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Directory of Open Access Journals

Summary

This assessment covers portions of the Directory of Open Access Journals application. The assessment revealed some problems with screen reader compatibility, resulting in screen reader users sometimes missing critical information needed to understand how to operate the features. 

Top 3 Issues:

  1. Lack of section headings – While the pages are generally fairly usable for someone who is sighted, the lack of section headings will make navigation hard for someone who isn’t and relies on a screen reader to navigate around the content. Providing a meaningful heading structure to the pages would go a long way towards making it easier to use.
  2. Screen reader compatibility – Several parts of the application are incompatible with screen readers or fail to convey the current states of the features, such as whether sections are expanded, or their content updated. Many screen reader users will find this lack of information about the interface confusing.
  3. Insufficient color contrast – There are many instances throughout the application where minimum color contrast requirements are not met. This will make it difficult for people with low vision and/or color blindness to use the application.