Assessment for Canadian Points of View Reference Source by Boréal - Module 1: Interface Appearance

Submitted by jonathan.camar… on
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images, including the database logo and functional icons (e.g., print, cite, save, share), are positioned clearly and adjacent to their related content. They are not placed in isolated upper or lower corners, nor do they appear after section breaks. Image placement remains consistent across the main search page, results page, and item record pages. At 200% zoom, images remain visible and properly aligned with their associated functions.
Are there functional images embedded in the background?
Answer: Never
Score: 2
Notes: Functional images such as search icons, navigation buttons, and action icons (e.g., save, cite, print) are not embedded in the background. When text size is enlarged to 200% and the browser window is resized, foreground elements remain properly aligned and maintain their functional context. No misalignment between background and foreground elements was observed.
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: No standalone informational images conveying independent visual information were identified within the database interface. Images present are primarily functional icons or logos. Database content images (e.g., images within articles) were excluded from this module in accordance with assessment guidelines.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Functional images, including search, PDF Full Text, Cite, Save (Folder), Print, and Share icons, contain appropriate alt text or accessible labels that clearly indicate their function. Where icons appear alongside text, the textual equivalent provides clear functional context. No missing alt text errors for functional images were identified during WAVE testing.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images used as text, such as platform and database logos, contain appropriate alt text that accurately reflects the wording displayed in the image. Alt text is concise and provides equivalent textual information for screen reader users. No missing or inappropriate alt text for images used as text was identified during testing.
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The interface includes appropriate functional icons, such as PDF Full Text, Cite, Save (Folder), Print, and Share icons. These icons support navigation and enhance usability without replacing essential text labels. Icons are used consistently across the search results and item record pages.
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: At 200% browser zoom, text remains intact, readable, and properly reflows within the page layout. No text was observed to be cut off or overlapping across the main search page, results page, or item record pages.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images, including functional icons and logos, remain clear and legible at 200% zoom. No significant pixelation or distortion affecting usability was observed.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: At 200% zoom, horizontal scrolling is minimized. Content reflows appropriately within the browser window, and navigation remains accessible without requiring excessive horizontal scrolling.
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: WAVE testing did not identify contrast errors. Text and interface elements meet the minimum WCAG 2.0 AA contrast ratio requirement of 4.5:1. No significant contrast deficiencies were observed across tested pages.
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: No colour-coded graphs were identified within the database interface. Graphical content within articles is excluded from this module as per assessment guidelines.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Content sections are clearly separated using whitespace, headings, and structured layout. Search results, filters, and navigation areas are visually distinct and easy to differentiate.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Colour is not used as the sole means of conveying information. Buttons and links include clear textual labels in addition to colour cues. Status messages provide text-based confirmation alongside visual indicators.
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The database includes an embedded text-to-speech (Listen) feature within HTML Full Text articles. Users can activate the read-aloud function directly from the article interface. Playback controls and synchronized highlighting support accessibility for users who rely on auditory content.
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: Clickable areas around links and buttons are clearly visible and sufficiently sized for activation. Buttons such as Search, PDF Full Text, Cite, Save, and navigation controls are easy to identify and select.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Links and buttons are spaced appropriately throughout the interface. No instances of tightly clustered links causing activation difficulty were observed across the search, results, or item record pages.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All tested links and buttons functioned as expected. No dead or unresponsive links were identified during testing.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: No carousel or dynamic scrolling image functionality was identified within the interface; therefore, this criterion is not applicable.
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Text order is preserved across tested screen resolutions, including tablet and mobile views. Content reflows appropriately, and no overlap of text elements was observed. The logical reading order remains intact.
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images and icons maintain proper alignment at multiple screen resolutions. No overlapping of images with text or interface elements was identified.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The overall reading experience remains consistent and usable across tested resolutions. Navigation, search functionality, and content display adapt effectively to smaller screen sizes.
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: EBSCO
Institution: Boréal
Score: A+

Key Findings

Strengths

  • All text and images meet contrast requirements
  • All images contain a textual alternative
  • Information is not distorted when zoomed in at 200%
  • Information is preserved at different screen resolutions

Images

Positioning of Images

Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Always Images, including the database logo and functional icons (e.g., print, cite, save, share), are positioned clearly and adjacent to their related content. They are not placed in isolated upper or lower corners, nor do they appear after section breaks. Image placement remains consistent across the main search page, results page, and item record pages. At 200% zoom, images remain visible and properly aligned with their associated functions.

Functional images embedded in the background

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Never Functional images such as search icons, navigation buttons, and action icons (e.g., save, cite, print) are not embedded in the background. When text size is enlarged to 200% and the browser window is resized, foreground elements remain properly aligned and maintain their functional context. No misalignment between background and foreground elements was observed.

Presence of Icons

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc? Always The interface includes appropriate functional icons, such as PDF Full Text, Cite, Save (Folder), Print, and Share icons. These icons support navigation and enhance usability without replacing essential text labels. Icons are used consistently across the search results and item record pages.

Alt Text

Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Not Applicable No standalone informational images conveying independent visual information were identified within the database interface. Images present are primarily functional icons or logos. Database content images (e.g., images within articles) were excluded from this module in accordance with assessment guidelines.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always Functional images, including search, PDF Full Text, Cite, Save (Folder), Print, and Share icons, contain appropriate alt text or accessible labels that clearly indicate their function. Where icons appear alongside text, the textual equivalent provides clear functional context. No missing alt text errors for functional images were identified during WAVE testing.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always Images used as text, such as platform and database logos, contain appropriate alt text that accurately reflects the wording displayed in the image. Alt text is concise and provides equivalent textual information for screen reader users. No missing or inappropriate alt text for images used as text was identified during testing.

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Always At 200% browser zoom, text remains intact, readable, and properly reflows within the page layout. No text was observed to be cut off or overlapping across the main search page, results page, or item record pages.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Always Images, including functional icons and logos, remain clear and legible at 200% zoom. No significant pixelation or distortion affecting usability was observed.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always At 200% zoom, horizontal scrolling is minimized. Content reflows appropriately within the browser window, and navigation remains accessible without requiring excessive horizontal scrolling.

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Always WAVE testing did not identify contrast errors. Text and interface elements meet the minimum WCAG 2.0 AA contrast ratio requirement of 4.5:1. No significant contrast deficiencies were observed across tested pages.

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Not Applicable No colour-coded graphs were identified within the database interface. Graphical content within articles is excluded from this module as per assessment guidelines.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always Content sections are clearly separated using whitespace, headings, and structured layout. Search results, filters, and navigation areas are visually distinct and easy to differentiate.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Always Colour is not used as the sole means of conveying information. Buttons and links include clear textual labels in addition to colour cues. Status messages provide text-based confirmation alongside visual indicators.

Text to speech

Question Answer Notes Images
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options? Always The database includes an embedded text-to-speech (Listen) feature within HTML Full Text articles. Users can activate the read-aloud function directly from the article interface. Playback controls and synchronized highlighting support accessibility for users who rely on auditory content.

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 Clickable areas around links and buttons are clearly visible and sufficiently sized for activation. Buttons such as Search, PDF Full Text, Cite, Save, and navigation controls are easy to identify and select.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Always Links and buttons are spaced appropriately throughout the interface. No instances of tightly clustered links causing activation difficulty were observed across the search, results, or item record pages.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Always All tested links and buttons functioned as expected. No dead or unresponsive links were identified during testing.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Always Links and buttons are accessible via keyboard navigation. Tabbing through the interface highlights interactive elements in a logical order, and actions can be activated using the Enter key.

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Not Applicable No carousel or auto-rotating content was identified within the database interface.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Not Applicable No carousel or dynamic scrolling image functionality was identified within the interface; therefore, this criterion is not applicable.

Liquid layout

Question Answer Notes Images
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap? Always Text order is preserved across tested screen resolutions, including tablet and mobile views. Content reflows appropriately, and no overlap of text elements was observed. The logical reading order remains intact.
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions? Always Images and icons maintain proper alignment at multiple screen resolutions. No overlapping of images with text or interface elements was identified.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions? Always The overall reading experience remains consistent and usable across tested resolutions. Navigation, search functionality, and content display adapt effectively to smaller screen sizes.
Previous12Next