Building an accessibility team
The project champion needs to make sure training is available to all people on the team.
- Create a set of primary and secondary key work paths, i.e. put an item in a shopping cart (first) change avatar image (secondary)
- Add a checklist and try user testing
Resources and Ideas:
- Material Design: accessibility
- Web accessibility course on Udacity by Google
- Joshua Silver and his adjustable glasses
What’s new in Android Accessibility
Accessibility | Android Developers
Accessibility is an important part of any app. Whether you’re developing a new app or improving an existing one, ensure that components are accessible to everyone.
Why develop for accessibility
- 1 in 5 people will have a disability in their life. – 2010 census
- Designing for accessibility benefits blind, low vision, and eyes occupied (driving)
Android includes 4 types of assistive technology:
- TalkBack: Screen reader
- BrailleBack: Braille output for refreshable braille devices
- Switch Access: switch control of device
- Voice Access: control device by voice activation: “scroll up”
Android O’s major focus: increase productivity for users
- new api additions for accessibility
- print disabilities (reading disabilities)
New to TalkBack
accessibilityVolume: adjust audio volumen for accessibiity independently from media. So you can watch youtube and control that separately than talkback. This is available when talkback is on.
Volume from youtube is quieted while talkback is being used. it then fades back into the foreground. There’s a new accessibility volume slider
New gestures for talkback.
If there’s a fingerprint sensor on the back of the device, it can be used by talkback users. The sensor has its own set of customizable gestures. For instance, swipe up on the fingerprint. These can be assigned, such as longpress action
Quickly enable/disable TalkBack
long press the volume keys to quickly turn on/off talkback.
this works on any screen, this makes it easier to test apps and turn off talkback to type information. Press both keys at the same time for a long press and eventually it will turn on/off talkback. the accessibility shortcut can be assigned to switch control, zoom, or other service.
New Text to speech engine can handle multiple languages. Use LocaleSpan to trigger language switching.
2 new APIs
Continuous Gesture API: enable motor impaired users who use head tracker to perform drag and drop, zoom, etc.
Accessibility Button:
A new accessibility button is located in the navigation bar. This allow users to quickly invoke context dependent accessibility features. This sits in the row with back and home buttons
Print disabilities
People with dyslexia, low vision, learning new language… They can now use select to speak. part of talkback 5.2. Select element on screen and talkback will read it. It has a floating action button to enable.
In android o. read whole page, and advanced controls, word level highlighting, set up wizard.
Testing
manual testing: try your app with TalkBack and SwitchAccess.
- if it is ok in talkback, it should be good for brailleback and select to speak
- if it works with switch access, it should also work with voice access.
Accessibility Scanner, free app to download on play store. 
This analyzes the current screen and provides an audit that can be shared.
The accessibility test framework is still requiring espresso and/or robolectric
Android Accessibility Documentation
Android has a new developer hub for understanding accessibility. There’s a page for Android testing.
