Modern mobile operating systems offer built-in accessibility features that make it accessible for users with special needs. Most of the apps available in the different market places are not accessible...

1. Accessibility on mobile apps

2. What is accessibility?
It is an opportunity for developers; they can make sure that their
products are "accessibility-friendly".
It is the "ability to access" and give benefit to as many people as
possible to some system or entity.
It is a challenge: lots of users with
special needs (e.g. the elderly, blind,
visually impaired or deaf users) find
barriers which don´t allow them to
access technology.

4. Are your apps accessible?
Are you sure that your products are compatible with
accessibility tools used by people with special needs?
Do you think about
accessibility while
developing your
products?

5. Accessibility... why?
• 15% of people in the world have challenges
accessing technology. (source: World Health Organization).
• Integration of people with special needs to
the “Virtual Society”.
• Show your company's corporate
responsability.
Social benefits
Financial benefits
• Milions of potential users are currently unable
to access technology.
• Market saturation is not true when it comes
to accessible apps.
• Comply with accessibility laws in different
countries.

6. Mobile Assistive Technologies (AT)
Mobile
ATs
Specialized
gesture UIs
Voice
recognition
Screen
Reader
Specialized
external I/O
devices
Screen
Magnifier

7. Accessibility & Mobile Platforms
• Accessibility API sets are
provided by modern Mobile OSs.
• Assistive Technologies provide
alternative UIs which rely on
Accessibility APIs.
• Best Practices on Accessibility
allow developers to create
accessible apps with minimal
extra effort.

8. Accessible Apps
Making accessible apps means developing
products which are compatible
with existing ATs available
for each platform.

9. Useful links
• Android accessibility API guide:
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/accessibility/index.html
• Android accessibility implementation training
http://developer.android.com/training/accessibility/index.html
• iOS accessibility overview
http://www.apple.com/es/accessibility/ios/
• Accessibility Programming Guide for iOS
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/UserExperience/
Conceptual/iPhoneAccessibility/Introduction/Introduction.html

10. Accessible development
• Accessible labeling of functional UI
components.
• Accessible feedback for context changes.
• Accessible feedback for status changes.
• Accessible information refreshing.
• Accessible notifications.
• Accessible progress indicators.
• Accessibility-friendly focus navigation.
Best practices on accessible app development:

11. Accessible development
• Implement Accessibility API interfaces for custom controls.
• Be careful with changing controls.
• Correct description of complex controls such as DataPickers.
• Don't generate accessibility feedback on your own.
• It's not necessary to add descriptions to decorative controls.
• Check that your app's special gestures don't collide with the
ones used by assistive technologies.
Special attention to:

12. Accessible design
• Accessible UI structure.
• Control distribution & grouping.
• Multiple output channels.
• Complementary UI components
for activating functionality.
• Support for multiple input
mechanisms.
• Accessible Multimedia.
Best practices on accessible mobile app design:

13. Multiplatform...
• Native accessibility API is not present.
• The app depends on accessibility of
the web control.
Accessibility on multiplatform apps:

14. Accessibility... when?
• Accessibility still makes the
difference.
• Reach ALL your potential customers.
• Reduce costs by including
accessibility from the start.

15. • Experts will test the accessibility of your mobile solutions and
guide you all the way to make your apps accessible.
• Specialized engineers provide technical support for accessible
design & development.

16. Accessible App Certification
Company endorsed by ONCE/CIDAT for
mobile app accessibility certification.

17. www.codefactory.es
For more information
Ferran Gállego
ferran.gallego@codefactory.es