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SciFinder N

Summary

***Below is a summary of UARC's accessibility evaluation. For the full report, click the pdf link in the menu on the right.*** 

MSU Usability/Accessibility Research and Consulting (MSU UARC) conducted a high-level accessibility evaluation of the SciFindern platform to evaluate its conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA Criteria. This evaluation did not include all functionality or content of the site or all WCAG 2.1 AA Success Criteria.

Top 3 Issues

During this evaluation, a number of issues were found that will make some site content impossible to use for many individuals with disabilities and will make the site difficult to use for many others.

  1. Keyboard Navigation- Keyboard users, including screen reader users and users with dexterity impairments, will find it impossible to access or use critical site content. A variety of content throughout the site cannot be reached or operated via keyboard, making it impossible to use for those that rely on keyboard access. Focus order is incorrect in some places, increasing the difficulty of using the site with a keyboard. Many interactive elements lack a sufficiently visible focus indicator, making it difficult for many keyboard-only users to effectively use them, as they cannot determine when they have reached the correct element.
  2. Labels- Individuals with visual impairments, including those that rely on screen readers, will also have problems using the site. Some content is not read out correctly and structural information (particularly headings, lists, and tables) is not appropriately conveyed to users, making it difficult or impossible to understand content and organization in places. Some form inputs are not appropriately labeled, making those inputs difficult or impossible to use for those that rely on screen readers. Custom elements do not correctly announce themselves to screen readers, making them difficult to understand and use. 
  3. Alternate Text- Most images have inappropriate or missing alternative text, significantly impacting users with visual impairments.

Other issues were found that will make it difficult for users with a variety of disabilities to effectively use the system, including insufficient color contrast for text and meaningful visual elements, session time limits that cannot be extended, content being obscured when the viewport or text size is changed, text not reflowing when the viewport or text size is changed, problems bypassing repeated navigation, inappropriate page titles, and undeclared changes in language.

To improve access for users with disabilities, MSU UARC recommends a full WCAG 2.1 AA evaluation and that the problems discovered be remediated.