Assessment for eBook Collection by Lambton - Module 1: Interface Appearance

Submitted by Rebecca.Pearso… on
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Besides the logo on the results page, all images are centered within their section. Occasionally there will be a menu off to the side that includes icons but within those menus the images are well placed.
Are there functional images embedded in the background?
Answer: Never
Score: 2
Notes:
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There were no unlinked images in the sample nor after doing some searching outside of the sample to try to find one.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Even if alt text was not included, all images or icons in the sample were next to text (often linked itself) indicating the action/destination. Actually the bigger fault was often the alt text when available when only say what nearby text said, making it redundant.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is a very consistent use of icons on this eResource.
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The eResource was so close to getting an always in this section. The only instance of text and image features running into each other and overlapping was on the help page. All other pages were very good for keeping text clear as the size was increased.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Sometimes is used here because although every image was blurred by the time 200% magnification was used, they were not truly pixelated and could still be recognized.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Horizontal scroll bars did not appear at all on a laptop screen until after 200% magnification.
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: There are a couple examples of text in the 4.25-4.35 range that exist on most pages. The database name is in a shade of green slightly too light, and the right menu on item record pages uses to light of a font to label the icons.
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Because this eResource deals with eBooks, visual content of items is not available on the item record pages.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There is a combination of borders and white space used to visually separate text.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: In the sample used, the eResource used dialogue boxes to report the status of the actions.
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: HTML full text is not available for eBooks. Although there is not a prominent embedded feature for text to speech reading of the HTML item record.
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 is either outlined or is the full size of the icon plus the text. Text is never just the letters but rather a small cushion around them, often about the height of the font.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Fine with keyboard navigation but some links can be close together. Usually the problem occurs if it is a list of links within a text block because then the clickable areas are nearly running into each other.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Link maintenance seems fine within the sample.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Can users pause carousel movement?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Carousels are completely under user control.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: **Not always the most efficient way as in the case of the carousel items on the basic search page
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Overlap of text problem occurs only with help feature
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Help feature problem and menus. At smaller screen sizes (or larger magnification) the eResource stops being able to accommodate the expanded menus at the side of the page without overlap. When collapsed, these menus never overlap other features.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Important information is still first, it just takes a little more work to get to the next most important set of information on the page.
eResource: eBook Collection
eResource Type: eBooks
Vendor: EBSCO
Institution: Lambton
Score: A-

Images

Positioning of Images

Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Always Besides the logo on the results page, all images are centered within their section. Occasionally there will be a menu off to the side that includes icons but within those menus the images are well placed.

Functional images embedded in the background

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Never

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 There is a very consistent use of icons on this eResource.

Alt Text

Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Not Applicable There were no unlinked images in the sample nor after doing some searching outside of the sample to try to find one.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes Even if alt text was not included, all images or icons in the sample were next to text (often linked itself) indicating the action/destination. Actually the bigger fault was often the alt text when available when only say what nearby text said, making it redundant.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Sometimes The eResource was so close to getting an always in this section. The only instance of text and image features running into each other and overlapping was on the help page. All other pages were very good for keeping text clear as the size was increased.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Sometimes Sometimes is used here because although every image was blurred by the time 200% magnification was used, they were not truly pixelated and could still be recognized.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always Horizontal scroll bars did not appear at all on a laptop screen until after 200% magnification.

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Sometimes There are a couple examples of text in the 4.25-4.35 range that exist on most pages. The database name is in a shade of green slightly too light, and the right menu on item record pages uses to light of a font to label the icons.

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Not Applicable Because this eResource deals with eBooks, visual content of items is not available on the item record pages.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always There is a combination of borders and white space used to visually separate text.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Always In the sample used, the eResource used dialogue boxes to report the status of the 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? Not Applicable HTML full text is not available for eBooks. Although there is not a prominent embedded feature for text to speech reading of the HTML item record.

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 is either outlined or is the full size of the icon plus the text. Text is never just the letters but rather a small cushion around them, often about the height of the font.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Sometimes Fine with keyboard navigation but some links can be close together. Usually the problem occurs if it is a list of links within a text block because then the clickable areas are nearly running into each other.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Always Link maintenance seems fine within the sample.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Always

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Always Carousels are completely under user control.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Always **Not always the most efficient way as in the case of the carousel items on the basic search page

Liquid layout

Question Answer Notes Images
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap? Sometimes Overlap of text problem occurs only with help feature
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions? Sometimes Help feature problem and menus. At smaller screen sizes (or larger magnification) the eResource stops being able to accommodate the expanded menus at the side of the page without overlap. When collapsed, these menus never overlap other features.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions? Always Important information is still first, it just takes a little more work to get to the next most important set of information on the page.
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