Assessment Report

Assessment Information

eResource Title Vendor Overall Grade
ACM Digital Library ACM B

Assessment for ACM Digital Library by Fanshawe - Module 1: Interface Appearance | Status: Complete | Grade: C

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? Sometimes ACM Digital Library logo (and home button) appears in the top left-hand portion of the screen in every instance. The ACM Digital Library database's homepage scrolls extensively and many images and buttons are located below the section break.
Functional images embedded in the background
Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Sometimes The ACM Digital Library logo contains alt text ("ACM Digital Library home") and the ACM Proceedings section of the homepage includes an image with alt text. Other homepage areas, including the navigation bar and Recent Award Winners carousel, contain title descriptions rather than alt text. The homepage is mostly very responsive, but some issues did occur around 768 x 1024 where the ACM Books carousel did not resize appropriately. Examining other pages, such as the search results page, there are more instances of title attributes (e.g., search button icon), and a lack of title or alt text attributes (e.g., edit search icon, save search icon, RSS icon). Tooltips and facet icon images contain alt text; however, citation and add-to-folder icons do not contain alt text.
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 On the search results page, there are buttons to view articles online or as PDF; however, these buttons and icons do not contain alt text, rather they contain descriptive aria labels and are listed (li) as an unordered list (ul). As noted previously, icons to indicate add-to-folder or citations do not contain alt text, but rather aria labels.
Alt Text
Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes There are more instances of title attributes (e.g., search button icon), and a lack of title or alt text attributes (e.g., edit search icon, save search icon, RSS icon), particularly on the search results page. Tooltips and facet icon images contain alt text; however, citation and add-to-folder icons do not contain alt text.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes The ACM Digital Library logo contains the appropriate alt text. As previously noted, many functional images, including icons, contain title attributes and aria labels, rather than alt text.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always The most common instance of images used as text is the ACM Digital Library logo, which contains the appropriate alt text. The database uses many buttons and divs to convey much of this information.

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Always The database is quite responsive, so I did not run into issues regarding unreadable text on the homepage.
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Never When viewing the homepage at 200%, the majority of images, except for the logo, appear pixelated. When examining the search results page at 200%, the 'Published by ACM' tooltip that appears next to the search results is highly pixelated and seems to have lost its formatting. Other tooltips that appear next to search results appear clear and well-formatted.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Sometimes There are many (44) instances of contrast issues on the ACM Digital Library homepage with contrast ratios starting from 1:1. Many text sizes are 'normal', according to WAVE. By examining the CSS in web developer tools, I can see that font sizes are responsive (rem), but appear to start around a 14pt font size on a desktop monitor.

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Not Applicable
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always Blocks of content tend to be separated by white space and/or borders.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Sometimes The ACM Digital Library has suppressed link underlining; however, on the search results page, unopened links are blue and opened links are purple.

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 embedded text-to-speech or read-aloud option. If users require a read-aloud option, they may need to download and open a PDF in an application such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, which contains read-aloud functionality.

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? Sometimes On the homepage, the clickable area around links and buttons appears to be large enough for users to see and activate easily; however, some users might run into issues the further they delve into the database, such as in the search result page. There is a top navigation with clickable areas only as large as the text, which could be problematic (it might even require some additional padding).
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Sometimes The more important links on the homepage appear to be spaced appropriately; however, there are some instances of links/buttons located closely (e.g., ACM Special Interest Groups, ACM Journals, ACM Magazines). Again, navigation links on the search results page are closely spaced and are only the width of the text.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Always Links and buttons appear to be functional.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Sometimes Most links on the ACM Digital Library homepage are functional via keyboard navigation; however, I did experience issues attempting to follow links within carousels.

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Always Carousels are not automatically scrolling and require either mouse or keyboard input from the user.
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Sometimes Carousels are fully keyboard navigable (and skippable), though I had issues following links within carousels.

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

Assessment for ACM Digital Library by Fanshawe - Module 2: Interface Navigation | Status: Complete | Grade: B-

Key Findings

Weaknesses

  • The platform’s layout and navigation is somewhat consistent across all pages
  • Some user input fields contain labels and clear instructions to help users successfully complete the form
  • Page content sometimes has appropriate headers and is tagged appropriately

Labels and Instructions for Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form? Sometimes The search bar field contains placeholder text ('Search') and an aria label ('Search'). Autocomplete for searching appears to be turned off. On the advanced search screen, labels and aria labels are present.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Sometimes ACM Digital Library has opted for aria labels rather than alt text or form labels.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Never There are few form labels within this database; however, aria labels are present.
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Never
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Not Applicable
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Not Applicable

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always

Error Reports

Question Answer Notes Images
Are alert messages clearly visible to the user, either at the top of the form field, inline, or through a dialog box? Always
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Sometimes When attempting to sign-in, the database indicated that my username or password was incorrect, though this tends to be standard practice.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error? Always
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission? Always
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order? Always

Search function spell-check

Question Answer Notes Images
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms? Never There is no spell-check feature present.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Always
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Always There appears to be a lack of alt text associated with icons; however, aria labels (e.g., 'Export Citation', 'Save to Binder', 'View online with eReader') are present.
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Always
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone? Sometimes For the most part, link text is descriptive; however, on the database's homepage, there are 'Read More' links associated with each book under ACM Books.

Consistent Navigation

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages? Sometimes The homepage has slightly different navigation than other pages within the database, and the main navigation bar is located under the search bar as circular buttons. Once into the various pages of this database, the navigation bar is located along the top left-hand side of the page along with a smaller search bar.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Sometimes On the homepage, the search bar is located in the centre of the page. On other pages of this database, the search bar is situated in the navigation bar and often within each page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Sometimes The ACM Digital Library homepage is different than other pages within the database; however, these other pages maintain consistency. The ACM Digital Library logo consistently resides in the same location, as well as the 'Browse', 'About', 'Sign In', and 'Register' buttons.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Always

Pop-up windows/Interruptions

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the electronic resource avoid the use of pop-up windows which open automatically in a new tab if a user clicks on a button? Always Links tend to open in the same tab.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Always
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Sometimes The only pop-up I have encountered while using the ACM Digital Library is to accept cookies upon my initial visit. The database can still be accessed without interacting with the pop-up.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Sometimes Headings are structured as actual headings with a heading tag. Headings on the homepage follow a logical structure; however, the more internal pages (e.g., Journals, Magazines) use nonconsecutive heading levels.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Always

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Always There only appears to be one level of navigation items with no dropdown functionality.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Always
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always

Change of context

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning? Always
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Never There is no 'Update Now' button; filters are applied automatically when searching.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Never

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Always
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus? Always
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus? Always
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control? Always

Assessment for ACM Digital Library by Fanshawe - Module 3: Interface Structure | Status: Complete | Grade: A-

Key Findings

Strengths

  • All interactive functionality works consistently for users who are navigating a site via keyboard
  • Screen readers accurately capture information presented in tables

Navigation Links

Question Answer Notes Images
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text, or from the link text together with its surrounding context? Sometimes Most of the time, the purpose of each link can be easily determined from the link text; however, there are certain instances where the links can be vague. For example, within each article there is a references section, and beneath each reference is a link to view the article on Google Scholar, however, NVDA reads it as 'Google Scholar'.

Keyboard Navigation

Question Answer Notes Images
Can keyboard focus be moved to all page elements? Always The ACM Digital Library has a strong semantic structure that allows the keyboard focus to follow a logical flow.
If moving keyboard focus away from a component requires more than arrow or tab keys, is this clearly indicated on the page? Not Applicable I have not come across an instance of this.
Is default keyboard navigation order logical and intuitive, following the visual flow of the page as described above? Always
When using a keyboard to navigate the interface, is the keyboard focus indicator visible? Always
Does all interactive functionality work via keyboard, and does it behave consistently and as expected? Always
Does focus order move sequentially across form fields? Always

Skip Links

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there skip links (either visible or invisible)? Always
Are skip links visible or invisible? Always
Are skip links (visible or invisible) positioned prominently near the beginning of the page? Always The database homepage has additional skip elements, such as 'Skip Slideshow'.
Are skip links labelled properly? Always
Are skip links accessible via keyboard? Always Yes, in some cases I have Shift+Tab in NVDA at the beginning of the page to get the skip link to appear.
Do anchors (link destinations) appear at the beginning of the relevant content? Always
Do skip navigation controls appear in the same place on every page? Always Skip content links appear in the same place on every page; however, the ACM Digital Library homepage contains additional skip elements, such as 'Skip Slideshow'.

Tables

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the reader capture accurate information as it appears in the table and the columns and rows? Always Order in which information makes sense in each table I tested. I tested with both Read&Write and NVDA. Read&Write could not read MathJax code, but NVDA could read the content.

Frames

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the screen reader successfully navigate from one frame to another? Always Frames are not used frequently in the ACM Digital Library; however, the few frames there are I can navigate easily.
Does each frame have a meaningful title that tells the user the purpose of the frame? Always
When navigating the page using keyboard navigation, is the user able to navigate effectively from one frame to the next? Always

Assessment for ACM Digital Library by Fanshawe - Module 4: Content | Status: Complete | Grade: C

Key Findings

Weaknesses

  • PDFs are searchable but not tagged

PDFs

Searchable PDFs
Question Answer Notes Images
Are the sampled PDFs image-only? Never I checked a variety of PDFs from the 1950s, 2000s, and 2020s, and all were extractable and searchable. Presumably, the 1950s and 2000s articles are scans.
Are the sampled PDFs locked (secured)? Never
Are the sampled PDFs fully searchable? Always
Tagged PDFs
Question Answer Notes Images
Are alternative descriptions provided? Sometimes Of the articles I audited (ranging from the 1950s, 2000s, and 2020s), only one received a passing grade for alternative text.
Is primary language specified? Sometimes Of the articles I audited (ranging from the 1950s, 2000s, and 2020s), only one received a passing grade for primary language.
Is reliable character encoding provided? Sometimes Of the articles I audited (ranging from the 1950s, 2000s, and 2020s), several received passing grades for character encoding.
Are all page elements tagged? Sometimes The latest article is appropriately tagged, but even an article published in 2020 did not have adequate tagged elements.
Are list and table structure correct? Sometimes The latest article is appropriately tagged, but even an article published in 2020 did not have adequate tagged list and table elements.

Structure: Reading Order

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the Read Out Loud function read the PDF in a logical way, preserving the order of the text and various sections? Sometimes The Read Out Loud function reads through the PDF fairly well; however, instead of reading through the full article, the function reads through the reference for the article before continuing to read the article. When using the Read Out Loud Function on the 1950s article, the whole first page was empty, but Read Out Loud could read the article starting on the second page. The 2000s and 2020s articles both functioned well enough.
Does the Read out Loud function avoid problematic elements such as excessive blank spaces read as “blank”? Not Applicable Did not run into situations where there may have been blank spaces.
Are the controls consistent and effective for navigating through the document? Always

Magnification

Question Answer Notes Images
When zooming in to 250%, does all text, images, tables, and other elements appear clear and easy to read? Always

Images

Positioning of Images
Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Always
Alternative Description
Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Never None of the articles I tested contained alt text for informative images.
Do images used as titles contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Not Applicable
Do rich images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Never From the sample of articles I tested, no suitable alternative text could be found.

Tables

Question Answer Notes Images
Are tables tagged and described with in-text summaries where appropriate? Sometimes For the most part, the Read Out Loud function read tables row by row, though it had issues with the 1950s article. Another table in the 2000s article was not formatted correctly as a table and could not be read.
Do table headers allow for easy navigation with screen readers? Sometimes The user can use their keyboard to navigate through table headers; however, some articles are scanned and tend to run into issues.

Additional Navigational Aids

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the bookmarks panel display bookmarks? Sometimes Of the articles I checked, only one had any bookmarks at all, and this was for the references list.
Do bookmarks link to the correct sections in the document? Always On the single article I found with bookmarks, the bookmark does link to the references list of the article.

Video Captions

Question Answer Notes Images
Are videos captioned? Not Applicable
If captions are closed, and need to be turned on by the user, is that process straightforward and intuitive? Not Applicable
Are captions typo-free and grammatically correct (unless slang and grammatical errors are intentionally used in the video)? Not Applicable
Does caption placement avoid blocking any important visual components necessary to understand the video? Not Applicable
Are the captions in sync with spoken words? Not Applicable
For videos that contain captions, are transcripts provided? Not Applicable
For videos that do not contain captions, are transcripts provided? Not Applicable

Described Video

Question Answer Notes Images
Do videos include described video, or if not, is there a text equivalent of the video provided on the same page or via a link? Not Applicable
If the video includes described video or a text equivalent of the video, is it an accurate description of the video contents? Not Applicable

Audio Accessibility

Question Answer Notes Images
Is a link to a text transcript provided in reasonable proximity to the audio clip? Not Applicable
If a transcript is provided, does it accurately capture the content of the audio? Not Applicable
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