Assessment for ASM Handbooks Online by Fanshawe - Module 1: Interface Appearance

Submitted by a_thom@fanshawec.ca on
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The images are put beside pieces of information and are not random. There are few pictures; most of the ones found are the front covers of the books.
Are there functional images embedded in the background?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: If you zoom in on the main page to at least 250%, you lose some of the text. The institutional accounts and sign-in dropdowns, both become a profile image, that overlaps with other drop-down menus as well.
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: I am giving this one a sometimes, as WAVE is finding errors beside the images, but there is a description of the images, such as one being a picture of a contributor being shown, and his biography beside. With the descriptions beside, there is a learn more button, that follows the same link as clicking on the picture beside. The images are there as a link, and giving a type of visual of a book cover, etc.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: From my understanding, one functional image would be the symbol of a magnifying glass for search. In the search bar, it says "Search..." in light grey font, but I cannot find Alt text for the magnifying glass button. With the WAVE, the search bar becomes vertical and shows up as a redundant link. There are some images that come up as linked images with alt text, and 2 that come up as null or empty.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes:
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are icons on the links for looking at the chapters, like “split-screen,” “chapter PDF,” “Share,” “Tools,” etc.
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: At 200%, the text is intact, readable, and not cut off. The only exception I could find was tabling, as they would have a little bar at the bottom of each to scroll over to see the rest, but these are exceptional cases.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Some images can look a little blurry at 200% but are still legible.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The only horizontal scrolling I could find was again the tables mentioned above.
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Could not find colour coded graphs.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Cannot find an alt text for these links, it seems like they just show up as regular text.
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: I cannot find this choice, but was able to use an outside source to screen read for parts.
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:
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes:
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Can users pause carousel movement?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: At 800 x 600, can find some issues with the screen where the top bar is not appearing off the right side, even when you scroll. Otherwise, it seems everything else formats the way it needs.
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Again, have the issue where it condenses some of the sign-in options to a button that covers some of the other dropdown menus.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: For the most part yes, it does move some of them around to all fit, but they all still flow and go together, other than the pieces mentioned above.
eResource: ASM Handbooks Online
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: ASM international
Institution: Fanshawe
Score: B

Images

Positioning of Images

Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Always The images are put beside pieces of information and are not random. There are few pictures; most of the ones found are the front covers of the books.

Functional images embedded in the background

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Always If you zoom in on the main page to at least 250%, you lose some of the text. The institutional accounts and sign-in dropdowns, both become a profile image, that overlaps with other drop-down menus as well.

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 are icons on the links for looking at the chapters, like “split-screen,” “chapter PDF,” “Share,” “Tools,” etc.

Alt Text

Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes I am giving this one a sometimes, as WAVE is finding errors beside the images, but there is a description of the images, such as one being a picture of a contributor being shown, and his biography beside. With the descriptions beside, there is a learn more button, that follows the same link as clicking on the picture beside. The images are there as a link, and giving a type of visual of a book cover, etc.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes From my understanding, one functional image would be the symbol of a magnifying glass for search. In the search bar, it says "Search..." in light grey font, but I cannot find Alt text for the magnifying glass button. With the WAVE, the search bar becomes vertical and shows up as a redundant link. There are some images that come up as linked images with alt text, and 2 that come up as null or empty.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Always At 200%, the text is intact, readable, and not cut off. The only exception I could find was tabling, as they would have a little bar at the bottom of each to scroll over to see the rest, but these are exceptional cases.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Always Some images can look a little blurry at 200% but are still legible.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always The only horizontal scrolling I could find was again the tables mentioned above.

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Always

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Not Applicable Could not find colour coded graphs.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Never Cannot find an alt text for these links, it seems like they just show up as regular text.

Text to speech

Question Answer Notes Images
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options? Sometimes I cannot find this choice, but was able to use an outside source to screen read for parts.

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
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Always
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Sometimes
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Always

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Not Applicable
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Not Applicable

Liquid layout

Question Answer Notes Images
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap? Sometimes At 800 x 600, can find some issues with the screen where the top bar is not appearing off the right side, even when you scroll. Otherwise, it seems everything else formats the way it needs.
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions? Sometimes Again, have the issue where it condenses some of the sign-in options to a button that covers some of the other dropdown menus.
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions? Sometimes For the most part yes, it does move some of them around to all fit, but they all still flow and go together, other than the pieces mentioned above.
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