Assessment for Career & Technical Education by Boréal - Module 1: Interface Appearance

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Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images such as database logos, functional icons (e.g., PDF Full Text, Cite, Save, Print), and navigation graphics are positioned within the main content areas and toolbars. They are placed logically near related actions and remain visible within the user’s field of view. No critical images were found in obscure positions such as extreme corners or after unrelated content sections.
Are there functional images embedded in the background?
Answer: Never
Score: 2
Notes: Functional icons and buttons are presented as foreground interface elements rather than background images. When browser zoom or screen resolution changes are applied, the interface adjusts responsively and icons remain aligned with their corresponding labels and functions. No evidence of functional images embedded in the background was observed.
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Informational images, such as database logos or illustrative images on help pages, include appropriate alternative text descriptions. WAVE testing shows that these images are provided with descriptive alt text or an equivalent textual description.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Functional images used as buttons or links (e.g., Cite, Save, Print, Download icons) include accessible labels or alt text that clearly communicates their purpose. Screen readers announce these functions appropriately.
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 database or provider logos, include alt text that reflects the text displayed in the image (e.g., the name of the database or provider). This ensures that screen reader users receive the same information.
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 commonly recognized icons for functions such as PDF Full Text, HTML Full Text, Cite, Save to Folder, Print, and Share. These icons help users quickly identify available actions and are consistently displayed in search results and item records.
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: When the browser zoom is increased to 200%, text remains readable and properly displayed across the main search page, results page, and item records. Text reflows appropriately within the interface and is not truncated or overlapping with other elements.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Icons and interface images (e.g., PDF Full Text, Cite, Save, Print) remain clear and recognizable when zoomed to 200%. Images scale proportionally with the page layout and remain legible.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Most content reflows to fit the browser window when zoomed to 200%, allowing users to read text and navigate without excessive horizontal scrolling. Only minor horizontal scrolling may occur in complex areas such as advanced search filters, but it does not significantly affect usability.
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Using the WAVE accessibility tool, no contrast errors were detected on key pages including the main search page, results page, and item record pages. Text and interface elements maintain sufficient contrast against background colours to meet WCAG minimum contrast requirements.
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Graphs or charts are not typically present within the database interface itself. Graphs may appear within individual articles, but database content is excluded from this module’s evaluation.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The interface uses whitespace, borders, and section headings to clearly separate navigation elements, search tools, and results. This improves readability and helps users distinguish between different sections of the interface.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Actions such as links, buttons, and navigation controls are not conveyed by colour alone. Links are underlined or labeled with descriptive text, and buttons include clear labels (e.g., Search, Cite, Save). This ensures users who cannot perceive colour differences can still understand interface actions.
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Articles available in HTML Full Text include a built-in “Listen” (text-to-speech) feature provided by the EBSCO interface. This allows users to have article content read aloud directly within the platform without needing external software.
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: Buttons and links such as PDF Full Text, HTML Full Text, Cite, Save, and Print have sufficiently large clickable areas and are clearly identifiable.
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 adequately throughout the interface, reducing the likelihood of accidental selection.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All tested navigation links and buttons were functional and directed users to the expected pages or actions.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: All interactive elements tested were accessible using keyboard navigation (Tab key). Focus indicators are visible and allow users to move logically between links and buttons.
Can users pause carousel movement?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: No auto-rotating carousels or moving image galleries were identified in the database interface.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Carousel components are not present in the interface being evaluated.
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Testing with multiple screen resolutions (desktop, tablet, and mobile sizes) shows that the reading order remains logical and consistent.
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Images and icons remain properly aligned with surrounding content across different screen resolutions.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Content reflows appropriately when the screen size changes, preserving usability and readability.
eResource: Career & Technical Education
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: ProQuest
Institution: Boréal
Score: A+

Key Findings

Strengths

  • All text and images meet contrast requirements
  • All images contain a textual alternative
  • Information is preserved at different screen resolutions

Weaknesses

  • Information is distorted when zoomed in at 200%

Images

Positioning of Images

Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Always Images such as database logos, functional icons (e.g., PDF Full Text, Cite, Save, Print), and navigation graphics are positioned within the main content areas and toolbars. They are placed logically near related actions and remain visible within the user’s field of view. No critical images were found in obscure positions such as extreme corners or after unrelated content sections.

Functional images embedded in the background

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Never Functional icons and buttons are presented as foreground interface elements rather than background images. When browser zoom or screen resolution changes are applied, the interface adjusts responsively and icons remain aligned with their corresponding labels and functions. No evidence of functional images embedded in the background 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 commonly recognized icons for functions such as PDF Full Text, HTML Full Text, Cite, Save to Folder, Print, and Share. These icons help users quickly identify available actions and are consistently displayed in search results and item records.

Alt Text

Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always Informational images, such as database logos or illustrative images on help pages, include appropriate alternative text descriptions. WAVE testing shows that these images are provided with descriptive alt text or an equivalent textual description.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always Functional images used as buttons or links (e.g., Cite, Save, Print, Download icons) include accessible labels or alt text that clearly communicates their purpose. Screen readers announce these functions appropriately.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always Images used as text, such as database or provider logos, include alt text that reflects the text displayed in the image (e.g., the name of the database or provider). This ensures that screen reader users receive the same information.

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Always When the browser zoom is increased to 200%, text remains readable and properly displayed across the main search page, results page, and item records. Text reflows appropriately within the interface and is not truncated or overlapping with other elements.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Always Icons and interface images (e.g., PDF Full Text, Cite, Save, Print) remain clear and recognizable when zoomed to 200%. Images scale proportionally with the page layout and remain legible.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always Most content reflows to fit the browser window when zoomed to 200%, allowing users to read text and navigate without excessive horizontal scrolling. Only minor horizontal scrolling may occur in complex areas such as advanced search filters, but it does not significantly affect usability.

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Always Using the WAVE accessibility tool, no contrast errors were detected on key pages including the main search page, results page, and item record pages. Text and interface elements maintain sufficient contrast against background colours to meet WCAG minimum contrast requirements.

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Not Applicable Graphs or charts are not typically present within the database interface itself. Graphs may appear within individual articles, but database content is excluded from this module’s evaluation.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always The interface uses whitespace, borders, and section headings to clearly separate navigation elements, search tools, and results. This improves readability and helps users distinguish between different sections of the interface.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Always Actions such as links, buttons, and navigation controls are not conveyed by colour alone. Links are underlined or labeled with descriptive text, and buttons include clear labels (e.g., Search, Cite, Save). This ensures users who cannot perceive colour differences can still understand interface actions.

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 Articles available in HTML Full Text include a built-in “Listen” (text-to-speech) feature provided by the EBSCO interface. This allows users to have article content read aloud directly within the platform without needing external software.

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 Buttons and links such as PDF Full Text, HTML Full Text, Cite, Save, and Print have sufficiently large clickable areas and are clearly identifiable.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Always Links and buttons are spaced adequately throughout the interface, reducing the likelihood of accidental selection.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Always All tested navigation links and buttons were functional and directed users to the expected pages or actions.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Always All interactive elements tested were accessible using keyboard navigation (Tab key). Focus indicators are visible and allow users to move logically between links and buttons.

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Not Applicable No auto-rotating carousels or moving image galleries were identified in the database interface.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Not Applicable Carousel components are not present in the interface being evaluated.

Liquid layout

Question Answer Notes Images
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap? Always Testing with multiple screen resolutions (desktop, tablet, and mobile sizes) shows that the reading order remains logical and consistent.
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions? Always Images and icons remain properly aligned with surrounding content across different screen resolutions.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions? Always Content reflows appropriately when the screen size changes, preserving usability and readability.
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