Automated Accessibility Testing

The use of software tools to programmatically check web content against accessibility guidelines such as WCAG, identifying issues like missing alternative text, insufficient color contrast, empty links, and missing form labels. While automated tools such as WAVE, axe, and Lighthouse can efficiently detect many structural violations, research consistently shows they can only catch approximately 30-40% of accessibility issues. They cannot assess the quality or accuracy of alternative text, the usability of complex interactions, or whether content is genuinely comprehensible — making human testing and user feedback essential complements to automated approaches.