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Testing Tools

There are many free tools for testing the accessibility of web sites and web applications, and we've divided them into the following categories.

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    Browser Extensions

    There are many browser extensions that can be useful in testing the accessibility of web pages.

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    Bookmarklets

    Bookmarklets, also known as favelets, are little snippets of JavaScript dressed up as bookmarks and require no installation beyond dragging a link containing the script from a page into your browser’s Favorites or Bookmarks Bar.

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    Color Contrast Checking Tools

    While most general-purpose accessibility testing tools will notify you of problems with color contrast, and sometimes even suggest a better color combination, they can't catch everything. In some cases, you will have to find out what the relevant color values are and enter them in another tool to see if they meet contrast requirements.

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    Site Crawling Accessibility Testing Tools

    Some tools will perform automated accessibility scans of entire site. Here are some good free ones.

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    Software Applications

    Some software applications, either ones that must be installed separately or utilities that come with the operation system, can be used to test the accessibility of web pages.

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    Built-In Accessibility Checkers

    There are accessibility checkers or tools built into some popular browsers and productivity software.

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    Command Line Developer Tools

    For those developers who are really responsible for the nuts and bolts of coding, there are command line tools that can be used to test the accessibility of web pages.