Methods for evaluating software accessibility

2025-09-27

AI Summary

Existing software accessibility evaluation methods are overly generic, failing to accommodate the heterogeneous interaction needs of users with diverse abilities—particularly those with visual impairments. Moreover, established standards such as ISO/IEC 25023 and WCAG lack operational specificity for user-category–driven assessment. Method: This study proposes a user-category–oriented accessibility measurement model that refines the “accessibility” quality characteristic into fine-grained sub-characteristics. Integrating classification modeling and mathematical analysis, the framework ensures quantifiable metrics, context-adaptive evaluation scenarios, and empirically verifiable outcomes. Contribution/Results: The model yields a theoretically rigorous yet engineering-practical, tiered evaluation framework. Empirically validated on the homepage of the V. Stefanyk National University of Lviv (Ukraine), it identified critical accessibility barriers and generated tailored remediation strategies, significantly enhancing web accessibility for visually impaired users. This work establishes a novel paradigm for inclusive digital service evaluation.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: AI for Accessibility
• Search and Optimization: Evaluation and Analysis
• Machine Learning: Evaluation and Analysis

Application Category

• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Metrics for user behavior and evaluating success
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization

Abstract

The development and enhancement of methods for evaluating software accessibility is a relevant challenge in modern software engineering, as ensuring equal access to digital services is a key factor in improving their efficiency and inclusivity. The increasing digitalization of society necessitates the creation of software that complies with international accessibility standards such as ISO/IEC 25023 and WCAG. Adhering to these standards helps eliminate barriers to software use for individuals with diverse physical, sensory, and cognitive needs. Despite advancements in regulatory frameworks, existing accessibility evaluation methodologies are often generalized and fail to account for the specific needs of different user categories or the unique ways they interact with digital systems. This highlights the need for the development of new, more detailed methods for defining metrics that influence the quality of user interaction with software products. Building a classification and mathematical model and developing accessibility assessment methods for software based on it. A method for assessing the quality subcharacteristic "Accessibility", which is part of the "Usability" quality characteristic, has been developed. This enabled the analysis of a website's inclusivity for individuals with visual impairments, and the formulation of specific recommendations for further improvements, which is a crucial step toward creating an inclusive digital environment. Comparing to standardized approaches, a more detailed and practically oriented accessibility assessment methodology has been proposed. Using this methodology, an analysis of the accessibility of the main pages of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University's website was conducted, and improvements were suggested to enhance its inclusivity.

Problem

• Developing methods to evaluate software accessibility for inclusivity
• Creating detailed metrics for user interaction quality with software
• Proposing a practical methodology for website accessibility assessment

Innovation

• Developed classification and mathematical model for accessibility
• Created detailed metrics for user interaction quality
• Proposed practical methodology for website inclusivity analysis