Why should I test with more than a screen reader?

Accessibility testing is just one step in ensuring online content is accessible to all people. Just because a website passes WCAG 2.1 AA standards, there still may be things that cause issues for users. Assistive Technology includes any device that give user alternative access to the internet/technology. Screen readers are just one type assistive technology. Below are some other assistive technologies and groups that might benefit from them:

• Refreshable Braille Displays - people with low to no vision, people who are deaf-blind
• Sip-and-Puff Devices- people with limited mobility
• Page Magnifiers- people with low vision
• Speech-to-text software- people with limited mobility

Some of these technologies allow users to understand page content (screen readers, page magnifiers, Refreshable Braille Displays) while others allow users to interact with the page's content (sip-and-puff devices, speech-to-text software). That is why it's important to test with multiple assistive technologies.

To read more about different types of assistive technologies, check out the Accessible Web blog posts: Assistive Technology Focus.