Automated versus Manual Accessibility Testing
Automated accessibility testing tools can be useful and time-saving in performing some very basic accessibility checks. However, they must be used with caution and they cannot be used as a stand-alone guide for accessibility checking. Expert accessibility knowledge should always be applied to evaluate the accessibility of a Web site.
Manual Accessibility Testing is based on the tester's judgment. Jim Thatcher, a subject-matter expert, notes that "judgment comes in with questions such as whether or not the value of the alt attribute conveys the function of an active image, or the information in an inactive image."
Article of Interest
Check out: Pitfalls of Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools by Peter Krantz.
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