only one instance of horizontal scrolling that I was able to see when zoomed: resource Bank page. I am still including it in the "always section" since it is a rarity.

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Sometimes Some of the images and text fail the contrast ratio. The icons and text for navigation do not make this ratio on any page, the percentage of completion does not on the homepage, and licensing information does not in the footer.

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Never There are limited graphics on this website. However the ones I was able to find in the 'progress report' section do not have text equivalents for colour coded graphs. You would not know which colour indicated which segment if you were unable to see them. [Image attached].
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always All content is separated on this website with whitespace or borders.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Not Applicable I have not found any instances where colour is used to indicate an action. The site utilizes buttons for anything that is clickable outside of a module.

Text to speech

Question Answer Notes Images
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options? Never There is no option for text to speech on this website. I think it is because of the unique usage of this website. It is broken down into specific skill sets for formal examinations; English reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

Clustered Links

Question Answer Notes Images
Using your mouse, is the clickable area around links and buttons large enough for users to see and activate easily? Always The clickable area around links and buttons are quite large, they are easy to see and activate.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Always The buttons and links are far enough apart for users to accurately activate.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Always All of the links that I tested were active links.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Never You are not able to use keyboard navigation for nearly all of this website let alone links. The only place in which you can attempt to keyboard navigate is the resource bank. A few of those links are accessible vie keyboard navigation.

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Not Applicable There are no carousels on this website.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Not Applicable There are no carousels on this website.

Liquid layout

Question Answer Notes Images
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap? Always
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions? Always
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions? Always One note, on smaller screen sizes there are very rare instances in which the text for the homepage [overall coverage x%] becomes quite small. [image attached].
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