Surveys and Forms Accessibility Testing Checklist

Perform the following accessibility checks to ensure your surveys and forms are accessible.

Overview

The following accessibility checks are phrased as yes/no questions; a “Yes” response means the document or content passes the check, while a “No” response means an accessibility issue is present and should be remediated.

Accessibility checks are categorized by the level of skill required to perform the check. Level 1 checks are the simplest to perform, while level 4 checks require more advanced skills.   Each level builds from the checks in the previous level. Digital content creators can develop their accessibility skills by learning how to perform more advanced checks. 

• Level 1: Run automated tests and fix any errors found
• Level 2: Manual verification of visible content
• Level 3: Manual verification of document properties
• Level 4: Preparing to finalize 

Level 1: 

• Was the automated accessibility checker or accessibility assistant used?
• Were any errors found fixed? 

Level 2: 

• Is a clear title provided?
• Are clear instructions present including how to complete the form and identification of required fields?
• Are all headings in order and nested properly?
• Are headings clear and descriptive?
• Are the font choices clear, legible, and do they adhere to font size recommendations (12 pts) minimum?
• Are sans serif fonts used for the body text?
• Is all hyperlink text unique and descriptive?
• Is the use of color only to indicate meaning avoided?
• Do all images have meaningful alt text and graphics irrelevant to the content set as decorative?
• Do all tables have a header row and/or a header column?
• Are tables avoided for visual formatting of content? 

Level 3: 

• Does the form contain proper metadata (e.g., title, language)?
• Is plain language used, avoiding jargon, and spelling out abbreviations the first time they’re used?
• Is directional and/or sensory language avoided (e.g., “the image to the right” or “the blue icon”)?
• Is the content visible in high contrast mode and dark theme?
• Are images of text avoided?
• Are emojis or other non-standard symbols avoided for bulleted and numbered lists?
• Are all tables simple with no merged, split, or empty cells or multiple header rows?
• Does each table have a caption or associated title?
• Does the color contrast between text and background, link text and background, and graphics and background meet 4.5:1 for text and 3:1 for large text and images minimum contrast requirements?
• Are all interactive components actionable using just a keyboard? (tab to navigate, space/enter to activate and typing or using arrow keys to complete fields)
• Is keyboard focus visible with an outline around the element such as a link or button?
• Do focusable elements receive focus in a meaningful order left to right, top to bottom?
• Does the survey or form display properly on mobile devices in portrait and landscape mode?
• Does the survey or form include progress information or are the questions numbered?
• Are complex question types avoided (e.g., “Choose three items from this list of 50” or multi-step questions that require memory retention)?
• Are all tables simple with no merged, split, or empty cells or multiple header rows?
• Does each table have a descriptive caption or associated title? 

Level 4: 

• Are text alternatives provided for complex charts and graphs?
• Are excessive carriage returns or line breaks avoided to create white space between paragraphs or sections?
• Are graphics clear and understandable in grayscale?
• Is language translation provided for critical information? 

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