DLF Wiki - User contributions [en]

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T19:22:12Z

Dkrahmer: /* Accessibility Overview */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7. Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 9, and the older information has been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App version 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 9.x ====

In our testing of several PDF documents, using the screen reader with the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the PDF page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader instead of using the Zotero Reader, or to use the Read Aloud Function:
* Tab to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero desktop app). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to the play button, and hit Enter.
* You can reactivate the Read Aloud feature by simply pressing Enter again.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 9.x ====

Zotero 9 introduced the Real Aloud option for accessible PDFs in Zotero, as well as "screen reader friendly" new keyboard shortcuts of H to highlight the last sentence read, and U to underline the last sentence read. '''This cannot be used with the NVDA screen reader, as these keys are already assigned to other major functions in NVDA.'''

* Turn on the Read Aloud feature by tabbing to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* Turn off NVDA.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to highlight activate or deactivate the play button.
* As Read Aloud reads, you can press H or U to highlight or Underline the previously read sentence. If you leave NVDA on, you'll hear the NVDA notification that there's no next heading or no next unvisited link.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

===== Using other annotation types =====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. You can only highlight the text without a mouse if you have the Read Aloud function activated and your screen reader turned off. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our testing, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T19:13:28Z

Dkrahmer:

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7. Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 9, and the older information has been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App version 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 9.x ====

In our testing of several PDF documents, using the screen reader with the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the PDF page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader instead of using the Zotero Reader, or to use the Read Aloud Function:
* Tab to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero desktop app). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to the play button, and hit Enter.
* You can reactivate the Read Aloud feature by simply pressing Enter again.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 9.x ====

Zotero 9 introduced the Real Aloud option for accessible PDFs in Zotero, as well as "screen reader friendly" new keyboard shortcuts of H to highlight the last sentence read, and U to underline the last sentence read. '''This cannot be used with the NVDA screen reader, as these keys are already assigned to other major functions in NVDA.'''

* Turn on the Read Aloud feature by tabbing to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* Turn off NVDA.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to highlight activate or deactivate the play button.
* As Read Aloud reads, you can press H or U to highlight or Underline the previously read sentence. If you leave NVDA on, you'll hear the NVDA notification that there's no next heading or no next unvisited link.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

===== Using other annotation types =====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. You can only highlight the text without a mouse if you have the Read Aloud function activated and your screen reader turned off. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our testing, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T19:09:38Z

Dkrahmer: /* Known Accessibility Issues */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App version 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 9.x ====

In our testing of several PDF documents, using the screen reader with the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the PDF page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader instead of using the Zotero Reader, or to use the Read Aloud Function:
* Tab to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero desktop app). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to the play button, and hit Enter.
* You can reactivate the Read Aloud feature by simply pressing Enter again.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 9.x ====

Zotero 9 introduced the Real Aloud option for accessible PDFs in Zotero, as well as "screen reader friendly" new keyboard shortcuts of H to highlight the last sentence read, and U to underline the last sentence read. '''This cannot be used with the NVDA screen reader, as these keys are already assigned to other major functions in NVDA.'''

* Turn on the Read Aloud feature by tabbing to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* Turn off NVDA.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to highlight activate or deactivate the play button.
* As Read Aloud reads, you can press H or U to highlight or Underline the previously read sentence. If you leave NVDA on, you'll hear the NVDA notification that there's no next heading or no next unvisited link.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

===== Using other annotation types =====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. You can only highlight the text without a mouse if you have the Read Aloud function activated and your screen reader turned off. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our testing, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T19:01:01Z

Dkrahmer: /* Zotero Desktop App versions 8.x or 9.x */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App version 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader instead of using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

Zotero 9 introduced the Real Aloud option for accessible PDFs in Zotero, as well as "screen reader friendly" new keyboard shortcuts of H to highlight the last sentence read, and U to underline the last sentence read. '''This cannot be used with the NVDA screen reader, as these keys are already assigned to other major functions in NVDA.'''

* Turn on the Read Aloud feature by tabbing to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* Turn off NVDA.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to highlight activate or deactivate the play button.
* As Read Aloud reads, you can press H or U to highlight or Underline the previously read sentence. If you leave NVDA on, you'll hear the NVDA notification that there's no next heading or no next unvisited link.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

===== Short version of how to use the other annotation types =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. You can only highlight the text without a mouse if you have the Read Aloud function activated and your screen reader turned off. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our testing, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T19:00:38Z

Dkrahmer: /* Zotero Desktop App 7.x, 8.x or 9.x */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App versions 8.x or 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader instead of using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

Zotero 9 introduced the Real Aloud option for accessible PDFs in Zotero, as well as "screen reader friendly" new keyboard shortcuts of H to highlight the last sentence read, and U to underline the last sentence read. '''This cannot be used with the NVDA screen reader, as these keys are already assigned to other major functions in NVDA.'''

* Turn on the Read Aloud feature by tabbing to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* Turn off NVDA.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to highlight activate or deactivate the play button.
* As Read Aloud reads, you can press H or U to highlight or Underline the previously read sentence. If you leave NVDA on, you'll hear the NVDA notification that there's no next heading or no next unvisited link.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

===== Short version of how to use the other annotation types =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. You can only highlight the text without a mouse if you have the Read Aloud function activated and your screen reader turned off. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our testing, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:59:20Z

Dkrahmer: /* Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader instead of using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

Zotero 9 introduced the Real Aloud option for accessible PDFs in Zotero, as well as "screen reader friendly" new keyboard shortcuts of H to highlight the last sentence read, and U to underline the last sentence read. '''This cannot be used with the NVDA screen reader, as these keys are already assigned to other major functions in NVDA.'''

* Turn on the Read Aloud feature by tabbing to the "Toggle Sidebar" button, then arrow right to the Read Aloud button (button navigation is not available in Zotero). It will immediately start reading the PDF, as well as open a small navigation window with an options button, skip back button, play button, skip ahead button, and annotate sentence H/U button.
* Turn off NVDA.
* To pause the Read Aloud feature, tab until you reach the "application options button." Then right arrow to highlight activate or deactivate the play button.
* As Read Aloud reads, you can press H or U to highlight or Underline the previously read sentence. If you leave NVDA on, you'll hear the NVDA notification that there's no next heading or no next unvisited link.
* If you pause or leave the document, and then return to it in the future, Read Aloud will remember where you had left off in reading, and will start speaking immediately at that point of the PDF the next time you activate it.

===== Short version of how to use the other annotation types =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. You can only highlight the text without a mouse if you have the Read Aloud function activated and your screen reader turned off. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our testing, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:42:00Z

Dkrahmer: /* Desktop App 8.x or 9.x */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* You can't remove an article from a collection except by shift-tab into the main article pane, and then deleting that article from that folder.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:40:28Z

Dkrahmer: /* Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by Zotero 6.

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:39:12Z

Dkrahmer: /* Accessibility Overview */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ===

The Zotero desktop app since version 7.x (October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x, 8.x and 9.x versions can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose. With Zotero 9, the Read Aloud option for PDFs is accessible, but you must have your screen reader turned off in order to use the new shortcuts H or U to highlight or underline the previously spoken sentence. H and U did not work with NVDA, as those keys are assigned to other functions. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. App versions since Zotero 7 are also responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by [https://www.zotero.org/download/ Zotero 6].

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:34:12Z

Dkrahmer: /* Known Accessibility Issues */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x ===

The Zotero desktop app version 7.x (as of October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x version can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose and the workflow for PDF annotation may be of limited use to screen reader and keyboard users. Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. Zotero 7 is also, finally, responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by [https://www.zotero.org/download/ Zotero 6].

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 8.x or 9.x ====

Since version 7, Zotero doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items. There is no keyboard shortcut access to choose how to save your output (mouse users have access to RTF, HTML, Copy to Clipboard, or Print).
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
** Relatedly, when using the keyboard to open the Zotero settings to select a new default citation style, we were unable to get the setting dialogue to close by using the keyboard on Version 9.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.
* There is no audio cue or dialogue box to let you know that anything happened. You won't know that you've copied the citations until you paste them into another document.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x or 9.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero Desktop App 8 or 9 ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Archived Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:02:31Z

Dkrahmer: /* Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item */

This page collects the accessibility information for outdated versions of Zotero. We're retaining this information online for any users who must utilize older versions due to complications with their software. This page is not static and might be removed without warning. Information is organized by Zotero Version.

== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ==

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

There is no way to use a screen reader and mouse to move an item from one collection to another while using the desktop app.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using Tab to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

As you can't access the toolbar with just the keyboard, you must use the Ctrl-shift-C keyboard shortcut. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select them, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy them to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-A to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-shift-C to copy into clipboard.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This must be done in the browser version of Zotero.

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

It’s a little more difficult to add a note with the desktop app, as it opens a new sidebar menu without a close button (at least it’s not available to the screen reader/keyboard). You have to switch modes to type, and then switch again to get out of the note and back to the item information.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

There is no way to use the duplicates folder in the older versions of the desktop app.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow was not tested on Zotero Desktop App 5.x nor 6.x.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

== Zotero Desktop App version 7.x ==

Zotero Desktop version 7 was a massive step forward towards accessibility for Zotero.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections with Desktop App 7.x ===

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles with Desktop App 7.x ===

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography with Desktop App 7.x ===

Zotero 7 doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library with Desktop App 7.x ===

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes with Desktop App 7.x ===

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library with Desktop App 7.x ===

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating with Desktop App 7.x ===

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items with Desktop App 7.x ===

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

Archived Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:01:49Z

Dkrahmer: /* Zotero Desktop App version 7.x */

This page collects the accessibility information for outdated versions of Zotero. We're retaining this information online for any users who must utilize older versions due to complications with their software. This page is not static and might be removed without warning. Information is organized by Zotero Version.

== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ==

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

There is no way to use a screen reader and mouse to move an item from one collection to another while using the desktop app.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using Tab to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

As you can't access the toolbar with just the keyboard, you must use the Ctrl-shift-C keyboard shortcut. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select them, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy them to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-A to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-shift-C to copy into clipboard.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This must be done in the browser version of Zotero.

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

It’s a little more difficult to add a note with the desktop app, as it opens a new sidebar menu without a close button (at least it’s not available to the screen reader/keyboard). You have to switch modes to type, and then switch again to get out of the note and back to the item information.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

There is no way to use the duplicates folder in the older versions of the desktop app.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow was not tested on Zotero Desktop App 5.x nor 6.x.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs with Desktop app 5.x or 6.x ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

== Zotero Desktop App version 7.x ==

Zotero Desktop version 7 was a massive step forward towards accessibility for Zotero.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections with Desktop App 7.x ===

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles with Desktop App 7.x ===

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography with Desktop App 7.x ===

Zotero 7 doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library with Desktop App 7.x ===

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes with Desktop App 7.x ===

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library with Desktop App 7.x ===

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating with Desktop App 7.x ===

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items with Desktop App 7.x ===

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T18:01:17Z

Dkrahmer: /* Known Accessibility Issues */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x ===

The Zotero desktop app version 7.x (as of October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x version can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose and the workflow for PDF annotation may be of limited use to screen reader and keyboard users. Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. Zotero 7 is also, finally, responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by [https://www.zotero.org/download/ Zotero 6].

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ====

There is no way to use a screen reader and mouse to move an item from one collection to another while using the desktop app.

==== Desktop App 7.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) and Desktop App 5.x and 6.x ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 7.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using arrow keys to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ====

As you can't access the toolbar with just the keyboard, you must use the Ctrl-shift-C keyboard shortcut. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select them, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy them to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-A to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-shift-C to copy into clipboard.

==== Desktop App 7.x ====

Zotero 7 doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 5.x or 6.x ====

It’s a little more difficult to add a note with the desktop app, as it opens a new sidebar menu without a close button (at least it’s not available to the screen reader/keyboard). You have to switch modes to type, and then switch again to get out of the note and back to the item information.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x and 7.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 5.x and 6.x ====

There is no way to use the duplicates folder in the older versions of the desktop app.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

==== Desktop App version 8.x or 9.x ====

Navigate to the Unfiled Items folder, and open it. Select an item, then tab to the Info pane, then arrow down to the Libraries and Collections. Tab to Add to a Library or Collection, and press enter, then select the folder where you want to put the record.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Archived Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T17:49:22Z

Dkrahmer:

Archived Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T17:48:34Z

Dkrahmer:

Archived Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T17:35:54Z

Dkrahmer: Created page with "This page collects the accessibility information for outdated versions of Zotero. We're retaining this information online for any users who must utilize older versions due to complications with their software. This page is not static and might be removed without warning."

Zotero Accessibility

2026-05-15T17:33:13Z

Dkrahmer:

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Zotero. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted. Information about older versions of Zotero have been moved to the [[Archived Zotero Accessibility]] page.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Due to the complexity of use cases, we've split up the review by the Desktop App 5.x and 6.x, Desktop App 7.x, the Browser version for PC and Mac, and the Web Plug-in/Zotero Connectors. Zotero does have an [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility accessibility page], and have made major strides forward in accessibility of their Desktop app with Zotero 7 (Oct 2024). Any accessibility issues are reported through the Zotero Forums. This page has been updated with information about Zotero 7, but will retain the older information around Zotero 5.x and 6.x.

It is highly suggested that any university or library who relies on Zotero as a citation manager for their researchers should also purchase increased storage for their users. This money goes to supporting the open source software, and offers users more space to store their PDFs.

Due to cognitive issues, we were unable to fully test Zutilo, which is a 3rd-party plug-in that allows you to create other keyboard shortcuts. There is also a cognitive issue with using and understanding the interface; some users may require more help from an experienced or sighted Zotero user in order to fully use Zotero.

=== Zotero Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ===

The Zotero desktop app versions 5.x and 6.x is '''not accessible'''. There are several unlabeled buttons, a general lack of headers, and it's impossible to reach the toolbar using just a keyboard. There are several operations that are only available to mouse users, and do not have a corresponding keyboard shortcut. However, the Zotero desktop app is required to use any web plug-ins/Zotero Connectors. Once the Zotero app is installed and set up, screen reader users and keyboard-only users can simply leave the software running in the background without interacting with it again. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app.

=== Zotero Desktop App 7.x ===

The Zotero desktop app version 7.x (as of October 2024) is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. Overall, the 7.x version can be used with a screen reader and/or keyboard only. The PDF reader and annotation tools are accessible to a screen reader user as long as the PDF itself is accessible; however, the toolbar buttons are especially verbose and the workflow for PDF annotation may be of limited use to screen reader and keyboard users. Notably, '''Zotero is one of the first annotation software programs to create a workflow for screen reader users and keyboard users.''' Zotero should be commended on making such a massive improvement to their main product, the desktop app. Zotero 7 is also, finally, responsive to your computer settings, so if you have font adjustment or size/magnification adjustments, the app will reflect it correctly. The deduplication folder, unfiled folder, and pulling metadata from a PDF are only available through the desktop app. It is possible to attach a PDF to an item using only the screen reader and keyboard.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (PC) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a PC is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it’s installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. With Chrome and Firefox, it seems that if you get lost/have problem/get stuck, you can return to the collection folder you were originally working in and open it again to reset the page and fix most issues. Zotero is unusable once you get above 200x magnification.

=== Browser version on Chrome or Firefox (Mac) ===

Using Zotero in the browser on Chrome or Firefox on a Mac is '''generally accessible''', with some issues. In order to use the web plug-ins to import articles to your Zotero library, you need to have the Desktop App installed and running; however, once it's installed and configured, you do not have to actually use the desktop app and can rely on the browser for most workflows. Issues with using the plug-ins/Zotero Connectors with Safari are reportedly fixed by [https://www.zotero.org/download/ Zotero 6].

== General Information ==
* [https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-of-bibliography-software/ Accessibility of Bibliography Software], Accessing Higher Ground presentation slides, 2017
* [https://forums.zotero.org/ Zotero Forums], where current issues are brought up and discussed
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output#debug_output_logging How bugs should be reported]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/keyboard_shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts]
** [https://www.zotero.org/support/preferences/advanced#shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts settings in the app]
** [https://www.zotero.org/accessibility Accessibility Page]
* [https://github.com/willsALMANJ/Zutilo Zutilo], a third-party plug-in that allows you to set up more keyboard shortcuts. NOTE: We tried to test Zutilo, but setting it up using a keyboard and screen reader was difficult and frustrating.

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

We've organized the accessibility issues by workflows and then by browser (PC and Mac) and desktop app (version 5.x or 6.x versus version 7), to make the page easier to understand for users and librarians. These workflows were tested with screen readers (NVDA and VoiceOver) and keyboard.

=== Workflow #1: Use the browser plug-ins/Zotero Connectors to import items into your Zotero library ===

Make sure you've create the collection folder first, before trying to use the plug-in to save an item to Zotero. There is no way to make it on the fly while using the plug-in with your browser. There are also no audio notifications that an item has been successfully saved to Zotero. You MUST have the Zotero desktop app installed, configured, and running in order to use the plug-ins (see the [https://www.zotero.org/support/quick_start_guide Quick Start Guide] for more information about the desktop app). We do not suggest using the option to "Enable Saving to Online Library" as this caused many errors in our testing with a screen reader. Zotero and the Plug-in had to be uninstalled to remove the errors. We were unable to get the saving to Online Library to work on any browser, or with any operating system. If you activate the plug-in but don't immediately use it, it will eventually disappear without any audio notification. There were some reports of problems using the Zotero connector/plug-in with Firefox. Not all testers had the same issues.

* Use Ctrl-Shift-S to activate the plug-in. This only works if you don't have Ctrl-shift-S mapped to another action or application.
* By default, it'll bring up whatever folder you last saved materials in. Just hit enter to save to the default folder.
* Tab to the extend button for the Folders in order to select a different collection folder. Arrow through to find the correct folder, then tab to the Done button.

=== Workflow #2: Move items from a folder or My Library into collections ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

For Chrome and Firefox:
* Tab until you are highlighting the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Shift-tab to get to the toolbar, then use the arrow keys to navigate over to "Add to a collection" button, and press enter.
* A popup box will appear. Tab over to the My Library dropdown button, and use the left-right arrow keys to select the folder/collection you want the item to be added to. Press enter to select the folder, then tab to the ADD button. There is no audio confirmation that the item has been added to the collection folder.
* If you’re having some troubles doing this, you may need to refresh the page, or you can back-shift to the Collection Folder you were working in and open it again to refresh. (Example of a usual issue, is that when you select an item and then shift-tab, it takes you to the tags section instead of the toolbar. If that happens, you need to go back to the original folder you were working in, enter to open it again, and then tab forward to the item. It should then allow you to shift-tab back to the toolbar to add the item to another collection.)

==== Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ====

There is no way to use a screen reader and mouse to move an item from one collection to another while using the desktop app.

==== Desktop App 7.x ====

* Tab to highlight or select the article you want to add to another collection. NOTE: adding to a collection does not remove it from the current collection if it is in one. To do so, you will need to add the article to a new collection folder first, and then remove that item from the old collection folder.
* Tab once to get to the information pane about that particular article (it will take you to the editing box for the title of the article).
* Tab 3 times to get to the expand/collapse button for the Info section. It's easiest to collapse the Info section rather than try to tab through every piece of information available about that article.
* Tab down to the Libraries and Collections section, and then tab to the Add Button. Press enter to open the dialog box. The box will list all of your collections within My Library (or a group library if you are using those).
* Use the arrow keys to navigate through the dialog box to find the collection/folder you want to add the article to, and press enter to select it. You cannot select several collections at one time.
* You can add the article to more collections by selecting the Add button again.
* To remove the article from the original collection, make sure the Libraries and Collections section is expanded, then tab down to the collection you want to remove the article from, then tab again to get to the remove button for that collection. Press enter. A dialog box will ask if you are sure you want to remove the article from that collection.

=== Workflow #3: Adding tags to articles ===

==== Browser (PC and Mac) and Desktop App 5.x and 6.x ====

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to INFO, and then Arrow over to TAGS. You can then tab to the list of tags (if they already exist) and delete or edit with the keyboard. To add tags, navigate to the Add Tag button.

==== Desktop App 7.x ====

* Tab over to the Information page for the article and select the Info section. Then arrow down to the Tags section. Then Tab to the Add button and press enter to open the tag edit option. You can either type in a tag, or use the arrow up key to activate the list of existing tags and select one. After each tag is typed in or selected, press enter to add a new tag or to save the existing one.
* To delete a tag, navigate to the tag and then tab once to bring up the delete button. Press enter to activate it. You will not have a dialog box to confirm, nor will you have an audio cue. The focus will switch to the My Library Collections pane, so you will need to tab back over to the Information pane in order to return to editing tags.

=== Workflow #4: Editing item information/Metadata ===

This workflow is the same for the browser version as well as the desktop app. Both options allow you to use a screen reader and keyboard.

Select the item you want to edit, and then Tab to Info. Info is easily navigated using Tab to go to different elements of the metadata. If you upload a file to your collection folder without first creating a blank new item manually, you will not have the option to pull the metadata from the PDF or edit the INFO box in the browser.

=== Workflow #5: Creating Bibliography ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can create a bibliography in Chrome or Firefox using the keyboard and screen reader. You can select several items in a collection folder by using the shift key and arrowing down, but you can only select adjacent articles. (You can't use ctrl-A, as it will select everything on the page, not the articles themselves.) Once your items are highlighted, shift-tab to the toolbar and select the Create Bibliography button. Ctrl-Shift-C can't be used in the browser if it's mapped to another application.
* '''Likely best practice''': if you are trying to only get SOME items out of a collection folder into a bibliography rather than the whole folder, add those items to a new collection. Then go to that collection folder, select all those articles, and then create bibliography. There doesn’t seem to be any other way to select non-adjacent articles, or to skip one in the folder.
* It’s difficult to navigate the pop up window for the Bibliography because the focus doesn’t always go to the right area. The options in the dropdown menu for Citation Style and Language are not labeled, so you only hear “blank” if you try to change it.
* You can change the Citation Style, but you will need sight to know what style you’re selecting from the menu. You can also try to type in the style name, but there’s no audio letting you know when that option comes up in the dropdown menu. It requires that you type in the exact name (Modern Library Association rather than MLA). Once you select something, press enter and the box will reload.
* By default, the action button on the bibliography page is "Copy to Clipboard." This is an unlabeled button. There is also a collapsed menu with it that just says "menu item 1." The menu item one is actually "Copy HTML." There is no audio cue that it has actually copied things to the clipboard after you activate the button.

==== Desktop App 5.x or 6.x ====

As you can't access the toolbar with just the keyboard, you must use the Ctrl-shift-C keyboard shortcut. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select them, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy them to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-A to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-shift-C to copy into clipboard.

==== Desktop App 7.x ====

Zotero 7 doesn't have a citation button in the toolbar, but you can use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy a citation or Ctrl-Shift-A to create an in-text citation. Items need to be adjacent in order to select multiple items.
* Highlight the items you want to put into the bibliography using shift-arrow to select more than one, and then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy their citations to the clipboard in order to paste into a Word document.
* The bibliography will be in whatever your default citation style is. There is no option to change the citation style using Ctrl-Shift-C.
* You can use ctrl-a to select all items in a folder, then Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the citations to the clipboard.
* If you only want to copy an in-text citation version of the articles, you can use Ctrl-Shift-A. It will be in whatever your default bibliographic style is.

=== Workflow #6: Creating a group library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

* Press Alt-F to open the File menu.
* Arrow down to the New Library, and then right arrow to find the New Group option.
* Selecting New Group will open a window in your browser. You must log in and use the browser version to create a new group library.
* If you are zoomed in, the option to create a group library is hidden in a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) titled "Banner landmark Button Toggle Navigation." Once you get that menu toggled on, you have to arrow up to get into the list. Listen for the "Title, Creator, Year" and then keep arrowing up after that, and it’ll be the 6 or 7th item (somewhere around there). The link is just GROUPS.
* If you’re not zoomed in to the point it hides the menu, then you need to get to the "Title, Creator, Year" form element in the toolbar and then up-arrow to get to "Groups." The top of the menu is "Web Library" and the bottom is "Upgrade Storage."

=== Workflow #7: Adding notes ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

You can add notes in the browser version. Tab down to the Info section of the article, then arrow over to Notes. Arrow down to get to Add Notes. It’ll jump you immediately into the Rich Text editing area for adding the note, but you have to switch modes to start typing in Chrome (this doesn’t seem to happen with Firefox). Once done, tab out of it, and it’ll automatically save.

==== Desktop App version 5.x or 6.x ====

It’s a little more difficult to add a note with the desktop app, as it opens a new sidebar menu without a close button (at least it’s not available to the screen reader/keyboard). You have to switch modes to type, and then switch again to get out of the note and back to the item information.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

There are two ways to add a new note to an article. Make sure the correct item is highlight, then:
# Shift-tab up to the toolbar and arrow over to the Add New Note button, then select New Item Note. It will open a new Note and automatically save it as you type (or use the Esc key to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane). If the option is not available, go back to the Article pane and select the item again. Notes show up as second level items under the main item.
# Tab over to the Information pane, tab to Info, then use the arrow keys to go to the notes section. Tab to the Add button, and it will instantly make a new note and start saving as you type. You can also use the Esc key to return to ensure it is saved, then shift-tab to get back to the Article pane.

=== Workflow #8: Manually adding a new item to your library ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

Tab to the toolbar; the first option is "New Item Button," and then you select the type of item you are adding. It'll add a blank item that you can then edit. You are able to upload a file as an attachment. If you want to add it to a specific collection folder, you must select that folder first before adding the new item. Make sure you create a new item entry before uploading a file in the browser version, otherwise you might be locked out from editing or adding any information/metadata to the entry (there is no way in the browser to even drag-and-drop the file into an Item; this can only be done in the desktop app).

==== Desktop App versions 5.x, 6.x and 7.x ====

With the desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N to add a new item manually.

=== Workflow #9: Deduplicating ===

==== Browser Version, PC or Mac ====

There is no Duplicates folder in the browser version of Zotero. You need to manually identify the items and delete them. Bear in mind that there is no audio alert when items are deleted.

==== Desktop App version 5.x and 6.x ====

There is no way to use the duplicates folder in the older versions of the desktop app.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

You can use the Duplicate Items folder for any collection in your My Library or a Group Library. The Duplicate Items folder is only available for major Libraries (Level 1) in your Zotero account, and not for individual folders (or collections, Level 2) within that Library. By using the Duplicate Items folder, you can merge multiple item records into a single item record, while retaining that item's place in multiple collections. It will not remove an item from a collection if you merge multiple item records.

* Navigate to the Duplicate Items folder for My Library, Group Library, or any other Major Libraries (Level 1) you've created in Zotero.
* Tab over to the Item pane. Because the folder groups duplicates (they are highlighted at the same time), the numbering is off for the entire folder. It does not tell you how many duplicates there are of an item until you tab over to the Information pane. NOTE: If you have several items of the same title, but they are categorized as different types of items (example: three items are categorized as documents but one item is categorized as a book, but they are all the same item with the same title), you will not be able to merge the items or edit them. The text stating "Merged items must all be of the same type" is not accessible to a screen reader. You will need to find the mis-categorized item and correct it, but there is nothing saying which folder each item is in. This may require a sighted assistant.
* Select the item you want to merge. Tab to the Information pane. You will be taken to a button that says "Merge x items." You can select this button to automatically merge them, or you can choose to read more about the item. NOTE: There is no auditory cue that the items are merged once you select the merge x items button. You must shift-tab to return to the Item pane to select the next articles to merge.
* Arrow down to hear when each item was created. Which ever is actively highlight will become the "Master Item", while the other item will be a copy of that item. There is no discernable difference between a "Master Item" and a copy. NOTE: There is some language to describe this function, but it is not accessible by screen reader (NVDA) in our testing.
* Tab to go through the INFO section for the to-be-merged items. You can change any of these options for both items prior to merging.

=== Workflow #10: Unfiled items ===

There is no "unfiled items" folder on the Web browser version of Zotero. My Library brings up all materials that are in your collections, whether they have been filed into a folder or not.

=== Workflow #11: Attaching a PDF to an Item ===

This workflow was not tested previously with the browser version or Desktop App versions because it was impossible to access the PDF and read it prior to Zotero 7.

==== Desktop App version 7.x ====

* Navigate to the item you want attach a PDF to.
* Tab over to the Information pane, tab twice to get out of the article title, then down arrow to the Attachment section.
* Tab to the Add button, and activate it. Arrow to select the option you want to use: File, Linked File, and Web Link, and activate it.
* File and Linked file will open a Select a File dialog box.
* Web Link will open an "Attach link to URI" dialog box, where you can copy-paste a URL and then give it a title if you choose.

=== Workflow #12: Reading and Annotating PDFs ===

This workflow is heavily used by sighted users of Zotero, but was completely inaccessible to those using a screen reader and/or keyboard prior to Zotero 7, so we had not reviewed it previously.

==== To Read a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

* If an item has a PDF attached to it, you can open it by pressing enter on that item. Zotero will open a new window in the software that will say the name of the article then "Zotero Reader Document."
* Arrow down to find the PDF. The toolbar is especially verbose for screen readers, so we suggest skipping over them completely if you just want to read the document.
* In our testing of several PDF documents, the Zotero Reader only reads one line at a time (not even a full sentence, just a single line on the page). This can be annoying for screen reader users. We suggest to use whatever your preferred PDF reader to using the Zotero Reader.

==== To Annotate a PDF with Zotero 7 Desktop App ====

The toolbar buttons contain the complete instructions on how to use the annotation tools with a screen reader. This is repeated for every button, every single time. Due to the complexity of the process, the visual basis of annotations may be of questionable use for Blind individuals. Read aloud apps that create bookmarks in the audio for marking important areas of the text is a much more useful way to annotate text, but you may not be able to share this type of annotation with another user. It was also difficult to try to navigate the document by annotations in order to (for example) read what others have annotated in the document. Even using the A/shift-A keyboard shortcut was hit or miss on whether it could find annotation on multi-page documents.

===== Short version =====

To annotate with a screen reader or keyboard, '''you must first search for the exact text you want to annotate using Ctrl-F.''' The text must be exactly as it was written in the PDF, down to the capitals and punctuation. There is no way to highlight text without using a mouse, so if you're screen reader dependent, you will have to memorize the entire sentence or section, then type it exactly into the Ctrl-F box. The Zotero Reader will then highlight that text (as long as it is exact). Then you can use the keyboard shortcuts to create different annotation types.
* To create a highlight annotation, press Ctrl-Alt-1. This highlights the text in yellow by default.
* To underline text, press Ctrl-Alt-2.
* To add a note, make sure the focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-3. You will hear "Add Comment" when the note appears, and then you can begin typing your note. Notes will appear on the first page of the PDF, regardless of where you were at while reading. You cannot move the note without using a mouse. Adding the note will take you to the first page of the document, so you will need to navigate back to where you were reading.
* To add text to the document, make sure focus is in the document and press Ctrl-Alt-4. This will create a text box somewhere on the page of the document you are reading. You can start typing immediately to enter text; however, the placement of the textbox is arbitrary, and may be over the document text. In our texting, the text was also yellow by default, which made it too low contrast to be read.
* We were unable to get the Select Area shortcut to function during our test (keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-5).
* The final annotation type, Draw, cannot be accessed via the keyboard.

===== Text of the Annotation Tools =====

* Image description: The letter A inside of a box. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-1 to turn the search result into an annotation. Highlight Text."
* Image description: The letter A underlined. Text reads, "Button. To annotate text via the keyboard, first use "Find in Document" to locate the phrase, and then press Control-Alt-2 to turn the search result into an annotation. Underline Text."
* Image description: A square box with the lower left corner folded up. Text reads, "button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-3. Note Annotation."
* Image description: The letter T. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-4. Add Text."
* Image description: A small box within a larger box with a dotted line border. Text reads, "Button. To add this annotation into the document, focus the document and press Control-Alt-5. Select Area."
* Image description: A small pencil with a curling line coming from the tip. Text reads, "Button. This annotation type cannot be created via the keyboard. Draw."
* Image description: A blank box with a down carrot to the right. "button unavailable. Pick a Color."

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-05-12T13:27:50Z

Dkrahmer: /* Assistive Technology User Testing */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [https://rgblind.com/color-blind-website-checker RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/linkcontrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Link Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
## Rationale: Searching for reddit, GitHub or forum posts where people have talked about the accessibility of a product can be a quick way to identify issues, or to hear personal opinions on the accessibility or usability of a product by an Assistive Technology user in real life. Not all software has a dedicated forum, while some use their forums as the main way to report accessibility issues.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text. Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
## Users with a lot of VPAT experience can often identify places where the software or website technically meets WCAG specifications, but also fails in usability. The VPAT should identity what workflows were tested, so please make note if they did not test a workflow you deem as necessary.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?
## If you're frequently working on accessibility auditing, it's useful to be a member of such groups as Educause ITAccess, Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group (DAWG), and other groups to connect with other professionals who routinely work in accessibility.

===Assistive Technology User Testing===
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-05-12T13:26:23Z

Dkrahmer: /* Introduction */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [https://rgblind.com/color-blind-website-checker RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/linkcontrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Link Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
## Rationale: Searching for reddit, GitHub or forum posts where people have talked about the accessibility of a product can be a quick way to identify issues, or to hear personal opinions on the accessibility or usability of a product by an Assistive Technology user in real life. Not all software has a dedicated forum, while some use their forums as the main way to report accessibility issues.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text. Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
## Users with a lot of VPAT experience can often identify places where the software or website technically meets WCAG specifications, but also fails in usability. The VPAT should identity what workflows were tested, so please make note if they did not test a workflow you deem as necessary.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?
## If you're frequently working on accessibility auditing, it's useful to be a member of such groups as Educause ITAccess, Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group (DAWG), and other groups to connect with other professionals who routinely work in accessibility.

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-05-12T13:25:06Z

Dkrahmer: /* Next Steps */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [https://rgblind.com/color-blind-website-checker RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/linkcontrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Link Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
## Rationale: Searching for reddit, GitHub or forum posts where people have talked about the accessibility of a product can be a quick way to identify issues, or to hear personal opinions on the accessibility or usability of a product by an Assistive Technology user in real life. Not all software has a dedicated forum, while some use their forums as the main way to report accessibility issues.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text. Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
## Users with a lot of VPAT experience can often identify places where the software or website technically meets WCAG specifications, but also fails in usability. The VPAT should identity what workflows were tested, so please make note if they did not test a workflow you deem as necessary.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?
## If you're frequently working on accessibility auditing, it's useful to be a member of such groups as Educause ITAccess, Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group (DAWG), and other groups to connect with other professionals who routinely work in accessibility.

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-05-12T13:17:25Z

Dkrahmer: /* First Steps */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [https://rgblind.com/color-blind-website-checker RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/linkcontrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Link Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
## Rationale: Searching for reddit, GitHub or forum posts where people have talked about the accessibility of a product can be a quick way to identify issues, or to hear personal opinions on the accessibility or usability of a product by an Assistive Technology user in real life. Not all software has a dedicated forum, while some use their forums as the main way to report accessibility issues.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text. Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-05-12T13:12:04Z

Dkrahmer: /* First Steps */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [https://rgblind.com/color-blind-website-checker RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/linkcontrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Link Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

IT and Development

2026-04-28T18:59:00Z

Dkrahmer: /* Members */

The IT and Development subgroup will focus on specific software, hardware, and development practices associated with information organizations. Once a list of technologies associated with specific areas is compiled, they will begin addressing the accessibility concerns of specific entries. We adhere to the same mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Monthly Meetings==

For 2024, the DLF DAWG-IT subgroup is focusing on updating our documentation and assessing the accessibility of other GLAM technologies. We're primarily focusing on digital publishing platforms.

Meetings will be held on the final Monday of the month, at 1:15pm Eastern/6:15pm GMT. ([https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/ Timezone converter]) Check the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VNUIGFd7EOwcVpR73qQzhi9K5ZZCTrFS4hDLiu6AN8U/edit 2024 running agenda] for more information, including links to register for the meetings.

== Completed Projects ==
* [[Accessible Documentation]]
* [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]]
* [[Accessibility Auditing Shortlist]]
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit?usp=sharing Accessibility Auditing Template] Google Doc. Make a copy to start your own evaluation.

== Accessibility Audits ==
In 2021, the DAWG-IT subgroup focused on accessibility testing of the software typically used for DAWG meetings and events. For 2022, we focused on broader GLAM software. In 2023, we updated our Auditing Shortlist and continue to test GLAM applications. In 2024, we focused on digital publishing platforms. These are our completed audits:

* [[Zoom Accessibility]]
* [[Doodle.com Accessibility]]
* [[Google Forms Accessibility]]
* [[Otter.ai Accessibility]]
* [[Google Docs Accessibility]]
* [[Google Slides Accessibility]]
* [[Zotero Accessibility]] Updated with Zotero 7 information
* [[Online Conference Platforms Accessibility]]
* [[ArchivesSpace Accessibility]]
* [[AirTable Accessibility]]
* [[PressBooks Accessibility]]
* [[Scalar Accessibility]]
* [[CollectionBuilder Accessibility]]
* [[Manifold Accessibility]]
* [[Comparison of Digital Publishing Platforms]]

== Group Organizers ==
* Debbie Krahmer dkrahmer AT cornell.edu

== Members ==
* Bri McLaughlin
* Elliot Stevens
* Wendy Robertson
* Kristen Heldmann
* Gabe Galson
* Hannah Sistrunk
* Penniphurr Stevenson

== Future Technologies to Research ==
Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of your own personal level of skill with accessibility auditing. We've compiled an [[Accessibility Auditing Shortlist]] that anyone can use to contribute to the knowledge base. The ultimate goal for all of these audits is to make the information freely available to anyone. Google docs is currently used for the initial working document before moving information to the wiki. Contact the Organizers for information on how to join the community and get wiki editing access.

* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gAS04mUZSM7g1VBcF5kfry0uuHqvMQc21nXso20h5Pg/edit?usp=sharing Google Sheets]
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vGJey7_KQdM0lLYAdt9W8DkiuWaJXKF-BuvDulsUMbA/edit?usp=sharing Slack]
* OJS, open journal systems
* Institutional Repositories (bepress, DSpace, etc.)
* DAMs (Contentdm, Islandora, etc.)
* Library Systems
* Virtual Tours
* Digital Scholarship (Research data, tools, visualizations)
* Databases and Vendors
* Virtual Reality (3D technologies, including Makerspace equipment)

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-04-28T18:50:05Z

Dkrahmer: /* First Steps */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [https://rgblind.com/color-blind-website-checker RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-04-28T18:39:31Z

Dkrahmer: /* Next Steps */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [http://www.rgblind.se/url RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://web.archive.org/web/20250122033410/https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks] [Web Archive version of the page]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-04-28T18:32:42Z

Dkrahmer: /* Next Steps */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [http://www.rgblind.se/url RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## For guidance on using a screen reader for accessibility testing, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOkLRzf5ks view our March 30, 2026 meeting where D Krahmer demonstrates some NVDA screen reader basics] [YouTube].
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2026-04-28T18:28:39Z

Dkrahmer: /* Assistive Technology User Testing */

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [http://www.rgblind.se/url RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.

If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Creating Accessible and Interactive Online Presentations

2026-02-06T18:29:40Z

Dkrahmer: /* Optimize Content for Assistive Technology */

== Accessible Online Presentations Guidelines, 2020/2021 DLF Forum ==

One of DLF’s strengths is that its membership & Forums are inclusive sites for exchange. Our members participate in a variety of cultural and disciplinary communities and bring with them to the Forum many different professional and personal experiences and learning styles. To help you effectively engage with this diverse and dynamic community, we offer these practical recommendations for creating accessible online presentations.

* September 18, 2020 [[Webinar for Creating Accessible and Interactive Presentations]]: closed captioned video, with transcript and PPT slides.

== Delivering Presentations ==

=== Language and Respect ===
* Respectfully acknowledge those who make your work possible—whether you’re talking about research participants, IT support, student employee labor, or [https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/ the ancestral inhabitants of the ground you stand on]. Recognize that the audience has knowledge to contribute.
* Give an overview of what will happen and what you’re about to present, making note of sensitive content or language as appropriate.
* Do not assume all cultural touchpoints or references are universal. Give context to the audience.
** Minimize the use of jargon and acronyms, or clearly explain them in your talk.
** Make sure you share information (spelling, pronunciation) about jargon to the live captioner or the person producing the closed captioning to ensure accuracy.
* Adhere to [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ the code of conduct] for respectful and inclusive communication and interaction.
* If you’re not actively presenting or speaking, mute your video and mic.
* Make presentation materials available in advance so that participants using assistive technology can follow along on their own devices. We encourage use of DLF’s dedicated repository for Forum and Learn@DLF presentations or DigiPress (links available on current conference page).
** Provide a textual version of presentations either in slide notes or in a document accompanying slide decks.
* When making materials available to others, the PowerPoint (PPT) file or Google Slides is preferred over PDF. PowerPoint templates are designed to be more compatible for screen readers and other assistive technology. If you are able to produce an accessible, tagged, and properly formatted PDF that is readable to assistive technology, that is also acceptable. If you are using Keynote on a Mac to create your slides, please make sure you export them as a PPT file and use the PPT version to share with others. Native Keynote files cannot be opened by PowerPoint or easily converted to Google Slides format.

=== Presenter Audio and Video ===
* DLF will be using captioned videos for pre-recorded sessions.
* Use an external mic or a headset mic to ensure the best possible audio quality. Don’t move away from your mic while speaking.
** Reduce ambient noise in the room where you are presenting or recording by ways such as closing windows, turning off fans and silencing or putting your phone in airplane mode.
** Mute your mic if you are not speaking.
** If presenting from your personal computer, mute your email, slack and calendar notifications.
* Speak clearly, loudly, and at a moderate rate. Use pauses to allow for processing time.
** Provide clear verbal descriptions of visual content, such as images, charts, and videos (for example, "This slide shows a screenshot of a Google Image search for kittens."). Imagine delivering your presentation on the radio. [https://feather.ca/inclusion/describing/ This article includes more information on how to visually describe your presentation].
* Provide captioning in video clips that are a part of your presentation.
* If your camera will be on:
** Make sure there is light directly on your face, and don’t sit with a window directly behind you (to avoid backlighting). You should be visible to the audience with a clear, low-distraction background.
** Do not use visually complex or animated Zoom backgrounds which can be distracting or visually overwhelming.
** Focus the camera on your face, so that your lips and expressions are visible even on a small screen.
** Look directly into the camera as much as possible while you are presenting.
* If the presentation is live, pause early on to ensure that the audience can see/hear the presentation. “Check in” midway through the presentation to ensure that you are still being heard and seen. Make changes based on feedback.

=== Tips for Presenting in a More Accessible Way ===
* Describe images and video clips aloud. This may be a brief description ("I'm going to show a clip of a person performing the same search I just spoke about") or simply your alt text. If you are using an audio clip such as people speaking, make sure there's a transcription on the screen.
* Narrate what is happening during your presentation. Report regularly on displayed interactive polls, or describe moving gifs that you want people to be aware of. For example, "Oh! Someone just added 'ramp' to our suggestion poll!" or "There's a repeating gif of a hedgehog crawling across the screen." Make sure you're including everyone, even if they're not able to see what's happening on your presentation slides.
* Read any links or URLs aloud.
* Let the audience know which slide you are on (either using the title or the slide number) if you are not using audible cues when changing slides.
* Read aloud the text on the slides. Don't ever say, "You can read this," and go silent, as you're leaving out a portion of your audience.

== Facilitating Discussion in an Online Forum ==

* At the start of the presentation, summarize community norms and methods of expression and interaction. Describe how the audience should participate or ask questions: if they should use the presentation chat, Slack, or the “raise hand” option in Zoom, or if they should wait until the end for questions.
** Remind everyone that they should follow the [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ DLF Code of Conduct], especially in online spaces.
** For sensitive topics, refer to the code of conduct, or set up [https://eastsideforall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Multicultural-Ground-Rules-for-Discussion.pdf ground rules for a respectful conversation] (PDF).
* Remind the audience to mute their microphones for live presentations, but also explain if they will have the opportunity to ask questions or comments via voice.
* If you ask the audience to write responses in the chat or Slack, give them more time than you think they’ll need to respond. Some people will be quick to respond, while others may require more time to think and input their response. If you cut it off too quickly, you will prevent some members of the audience from participating.
** When answering questions from the chat or Slack, repeat them aloud and credit the person who asked (unless you are using anonymous commenting) before answering.
* If you are verbally asking a question, please introduce yourself before speaking.

== Designing Presentation Materials ==

=== Design Your Content for an Online Environment ===

* If you are presenting with your camera on, make sure that the speaker screen isn’t covering the text of your presentation. You can set up your presentation slides to [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115004802843-Side-by-side-Mode-for-screen-sharing display side-by-side with your speaker screen], or you can leave a corner of your presentation that is free of text or images where your camera can be viewed. If it is a live presentation, you can announce to the audience where this open space is at so they can adjust their own video screens so your camera won’t cover the presentation.
* Budget space in the bottom 1/4th of the slides for the closed captioning, so that the captioning text doesn’t block any important information.
* Give your files clear and descriptive names including the event, speaker name, and year. Example: DLFForum_MaggieSmith_2021.ppt
* If you use the conference templates, they are already built to be maximally accessible. If you use Canva, PowerPoint, or Google Slides to create your own presentation style, search for "Accessible Presentations" to find more accessible templates. Be aware, however, that you'll likely have to do your own accessibility checking and editing to ensure that the design is actually accessible.

=== Design Your Content to Be Interpreted by Assistive Technology ===

* Use a templated slide format. For example, rather than adding text boxes to a blank slide, add [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-create-a-new-slide-master-and-layouts-a42fc660-bb28-44a2-b988-29181e6c7fe2#:~:text=Add%20an%20additional%20slide%20master,group%2C%20click%20Insert%20Slide%20Master. new content placeholders to the slide master], or use one of the suggested slide layouts. This way they’ll be included in the overall presentation outline and tagged properly for screen readers.
* Customize the reading order of elements added to slides. By default, applications such as [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-slides-easier-to-read-by-using-the-reading-order-pane-863b5c1c-4f19-45ec-96e6-93a6457f5e1c PowerPoint] and [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Google Slides] arrange elements according to a default template or in the order in which they were added to the slide. Arrange slide elements in an order that makes sense when being read by a screen reader.
* When in doubt, use built-in formatting options for charts, bullet points, shapes, etc.
* Make sure links have unique, descriptive names, rather than just the URL or “click here.” Provide a short URL, and make it available in the chat window or Slack for the audience.
* Use unique titles for every slide, and include slide numbers or an audible sound when changing slides so the audience can track where you are at in your presentation.

=== Make Text Easy to See ===

* Provide minimal text on each slide (only a few bullet points).
* Maintain a large font size.
** For bullet points, use a 24–32 point font for PowerPoint, or 20pt minimum for Google Slides.
** Titles for PowerPoint can be much bigger, such as 50-80 point. It's a good idea in Google Slides to keep your titles in the 32-45 point range for maximum readability without sacrificing too much screen room.
** Design for people seated both close to and far from a projected screen, and for people reading on screens small and large.
* Select fonts for readability. Sans serif fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri are usually easier to read.
* Avoid all caps.
* Use a high contrast color scheme that is easy to read and doesn’t cause eye-strain (for example, black/white, white/dark blue, yellow/black, off-white/black). To check for good contrast, use a [http://contrastchecker.com contrast checker]. Avoid visually difficult color combinations such as red and green, or red and blue.
** Do not use color alone to denote meaning. For example, link text can be blue and underlined, parts of a bar graph can be color-coded and labeled in text.
* Make your slides available before and after the presentation in their original format (as a.pptx or Google Slides link instead of a .pdf). This allows the audience to view/edit/enlarge/print or do whatever they need to be able to access the materials.

=== Optimize Content for Assistive Technology ===

* Provide quality alt text for images. [https://www.deque.com/blog/great-alt-text-introduction/ Seek out recommendations] for [https://ascode.osu.edu/composing-accessible-alt-text writing great alt text]. Alt text serves different functions for different types of informational content. Alt text should:
** Explain visual content, such as images, charts, and videos.
** Describe aural content, such as audio and video.
* Use descriptive hyperlink text. A screen reader user may use the tab button to navigate quickly through content, which might skip from hyperlink to hyperlink. If each hyperlink has the text of “Click here” or a long URL, it isn’t helpful.
* Use built-in options for tables, charts, and data visualizations, if possible, rather than importing as an image. Otherwise, provide text alternatives through other means:
** Provide explanatory text in the slide notes.
** Hide explanatory text in a text box underneath the inserted image.
** Explain the image in visible text.
* If you must insert data as an image, use alt text to tell the reader what the image is and/or where they can find the original data (by URL or citation).
* Check the color contrast for charts and visualizations using the [https://projects.susielu.com/viz-palette VIZ Palette Designer].
* Narrate what is happening. Report on interactive polls, moving gifs, or chat messages you want people to be aware of.
* Read aloud the text on your slides as you present, and describe any images so the live audience is fully aware of what's going on.
* Number the slides, and tell people which slide you are on as you progress through your presentation. You can also use audio cues such as a [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-add-a-sound-effect-to-a-transition-54f62eba-429e-4606-b622-585d26049bf1 click noise every time you change slides in PowerPoint] (this option is available in Google Slides.

=== Perform an Accessibility Check ===

* Recent versions of Microsoft Office provide an accessibility checker in the ‘Tools’ menu (or Review menu in Mac) under ‘Check Accessibility,’ or in the File menu under ‘Check for Issues.’
* Recent versions of Adobe applications provide an accessibility checker in the ‘Tools’ menu under ‘Accessibility.’ In the secondary toolbar click on ‘Full Check.’
* Google Apps do not have built-in accessibility checkers, but you can download the Grackle Docs add-on for a basic accessibility check. You can also download materials created with Google Apps as Microsoft Office documents in order to check accessibility of your presentation materials as offline documents.
* Because pre-recorded presentations will be captioned, do not use the automated captioning options in PowerPoint or Google Slides.

== Additional Resources ==

=== Broad frameworks for creating accessible presentations ===

* [https://www.transportation.gov/drc/checklist-planning-accessible-meetings-and-events Checklist for Planning Accessible Meetings and Events] by the US Department of Transportation
* [http://2016.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/01/wbu-visual-presentations-guidelines-summary.pdf How to make visual presentations accessible to audience members with print impairments], adapted for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) by Minna von Zansen and Jenny Craven from the World Blind Union Guidelines
* [http://uxpamagazine.org/make-your-presentations-accessible Make Your Presentations Accessible: Seven Easy Steps] by Whitney Quesenbery
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/10LsNP-EPm3HKbJP-ennzwamQp_qJtx9Qy5QfaITkoRI/edit Accessible Meetings and Presentations] by the University of Michigan Library

=== Guidance specific to presentation software ===
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/word Microsoft Word: Creating Accessible Documents by WebAIM] (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/acrobat PDF Accessibility] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [https://chi2020.acm.org/authors/papers/guide-to-an-accessible-submission/ Guide to an Accessible Submission (mostly about PDFs)] by ACM SIGCHI (ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction)
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/powerpoint PowerPoint Accessibility] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [https://webaccess.msu.edu/Tutorials/powerpoint1.html PowerPoint Accessibility] by Michigan State University
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/make-your-powerpoint-presentations-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6f7772b2-2f33-4bd2-8ca7-dae3b2b3ef25 Make your PowerPoint Presentation Accessible] by Microsoft
* [https://www.umt.edu/accessibility/guides/getstarted2/Howto/documents/publications/keynote.php Make your Presentation Accessible with Keynote for Mac] by University of Montana
* [https://cte.tcu.edu/resources/accessibility/keynote-document-accessibility/ Accessibility - Keynote for Mac] by Texas Christian University
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-slides-easier-to-read-by-using-the-reading-order-pane-863b5c1c-4f19-45ec-96e6-93a6457f5e1c Make slides easier to read by using the Reading Order pane] by Microsoft.
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Making Google Slides more Accessible] by Google
* [http://contrastchecker.com Contrast Checker] by WCAG
* [https://ascode.osu.edu/composing-accessible-alt-text Composing Accessible Alt Text] by Ohio State University
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-create-a-new-slide-master-and-layouts-a42fc660-bb28-44a2-b988-29181e6c7fe2 Create a new slide master for PowerPoint] by Microsoft
* [https://www.thinkoutsidetheslide.com/4-options-for-how-to-present-a-powerpoint-slide-show-in-a-zoom-meeting/ 6 Options for Presenting PowerPoint on Zoom] by Dave at thinkoutsidetheslide.com
* [https://gizmodo.com/these-powerpoint-alternatives-are-free-and-easier-to-us-1844665366 PowerPoint alternatives that are free] from Gizmodo (they may or may not be accessible, but they can be used to transfer your files to .ppt)

== Acknowledgements ==

This guide was originally created in October 2016 by a subgroup of the 2016 DLF Forum Inclusivity Committee. We thank Eleanor Dickson, Chelcie Juliet Rowell, and Yasmeen L. Shorish for their extensive work and dedication to accessibility.

We are especially indebted to Whitney Quesenbery’s [http://uxpamagazine.org/make-your-presentations-accessible Make Your Presentations Accessible: Seven Easy Steps] and the [http://www.astr.org/general/custom.asp?page=16_Accessibility Accessibility at the 2016 American Society for Theatre Research & Theatre Library Association Conference] guide. The clarity and comprehensiveness of these recommendations were strengthened by the input of Bethany Nowviskie and members of the broader Inclusivity Committee.

This guide was updated in 2020 by a different group of DLF members (Debbie Krahmer, Lydia Tang, Sarah Goldstein, Stephanie Rosen, Alex Wermer-Colan, and Amy Vecchione), and again in 2021 by Debbie Krahmer and Carrie Pirmann. Special thanks to Stephanie Rosen for further guidance through the Accessible Meetings & Presentations documentation.

To offer feedback, please contact [mailto:info@diglib.org info@diglib.org].

Back to [[Committee for Equity and Inclusion|main CEI page]].

Creating Accessible In-Person Presentations

2026-02-06T18:27:31Z

Dkrahmer: /* Design Your Slides to Be Accessible */

== Accessible Presentations Guidelines for the DLF Forum==

One of [https://www.diglib.org/about/ Digital Library Federation]’s strengths is that its membership & Forums are inclusive sites for exchange. Our community of practitioners participate in a variety of cultures and disciplines, and they bring with them to the Forum many different professional and personal experiences and learning styles. To help presenters effectively engage with this diverse and dynamic community, we offer these practical recommendations for creating accessible presentations.

* Creating Accessible Presentations LIVE webinar: Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 1pm ET
* [[Creating Accessible Presentations 2022]] recording with captions, transcript, and presentation slides

== Delivering Presentations ==

=== Language and Respect ===

* Respectfully acknowledge those who make your work possible—whether you’re talking about research participants, IT support, student employee labor, or the [https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/ ancestral inhabitants of the ground you stand on]. Recognize that the audience has knowledge to contribute.
* Give an overview of what will happen and what you’re about to present, making note of sensitive content or language as appropriate.
* Do not assume all cultural touchpoints or references are universal. Give context to the audience.
** Minimize the use of jargon and acronyms, or clearly explain them in your talk.
** Make sure you share information (spelling, pronunciation) about jargon to the live captioner or the person producing the closed captioning to ensure accuracy.
* Adhere to the [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ Code of Conduct] for respectful and inclusive communication and interaction.
* Make presentation materials available in advance so that participants using assistive technology can follow along on their own devices. We encourage use of DLF’s dedicated repository for Forum and Learn@DLF presentations or DigiPres.
** Provide a textual version of presentations either in slide notes or in a document accompanying slide decks.
* When making materials available to others, the PowerPoint (PPT) file or Google Slides is preferred over PDF. PowerPoint templates are designed to be more compatible for screen readers and other assistive technology. If you are able to produce an accessible, tagged, and properly formatted PDF that is readable to assistive technology, that is also acceptable. If you are using Keynote on a Mac to create your slides, please make sure you export them as a PPT file and use the PPT version to share with others. Native Keynote files cannot be opened by PowerPoint or easily converted to Google Slides format.

=== Presenter Audio and Video ===

* The plenary sessions will be recorded, livestreamed, and made available online with closed captioning and a transcript.
* In all sessions, always use a mic when speaking. It doesn’t matter if you can project your voice; some of the audience may be using assistive listening devices which require the use of the microphone. Don’t move away from your mic while speaking.
** Mute notifications on your cell phone to reduce distractions.
* Speak clearly, loudly, and at a moderate rate. Use pauses to allow for processing time.
** Provide clear verbal descriptions of visual content, such as images, charts, and videos (for example, "This slide shows a screenshot of a Google Image search for kittens."). Imagine delivering your presentation on the radio. [https://feather.ca/inclusion/describing/ This article includes more information on how to visually describe your presentation].
* Provide captioning in video clips that are a part of your presentation.
* Ideally, the speaker will be unmasked or using a clear face shield to allow the audience to read lips or expressions.
* Pause early on to ensure that the audience can see/hear the presentation.
* At the start of the presentation, summarize community norms and methods of expression and interaction.
** Remind the audience to use mics and how/where they are available.
** Remind everyone that they should follow the [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ DLF Code of Conduct].
** For sensitive topics, refer to the Code of Conduct, or [https://eastsideforall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Multicultural-Ground-Rules-for-Discussion.pdf set up ground rules for a respectful conversation] (PDF).

=== Tips for Presenting in a More Accessible Way ===

* Describe images and video clips aloud. This may be a brief description ("I'm going to show a clip of a person performing the same search I just spoke about") or your alt text. If you are using an audio clip such as people speaking, make sure there's a transcript on screen.
* Narrate what is happening during your presentation. Report regularly on displayed interactive polls, or describe moving gifs that you want people to be aware of. For example, "Oh! Someone just added "ramp" to our suggestion poll!" or "There's a repeating gif of a hedgehog crawling across the screen." Make sure you're including everyone, even if they're not able to see what's happening on your presentation slides.
* Read any links or URLs aloud.
* Let the audience know which slide you are on (either using the title or the slide number) if you are not using audible cues when changing slides.
* Read aloud the text on the slides. Don't ever say "You can read this" and go silent, as you're leaving out a portion of your audience.

=== Best Practices for Shared Spaces ===

* Always use the microphone, even if you’re meeting in a relatively small space. Don’t rely on your ability to project. Using the microphone allows a person using a hearing aid or assistive listening device to “tune” into the PA audio.
** Repeat audience questions into the microphone before answering them, especially if a roving microphone isn’t available.
* If the presentation space is elevated, please provide a ramp.
* Provide accessible reserved seating at the front and nearest to the door.
* Refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, or other strongly scented products.
* Refrain from whispering or speaking with other attendees while conference presenters are speaking. These types of ambient noise can impact the ability of individuals to be able to hear or focus on what a presenter is saying.

== Designing Presentations Materials ==

=== Design Your Slides to Be Accessible ===

* Make your slides available before and after the presentation in their original format (as a.pptx or Google Slides link instead of a .pdf). This allows the audience to view/edit/enlarge/print or do whatever they need to be able to access the materials. If you are sharing Google Slides, remember to check your sharing settings and ensure the document is viewable to anyone with the link. We highly recommend that you also set any shared versions of Google documents to be View Only.
* Give your files clear and descriptive names including the event, speaker name, and year. Example: DLFForum_MaggieSmith_2022.ppt
* If you use PowerPoint ([https://templates.office.com/en-us/accessible-powerpoint-template-sampler-tm16401472 suggested accessible templates]) or Google Slides ([https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/docs/chapter/google-slides/#Technique_1_Use_Accessible_Templates making a template accessible]) to create your own presentation style, search for "Accessible Presentations" to find more accessible templates. Be aware, however, that you'll likely have to do your own accessibility checking and editing to ensure that the design is actually accessible. Canva has no accessible templates ([https://freshspectrum.com/canva-accessibility/ This is a good article on Canva’s accessibility issues and how to fix them]).
* Use the default slide layouts. For example, rather than adding text boxes to a blank slide, [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-create-a-new-slide-master-and-layouts-a42fc660-bb28-44a2-b988-29181e6c7fe2#:~:text=Add%20an%20additional%20slide%20master,group%2C%20click%20Insert%20Slide%20Master. add new content placeholders to the slide master], or use one of the suggested slide layouts. This way they’ll be included in the overall presentation outline and tagged properly for screen readers.
* Customize the reading order of elements added to slides. By default, applications such as [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-slides-easier-to-read-by-using-the-reading-order-pane-863b5c1c-4f19-45ec-96e6-93a6457f5e1c PowerPoint] and [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Google Slides] arrange elements according to a default template or in the order in which they were added to the slide. Arrange slide elements in an order that makes sense when being read by a screen reader.
* Use built-in formatting options for charts, bullet points, shapes, etc. instead of an image or screen capture. Otherwise, provide text alternatives through other means:
** Provide explanatory text in the slide notes.
** Hide explanatory text in a text box underneath the inserted image.
** Explain the image in visible text.
*If you must insert data as an image, use alt text to tell the reader what the image is and/or where they can find the original data (by URL or citation).
* Check the color contrast for charts and visualizations using the [https://projects.susielu.com/viz-palette VIZ Palette Designer].
* Provide quality alt text for images. Seek out [https://www.deque.com/blog/great-alt-text-introduction/ recommendations for writing great alt text]. Alt text serves different functions for different types of informational content. Alt text should:
** Explain visual content, such as images, charts, and videos.
** Describe aural content, such as audio and video.
* Make sure links have unique, descriptive names, rather than just the URL or “click here.” A screen reader user may use the tab button to navigate quickly through content, which might skip from hyperlink to hyperlink. If each hyperlink has the text of “Click here” or a long URL, it isn’t helpful.
** Provide a short URL, and read it aloud. The URL shortener tinyurl.com will allow you to customize the shortened URL for meaning. For example, using TinyURL you can create a link that is: tinyurl.com/SmithDLF2021.
* Use unique titles for every slide and include slide numbers or an [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-add-a-sound-effect-to-a-transition-54f62eba-429e-4606-b622-585d26049bf1 audible sound when changing slides] so the audience can track where you are at in your presentation.
* Budget space in the bottom 1/4th of the slides for the closed captioning, so that the captioning text doesn’t block any important information.

=== Make Text Easy to See ===

*Provide minimal text on each slide (only a few bullet points).
*Maintain a large font size.
** For bullet points, use a 24–32 point font for PowerPoint, or 20pt minimum for Google Slides.
** Titles for PowerPoint can be much bigger, such as 50-80 point. It's a good idea in Google Slides to keep your titles in the 32-45 point range for maximum readability without sacrificing too much screen room.
** Design for people seated both close to and far from a projected screen, and for people reading on screens small and large.
* Select fonts for readability. Sans serif fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri are usually easier to read.
* Avoid all caps as they can be difficult to read, and it represents shouting to many people.
* Use a high contrast color scheme that is easy to read and doesn’t cause eye-strain (for example, black/white, white/dark blue). To check for good contrast, [http://contrastchecker.com/ use a contrast checker]. Avoid visually difficult color combinations such as red and green, or red and blue.
** Do not use color alone to denote meaning. For example, link text can be blue and underlined, parts of a bar graph can be color-coded and labeled in text.

=== Perform an Accessibility Check ===

* Recent versions of Microsoft Office provide an accessibility checker in the ‘Tools’ menu (or Review menu in Mac) under ‘Check Accessibility,’ or in the File menu under ‘Check for Issues.’
* Recent versions of Adobe applications provide an accessibility checker in the ‘Tools’ menu under ‘Accessibility.’ In the secondary toolbar click on ‘Full Check.’
* Google Apps do not have built-in accessibility checkers, but you can download the Grackle Docs add-on for a basic accessibility check. You can also download materials created with Google Apps as Microsoft Office documents in order to check accessibility of your presentation materials as offline documents.

== Additional Resources ==

=== Broad frameworks for creating accessible presentations ===
* [https://www.transportation.gov/drc/checklist-planning-accessible-meetings-and-events Checklist for Planning Accessible Meetings and Events] by the US Department of Transportation
* [http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s31/pub/wbu-visual-presentations-guidelines.pdf How to make visual presentations accessible to audience members with print impairments] [PDF], adapted for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) by Minna von Zansen and Jenny Craven from the World Blind Union Guidelines
* [http://uxpamagazine.org/make-your-presentations-accessible Make Your Presentations Accessible: Seven Easy Steps] by Whitney Quesenbery
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/10LsNP-EPm3HKbJP-ennzwamQp_qJtx9Qy5QfaITkoRI/edit Accessible Meetings and Presentations] by the University of Michigan Library
* [http://contrastchecker.com/ Contrast Checker] by WCAG
* [https://ascode.osu.edu/composing-accessible-alt-text Composing Accessible Alt Text] by Ohio State University

=== Guidance Specific to Presentation Software ===
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/word Microsoft Word: Creating Accessible Documents] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/acrobat PDF Accessibility] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [https://chi2020.acm.org/authors/papers/guide-to-an-accessible-submission/ Guide to an Accessible Submission (mostly about PDFs)] by ACM SIGCHI (ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction)
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/powerpoint PowerPoint Accessibility] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [https://webaccess.msu.edu/Tutorials/powerpoint1.html PowerPoint Accessibility] by Michigan State University
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/make-your-powerpoint-presentations-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6f7772b2-2f33-4bd2-8ca7-dae3b2b3ef25 Make your PowerPoint Presentation Accessible] by Microsoft
* [https://templates.office.com/en-us/accessible-powerpoint-template-sampler-tm16401472 Accessible PowerPoint Templates] by Microsoft
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-create-a-new-slide-master-and-layouts-a42fc660-bb28-44a2-b988-29181e6c7fe2 Create a new slide master for PowerPoint] by Microsoft
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-slides-easier-to-read-by-using-the-reading-order-pane-863b5c1c-4f19-45ec-96e6-93a6457f5e1c Make slides easier to read by using the Reading Order pane] by Microsoft.
* [https://gizmodo.com/these-powerpoint-alternatives-are-free-and-easier-to-us-1844665366 PowerPoint alternatives that are free] from Gizmodo (they may or may not be accessible, but they can be used to transfer your files to .ppt)
* [https://cte.tcu.edu/resources/accessibility/keynote-document-accessibility/ Accessibility - Keynote for Mac] by Texas Christian University
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Making Google Slides more Accessible] by Google
* [https://uit.stanford.edu/accessibility/guides/google-slides Accessible Google Slides presentations] by Stanford
* [https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/docs/chapter/google-slides/#Technique_1_Use_Accessible_Templates Understanding Document Accessibility: Using Accessible Google Slides templates] by The Chang School, Ryerson University
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGR8UDCdi14 Canva: Designing for Accessibility] [YouTube video] by Canva
* [https://freshspectrum.com/canva-accessibility/ Canva Accessibility is bad, here is how you fix your design] by Chris Lysy

== Acknowledgements ==

This guide was originally created in October 2016 by a subgroup of the 2016 DLF Forum Inclusivity Committee. We thank Eleanor Dickson, Chelcie Juliet Rowell, and Yasmeen L. Shorish for their extensive work and dedication to accessibility.

We are especially indebted to Whitney Quesenbery’s [http://uxpamagazine.org/make-your-presentations-accessible Make Your Presentations Accessible: Seven Easy Steps] and the [http://www.astr.org/general/custom.asp?page=16_Accessibility Accessibility at the 2016 American Society for Theatre Research & Theatre Library Association Conference] guide. The clarity and comprehensiveness of these recommendations were strengthened by the input of Bethany Nowviskie and members of the broader Inclusivity Committee.

This guide was updated in 2020 by a different group of DLF members (Debbie Krahmer, Lydia Tang, Sarah Goldstein, Stephanie Rosen, Alex Wermer-Colan, and Amy Vecchione), and again in 2021 by Debbie Krahmer and Carrie Pirmann. Special thanks to Stephanie Rosen for further guidance through the Accessible Meetings & Presentations documentation.

This guide was updated in 2022 by Natalie Bond, Debbie Krahmer, Carrie Pirmann, and Adele Fitzgerald. Debbie Krahmer and Carrier Pirmann updated the guide again in 2024.

To offer feedback, please contact [mailto:info@diglib.org info@diglib.org].

Back to [[Committee for Equity and Inclusion|main CEI page]].

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2025-12-08T18:25:12Z

Dkrahmer:

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

The main [[IT and Development]] wiki page contains a full list of software and applications that have been reviewed so far.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [http://www.rgblind.se/url RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.
If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Comparison of Digital Publishing Platforms

2025-10-06T18:21:39Z

Dkrahmer: Created page with "== Summary == In 2025, the DLF Accessibility Working Group did digital accessibility testing using the Accessibility Auditing Shortlist on three digital publishing platforms: [https://pressbooks.com/ Pressbooks], [https://scalar.me/anvc/scalar/ Scalar], and [https://manifoldapp.org/ Manifold]. Our results showed that Pressbooks was the most accessible of these platforms, Scalar the least accessible, and Manifold in the middle. Pressbooks features accessibility doc..."

== Summary ==

In 2025, the DLF Accessibility Working Group did digital accessibility testing using the [[Accessibility Auditing Shortlist]] on three digital publishing platforms: [https://pressbooks.com/ Pressbooks], [https://scalar.me/anvc/scalar/ Scalar], and [https://manifoldapp.org/ Manifold]. Our results showed that Pressbooks was the most accessible of these platforms, Scalar the least accessible, and Manifold in the middle.

Pressbooks features accessibility documentation and a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). The reader perspective as well as the maker interface are accessible. That being said, the onus is still on the author to use the accessibility best practices that Pressbooks supports (e.g. using proper headings, adding effective alternative text, and writing descriptive link text).

In contrast, Scalar has no accessibility documentation and no VPAT. From the reader perspective, Scalar projects are not accessible, and the maker interface for authors is also not accessible.

Manifold has some accessibility documentation but no VPAT. From the reader perspective, Manifold is somewhat accessible, though its annotating feature and its built-in media player are not accessible. The maker interface for authors is technically accessible, but presents barriers for authors using assistive technology (more detail in the Quick-View Facts below). Similar to Pressbooks, the onus is on the author to use accessibility best practices; however, Manifold does not provide documentation on how to properly prepare accessible files for ingestion.
== Quick-View facts ==

=== Pressbooks ===
This is the most accessible authoring platform we tested, and includes documentation to support creating accessible PressBooks.

* The PressBooks authoring and reader sides are generally accessible.
** VPAT: Yes. [https://pressbooks.com/app/uploads/2025/05/2025-05-Pressbooks-reading-interface-VPAT.pdf Authoring PDF] and [https://pressbooks.com/app/uploads/2025/05/2025-05-Pressbooks-reading-interface-VPAT.pdf Reading PDF].
** WCAG Level: 2.2 AA for both sites
** [https://pressbooks.com/accessibility/ Accessibility Statement]
** [[PressBooks Accessibility|Link to full DLF DAWG assessment]]
* Positives:
** Accessible as long as you use best practices.
* Negatives:
** When it comes to the publishing/reading side of PressBooks, much of the accessibility of a PressBooks book is the author’s responsibility.

=== Scalar ===
We found that Scalar was not accessible. This is the least accessible publishing platform that we tested.
* VPAT: none
* WCAG level: none
* Accessibility Statement: none
* [http://Scalar%20Accessibility Link to full DLF DAWG assessment]

=== Manifold ===
In general, we have some reservations around Manifold's accessibility.
* VPAT: No official VPAT. [https://www.libraryaccessibility.org/evaluation/manifold LAA’s VPAT].
* WCAG Level: “aim to meet WCAG 2.1 AA” but haven’t found verification of meeting it.
* [https://manifoldscholar.github.io/manifold-docusaurus/docs/accessibility Accessibility Statement]
* [[Manifold Accessibility|Link to full DLF DAWG assessment]]
* Positives:
** Generally accessible on the reader side as long as you use best practices.
* Negatives:
** UI issues
** Focus errors (non intuitive reading order and focus)
** Strong cognitive load issues around understanding the frontend and backend.
** Backend is only available in a night or dark mode.
** Lacks supporting documentation on creating accessible projects with Manifold.

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

IT and Development

2025-10-06T18:10:07Z

Dkrahmer: /* Accessibility Audits */

The IT and Development subgroup will focus on specific software, hardware, and development practices associated with information organizations. Once a list of technologies associated with specific areas is compiled, they will begin addressing the accessibility concerns of specific entries. We adhere to the same mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Monthly Meetings==

For 2024, the DLF DAWG-IT subgroup is focusing on updating our documentation and assessing the accessibility of other GLAM technologies. We're primarily focusing on digital publishing platforms.

Meetings will be held on the final Monday of the month, at 1:15pm Eastern/6:15pm GMT. ([https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/ Timezone converter]) Check the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VNUIGFd7EOwcVpR73qQzhi9K5ZZCTrFS4hDLiu6AN8U/edit 2024 running agenda] for more information, including links to register for the meetings.

== Completed Projects ==
* [[Accessible Documentation]]
* [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]]
* [[Accessibility Auditing Shortlist]]
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit?usp=sharing Accessibility Auditing Template] Google Doc. Make a copy to start your own evaluation.

== Accessibility Audits ==
In 2021, the DAWG-IT subgroup focused on accessibility testing of the software typically used for DAWG meetings and events. For 2022, we focused on broader GLAM software. In 2023, we updated our Auditing Shortlist and continue to test GLAM applications. In 2024, we focused on digital publishing platforms. These are our completed audits:

* [[Zoom Accessibility]]
* [[Doodle.com Accessibility]]
* [[Google Forms Accessibility]]
* [[Otter.ai Accessibility]]
* [[Google Docs Accessibility]]
* [[Google Slides Accessibility]]
* [[Zotero Accessibility]] Updated with Zotero 7 information
* [[Online Conference Platforms Accessibility]]
* [[ArchivesSpace Accessibility]]
* [[AirTable Accessibility]]
* [[PressBooks Accessibility]]
* [[Scalar Accessibility]]
* [[CollectionBuilder Accessibility]]
* [[Manifold Accessibility]]
* [[Comparison of Digital Publishing Platforms]]

== Group Organizers ==
* Debbie Krahmer dkrahmer AT cornell.edu

== Members ==
* Bri McLaughlin
* Ima Odouk
* Elliot Stevens
* Wendy Robertson
* Kristen Heldmann
* Gabe Galson
* Hannah Sistrunk
* Rita Johnston
* Penniphurr Stevenson
* Eudora Struble
* Jonathan Milam

== Future Technologies to Research ==
Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of your own personal level of skill with accessibility auditing. We've compiled an [[Accessibility Auditing Shortlist]] that anyone can use to contribute to the knowledge base. The ultimate goal for all of these audits is to make the information freely available to anyone. Google docs is currently used for the initial working document before moving information to the wiki. Contact the Organizers for information on how to join the community and get wiki editing access.

* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gAS04mUZSM7g1VBcF5kfry0uuHqvMQc21nXso20h5Pg/edit?usp=sharing Google Sheets]
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vGJey7_KQdM0lLYAdt9W8DkiuWaJXKF-BuvDulsUMbA/edit?usp=sharing Slack]
* OJS, open journal systems
* Institutional Repositories (bepress, DSpace, etc.)
* DAMs (Contentdm, Islandora, etc.)
* Library Systems
* Virtual Tours
* Digital Scholarship (Research data, tools, visualizations)
* Databases and Vendors
* Virtual Reality (3D technologies, including Makerspace equipment)

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Creating Accessible In-Person Presentations

2025-09-29T15:14:54Z

Dkrahmer: /* Acknowledgements */

== Accessible Presentations Guidelines for the DLF Forum==

One of [https://www.diglib.org/about/ Digital Library Federation]’s strengths is that its membership & Forums are inclusive sites for exchange. Our community of practitioners participate in a variety of cultures and disciplines, and they bring with them to the Forum many different professional and personal experiences and learning styles. To help presenters effectively engage with this diverse and dynamic community, we offer these practical recommendations for creating accessible presentations.

* Creating Accessible Presentations LIVE webinar: Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 1pm ET
* [[Creating Accessible Presentations 2022]] recording with captions, transcript, and presentation slides

== Delivering Presentations ==

=== Language and Respect ===

* Respectfully acknowledge those who make your work possible—whether you’re talking about research participants, IT support, student employee labor, or the [https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/ ancestral inhabitants of the ground you stand on]. Recognize that the audience has knowledge to contribute.
* Give an overview of what will happen and what you’re about to present, making note of sensitive content or language as appropriate.
* Do not assume all cultural touchpoints or references are universal. Give context to the audience.
** Minimize the use of jargon and acronyms, or clearly explain them in your talk.
** Make sure you share information (spelling, pronunciation) about jargon to the live captioner or the person producing the closed captioning to ensure accuracy.
* Adhere to the [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ Code of Conduct] for respectful and inclusive communication and interaction.
* Make presentation materials available in advance so that participants using assistive technology can follow along on their own devices. We encourage use of DLF’s dedicated repository for Forum and Learn@DLF presentations or DigiPres.
** Provide a textual version of presentations either in slide notes or in a document accompanying slide decks.
* When making materials available to others, the PowerPoint (PPT) file or Google Slides is preferred over PDF. PowerPoint templates are designed to be more compatible for screen readers and other assistive technology. If you are able to produce an accessible, tagged, and properly formatted PDF that is readable to assistive technology, that is also acceptable. If you are using Keynote on a Mac to create your slides, please make sure you export them as a PPT file and use the PPT version to share with others. Native Keynote files cannot be opened by PowerPoint or easily converted to Google Slides format.

=== Presenter Audio and Video ===

* The plenary sessions will be recorded, livestreamed, and made available online with closed captioning and a transcript.
* In all sessions, always use a mic when speaking. It doesn’t matter if you can project your voice; some of the audience may be using assistive listening devices which require the use of the microphone. Don’t move away from your mic while speaking.
** Mute notifications on your cell phone to reduce distractions.
* Speak clearly, loudly, and at a moderate rate. Use pauses to allow for processing time.
** Provide clear verbal descriptions of visual content, such as images, charts, and videos (for example, "This slide shows a screenshot of a Google Image search for kittens."). Imagine delivering your presentation on the radio. [https://feather.ca/inclusion/describing/ This article includes more information on how to visually describe your presentation].
* Provide captioning in video clips that are a part of your presentation.
* Ideally, the speaker will be unmasked or using a clear face shield to allow the audience to read lips or expressions.
* Pause early on to ensure that the audience can see/hear the presentation.
* At the start of the presentation, summarize community norms and methods of expression and interaction.
** Remind the audience to use mics and how/where they are available.
** Remind everyone that they should follow the [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ DLF Code of Conduct].
** For sensitive topics, refer to the Code of Conduct, or [https://eastsideforall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Multicultural-Ground-Rules-for-Discussion.pdf set up ground rules for a respectful conversation] (PDF).

=== Tips for Presenting in a More Accessible Way ===

* Describe images and video clips aloud. This may be a brief description ("I'm going to show a clip of a person performing the same search I just spoke about") or your alt text. If you are using an audio clip such as people speaking, make sure there's a transcript on screen.
* Narrate what is happening during your presentation. Report regularly on displayed interactive polls, or describe moving gifs that you want people to be aware of. For example, "Oh! Someone just added "ramp" to our suggestion poll!" or "There's a repeating gif of a hedgehog crawling across the screen." Make sure you're including everyone, even if they're not able to see what's happening on your presentation slides.
* Read any links or URLs aloud.
* Let the audience know which slide you are on (either using the title or the slide number) if you are not using audible cues when changing slides.
* Read aloud the text on the slides. Don't ever say "You can read this" and go silent, as you're leaving out a portion of your audience.

=== Best Practices for Shared Spaces ===

* Always use the microphone, even if you’re meeting in a relatively small space. Don’t rely on your ability to project. Using the microphone allows a person using a hearing aid or assistive listening device to “tune” into the PA audio.
** Repeat audience questions into the microphone before answering them, especially if a roving microphone isn’t available.
* If the presentation space is elevated, please provide a ramp.
* Provide accessible reserved seating at the front and nearest to the door.
* Refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, or other strongly scented products.
* Refrain from whispering or speaking with other attendees while conference presenters are speaking. These types of ambient noise can impact the ability of individuals to be able to hear or focus on what a presenter is saying.

== Designing Presentations Materials ==

=== Design Your Slides to Be Accessible ===

* Make your slides available before and after the presentation in their original format (as a.pptx or Google Slides link instead of a .pdf). This allows the audience to view/edit/enlarge/print or do whatever they need to be able to access the materials. If you are sharing Google Slides, remember to check your sharing settings and ensure the document is viewable to anyone with the link. We highly recommend that you also set any shared versions of Google documents to be View Only.
* Give your files clear and descriptive names including the event, speaker name, and year. Example: DLFForum_MaggieSmith_2022.ppt
* If you use PowerPoint ([https://templates.office.com/en-us/accessible-powerpoint-template-sampler-tm16401472 suggested accessible templates]) or Google Slides ([https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/docs/chapter/google-slides/#Technique_1_Use_Accessible_Templates making a template accessible]) to create your own presentation style, search for "Accessible Presentations" to find more accessible templates. Be aware, however, that you'll likely have to do your own accessibility checking and editing to ensure that the design is actually accessible. Canva has no accessible templates ([https://freshspectrum.com/canva-accessibility/ This is a good article on Canva’s accessibility issues and how to fix them]).
* Use the default slide layouts. For example, rather than adding text boxes to a blank slide, [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-create-a-new-slide-master-and-layouts-a42fc660-bb28-44a2-b988-29181e6c7fe2#:~:text=Add%20an%20additional%20slide%20master,group%2C%20click%20Insert%20Slide%20Master. add new content placeholders to the slide master], or use one of the suggested slide layouts. This way they’ll be included in the overall presentation outline and tagged properly for screen readers.
* Customize the reading order of elements added to slides. By default, applications such as [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-slides-easier-to-read-by-using-the-reading-order-pane-863b5c1c-4f19-45ec-96e6-93a6457f5e1c PowerPoint] and [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Google Slides] arrange elements according to a default template or in the order in which they were added to the slide. Arrange slide elements in an order that makes sense when being read by a screen reader.
* Use built-in formatting options for charts, bullet points, shapes, etc. instead of an image or screen capture. Otherwise, provide text alternatives through other means:
** Provide explanatory text in the slide notes.
** Hide explanatory text in a text box underneath the inserted image.
** Explain the image in visible text.
*If you must insert data as an image, use alt text to tell the reader what the image is and/or where they can find the original data (by URL or citation).
* Check the color contrast for charts and visualizations using the [https://projects.susielu.com/viz-palette VIZ Palette Designer].
* Provide quality alt text for images. Seek out [http://www.slideshare.net/whitneyq/writing-great-alt-text-38937551 recommendations for writing great alt text]. Alt text serves different functions for different types of informational content. Alt text should:
** Explain visual content, such as images, charts, and videos.
** Describe aural content, such as audio and video.
* Make sure links have unique, descriptive names, rather than just the URL or “click here.” A screen reader user may use the tab button to navigate quickly through content, which might skip from hyperlink to hyperlink. If each hyperlink has the text of “Click here” or a long URL, it isn’t helpful.
** Provide a short URL, and read it aloud. The URL shortener tinyurl.com will allow you to customize the shortened URL for meaning. For example, using TinyURL you can create a link that is: tinyurl.com/SmithDLF2021.
* Use unique titles for every slide and include slide numbers or an [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-add-a-sound-effect-to-a-transition-54f62eba-429e-4606-b622-585d26049bf1 audible sound when changing slides] so the audience can track where you are at in your presentation.
* Budget space in the bottom 1/4th of the slides for the closed captioning, so that the captioning text doesn’t block any important information.

=== Make Text Easy to See ===

*Provide minimal text on each slide (only a few bullet points).
*Maintain a large font size.
** For bullet points, use a 24–32 point font for PowerPoint, or 20pt minimum for Google Slides.
** Titles for PowerPoint can be much bigger, such as 50-80 point. It's a good idea in Google Slides to keep your titles in the 32-45 point range for maximum readability without sacrificing too much screen room.
** Design for people seated both close to and far from a projected screen, and for people reading on screens small and large.
* Select fonts for readability. Sans serif fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri are usually easier to read.
* Avoid all caps as they can be difficult to read, and it represents shouting to many people.
* Use a high contrast color scheme that is easy to read and doesn’t cause eye-strain (for example, black/white, white/dark blue). To check for good contrast, [http://contrastchecker.com/ use a contrast checker]. Avoid visually difficult color combinations such as red and green, or red and blue.
** Do not use color alone to denote meaning. For example, link text can be blue and underlined, parts of a bar graph can be color-coded and labeled in text.

=== Perform an Accessibility Check ===

* Recent versions of Microsoft Office provide an accessibility checker in the ‘Tools’ menu (or Review menu in Mac) under ‘Check Accessibility,’ or in the File menu under ‘Check for Issues.’
* Recent versions of Adobe applications provide an accessibility checker in the ‘Tools’ menu under ‘Accessibility.’ In the secondary toolbar click on ‘Full Check.’
* Google Apps do not have built-in accessibility checkers, but you can download the Grackle Docs add-on for a basic accessibility check. You can also download materials created with Google Apps as Microsoft Office documents in order to check accessibility of your presentation materials as offline documents.

== Additional Resources ==

=== Broad frameworks for creating accessible presentations ===
* [https://www.transportation.gov/drc/checklist-planning-accessible-meetings-and-events Checklist for Planning Accessible Meetings and Events] by the US Department of Transportation
* [http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s31/pub/wbu-visual-presentations-guidelines.pdf How to make visual presentations accessible to audience members with print impairments] [PDF], adapted for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) by Minna von Zansen and Jenny Craven from the World Blind Union Guidelines
* [http://uxpamagazine.org/make-your-presentations-accessible Make Your Presentations Accessible: Seven Easy Steps] by Whitney Quesenbery
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/10LsNP-EPm3HKbJP-ennzwamQp_qJtx9Qy5QfaITkoRI/edit Accessible Meetings and Presentations] by the University of Michigan Library
* [http://contrastchecker.com/ Contrast Checker] by WCAG
* [https://ascode.osu.edu/composing-accessible-alt-text Composing Accessible Alt Text] by Ohio State University

=== Guidance Specific to Presentation Software ===
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/word Microsoft Word: Creating Accessible Documents] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/acrobat PDF Accessibility] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [https://chi2020.acm.org/authors/papers/guide-to-an-accessible-submission/ Guide to an Accessible Submission (mostly about PDFs)] by ACM SIGCHI (ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction)
* [http://webaim.org/techniques/powerpoint PowerPoint Accessibility] by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
* [https://webaccess.msu.edu/Tutorials/powerpoint1.html PowerPoint Accessibility] by Michigan State University
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/make-your-powerpoint-presentations-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6f7772b2-2f33-4bd2-8ca7-dae3b2b3ef25 Make your PowerPoint Presentation Accessible] by Microsoft
* [https://templates.office.com/en-us/accessible-powerpoint-template-sampler-tm16401472 Accessible PowerPoint Templates] by Microsoft
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-create-a-new-slide-master-and-layouts-a42fc660-bb28-44a2-b988-29181e6c7fe2 Create a new slide master for PowerPoint] by Microsoft
* [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/make-slides-easier-to-read-by-using-the-reading-order-pane-863b5c1c-4f19-45ec-96e6-93a6457f5e1c Make slides easier to read by using the Reading Order pane] by Microsoft.
* [https://gizmodo.com/these-powerpoint-alternatives-are-free-and-easier-to-us-1844665366 PowerPoint alternatives that are free] from Gizmodo (they may or may not be accessible, but they can be used to transfer your files to .ppt)
* [https://cte.tcu.edu/resources/accessibility/keynote-document-accessibility/ Accessibility - Keynote for Mac] by Texas Christian University
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Making Google Slides more Accessible] by Google
* [https://uit.stanford.edu/accessibility/guides/google-slides Accessible Google Slides presentations] by Stanford
* [https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/docs/chapter/google-slides/#Technique_1_Use_Accessible_Templates Understanding Document Accessibility: Using Accessible Google Slides templates] by The Chang School, Ryerson University
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGR8UDCdi14 Canva: Designing for Accessibility] [YouTube video] by Canva
* [https://freshspectrum.com/canva-accessibility/ Canva Accessibility is bad, here is how you fix your design] by Chris Lysy

== Acknowledgements ==

This guide was originally created in October 2016 by a subgroup of the 2016 DLF Forum Inclusivity Committee. We thank Eleanor Dickson, Chelcie Juliet Rowell, and Yasmeen L. Shorish for their extensive work and dedication to accessibility.

We are especially indebted to Whitney Quesenbery’s [http://uxpamagazine.org/make-your-presentations-accessible Make Your Presentations Accessible: Seven Easy Steps] and the [http://www.astr.org/general/custom.asp?page=16_Accessibility Accessibility at the 2016 American Society for Theatre Research & Theatre Library Association Conference] guide. The clarity and comprehensiveness of these recommendations were strengthened by the input of Bethany Nowviskie and members of the broader Inclusivity Committee.

This guide was updated in 2020 by a different group of DLF members (Debbie Krahmer, Lydia Tang, Sarah Goldstein, Stephanie Rosen, Alex Wermer-Colan, and Amy Vecchione), and again in 2021 by Debbie Krahmer and Carrie Pirmann. Special thanks to Stephanie Rosen for further guidance through the Accessible Meetings & Presentations documentation.

This guide was updated in 2022 by Natalie Bond, Debbie Krahmer, Carrie Pirmann, and Adele Fitzgerald. Debbie Krahmer and Carrier Pirmann updated the guide again in 2024.

To offer feedback, please contact [mailto:info@diglib.org info@diglib.org].

Back to [[Committee for Equity and Inclusion|main CEI page]].

PressBooks Accessibility

2025-07-28T18:38:50Z

Dkrahmer: /* General Information */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of PressBooks. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

PressBooks is a platform for publishing books online. [https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/accessibilityhandbook/chapter/wordpress-and-pressbooks/ Built off of WordPress], PressBooks offers online publishing in HTML, with options to make the book downloadable in PDF or EPUB formats. We only tested the authoring side and the public/reader side of PressBooks, and didn't do a deep examination of the PDF or EPUB outputs. As such, we can't comment on the non-HTML outputs available for PressBooks.

The PressBooks authoring side is '''generally accessible'''. We did not encounter any barriers. However, when it comes to the publishing/reading side of PressBooks, much of the accessibility of a PressBooks book is left up to whoever has authored it. If the author follows best practices, then the resulting book is accessible.

== General Information ==

* [https://pressbooks.com/app/uploads/2025/05/2025-05-Pressbooks-authoring-interface-VPAT.pdf Authoring VPAT] (pdf)
* [https://pressbooks.com/app/uploads/2025/05/2025-05-Pressbooks-reading-interface-VPAT.pdf Reading VPAT] (pdf)
* [https://pressbooks.com/accessibility/ PressBooks' Accessibility Page]
* [https://pressbooks.com/app/uploads/2022/05/Pressbooks-Accessibility-Standards-and-Commitments.pdf PressBooks' Accessibility Standards and Commitments] (pdf)
* [https://kb.iu.edu/d/bgkz Create Accessible Math in PressBooks and Canvas] from Indiana University
* [https://guide.pressbooks.com/chapter/add-mathematical-notation/ Add Mathematical Notation] from the PressBooks accessibility guide
* [https://kb.wisc.edu/accessibility/page.php?id=106296 University of Wisconsin's Accessibility Summary]
* University of Washington's experience [https://opentext.wsu.edu/accessibility-case-studies/chapter/case-study11-uw-pressbooks/ collaborating with PressBooks for greater accessibility]

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

Because so much of the final accessibility of a PressBooks book is up to the author, PressBooks and many universities offer free and open guides to creating accessible books:
* PressBooks's [https://guide.pressbooks.com/chapter/make-your-book-accessible-and-inclusive/ Make Your Book Accessible and Inclusive] user guide
* University of Guelph's [https://guides.lib.uoguelph.ca/accessiblepressbooks Making PressBooks Accessible]
* BCcampus's Free [https://opentextbc.ca/accessibilitytoolkit/ Accessibility Toolkit]
* University of Washington's [https://uw.pressbooks.pub/uwaccessibility/ Teaching, Testing, and Talking Accessibility]

There are some differences between PressBooks.com and PressBooks.org, as well as between which templates you use for creating your PressBook.
* Different versions of PressBooks use [https://pressbooks.community/t/textbox-accessibility/2371 different heading levels for call-out boxes and other visual text boxes], and will sometimes use no headers at all. You should test your book using a screen reader to make sure it makes sense.
* [https://guide.pressbooks.com/chapter/add-mathematical-notation/ PressBooks.org has native MathJax integration, while PressBooks.com has WordPress's QuickLaTeX as the default for math rendering]. You can also select which plugin you'd rather use in PressBooks.com. If you're using a university's installation of PressBooks, you will need to ask them what they recommend and/or have installed.

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Google Docs Accessibility

2025-04-17T17:44:09Z

Dkrahmer: /* General Information */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Google Forms. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Our testing focused on the browser-based version of Google Docs. We did not test any mobile apps. We tested creating, sharing, and editing/commenting on a Google Doc. We found Google Docs to be '''generally accessible''', but the accessibility relies on the use of [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/179738 layered keyboard shortcuts] and [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6282736 turning on the Doc screen reader support]. The accessibility of a Google Doc also relies on using accessibility best practices to design the actual document. Google supplies extensive documentation to support a variety of Assistive Technologies.

You must use the keyboard shortcuts to interact with Google Docs when using a screen reader and/or keyboard navigation. There are some aspects of Google Docs that aren’t easy use to make them accessible; tables can’t be properly formatted, and images can’t be marked decorative. Magnification is only supported in the browser up to 200%; after that, the menus and buttons are inaccessible. For extra zooming, it is suggested to use a magnification tool like ZoomText or the built-in Magnifier for Windows and Mac.

There are some third party applications you can use with Google Docs to create more accessible documents; however, there are some [https://arxiv.org/pdf/1911.12332.pdf serious security concerns about many of them] (PDF). Check with your IT or Google Workspaces Admin for advice on using any third party applications.

=== Creating a Google Doc ===

In general, creating a Google Doc is '''accessible'''. Using a screen reader and keyboard navigation without using the Google keyboard shortcuts will make navigating and creating a Google Doc more difficult, as some of the labels are misleading, and the actual create button is at the “bottom” of the page.

=== Sharing a Google Doc ===

In general, sharing a Google Doc is '''accessible'''.

=== Editing and Commenting on a Google Doc ===

Editing and commenting on a Google Doc is '''accessible'''. When using a screen reader, you must have the screen reader support activated, and use the keyboard shortcuts to share. Be sure to switch from Browse mode to Focus mode in order to write in the Doc.

== General Information ==
* [https://www.google.com/accessibility/customers-partners/ Accessibility statement]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/179738?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop Keyboard Shortcuts]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6282736 Accessibility for Docs editors]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6282736?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en Dedicated support/information page from Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Making documents/presentations more accessible From Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/topic/6239407?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 Use a screen reader on your computer to use google docs from Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6057417?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 Use a Braille display with editing google docs from Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/4492226?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 Voice typing (dictation) with google docs from Google]
* [https://theaccessibilityguy.com/google-docs-accessibility-a-comprehensive-review/ Google Docs Accessibility: A Comprehensive Review] (2025)
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nfB5Y5vSPc93Bv2Zwweq52rNYyQr5Ql1Y9lsN-f0mIs/edit?tab=t.0 Rough Notes for Accessing a Google Doc with a Screen Reader by Deborah Armstrong] (2025)

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Screen Reader Support ===

You must activate the screen reader support in order to use the screen reader with Google Docs. You will be prompted to enable it, as well as given the shortcut to bring up all the keyboard commands. It is absolutely necessary to use the keyboard shortcuts to navigate, edit, and comment on the Google Doc. There may be some cognitive difficulties in exploring the comments for some users.

=== Creating Accessible Tables ===

There is currently no way to create a proper, accessible table in Google Docs without using a 3rd party add-on such as GrackleDocs. As there are some security concerns with using any third party application, you should check with your IT or Google Workspaces admin for advice. It may be easier to format the final version of the document in HTML or Word Doc for accessibility, or to just link to a Google Sheet for information in a table.

=== Images ===

Google Docs only allows you to add Alt Text to an image, but doesn’t allow you to mark it as decorative. When putting in Alt Text, the Description field needs to be used for alt text, not the Title. This is not clear to users that Description is the alt text field.

== Other Resources ==

* [https://oit.colorado.edu/services/messaging-collaboration/google-workspace/accessibility/docs Google Workspace Accessibility by University of Colorado Boulder]
* [https://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/using-technology/assistive-technology-videos/using-google-docs-and-drive-0 Using Google docs and Drive with NVDA by AFB]
* [https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/posts/google-docs-and-sheets-screen-reader-resources Google Docs and sheets with a screen reader by Perkins]
* [https://webaccess.msu.edu/Tutorials/google-drive.html Creating accessible google drive documents by MSU]
* [https://accessibility.wfu.edu/resources/accessible-basic-google-docs/ Creating Accessible Basic Google Docs by WFU]

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Google Slides Accessibility

2025-04-03T14:33:54Z

Dkrahmer: /* General Information */

Google Docs Accessibility

2025-04-03T14:33:32Z

Dkrahmer: /* General Information */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Google Forms. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Our testing focused on the browser-based version of Google Docs. We did not test any mobile apps. We tested creating, sharing, and editing/commenting on a Google Doc. We found Google Docs to be '''generally accessible''', but the accessibility relies on the use of [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/179738 layered keyboard shortcuts] and [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6282736 turning on the Doc screen reader support]. The accessibility of a Google Doc also relies on using accessibility best practices to design the actual document. Google supplies extensive documentation to support a variety of Assistive Technologies.

You must use the keyboard shortcuts to interact with Google Docs when using a screen reader and/or keyboard navigation. There are some aspects of Google Docs that aren’t easy use to make them accessible; tables can’t be properly formatted, and images can’t be marked decorative. Magnification is only supported in the browser up to 200%; after that, the menus and buttons are inaccessible. For extra zooming, it is suggested to use a magnification tool like ZoomText or the built-in Magnifier for Windows and Mac.

There are some third party applications you can use with Google Docs to create more accessible documents; however, there are some [https://arxiv.org/pdf/1911.12332.pdf serious security concerns about many of them] (PDF). Check with your IT or Google Workspaces Admin for advice on using any third party applications.

=== Creating a Google Doc ===

In general, creating a Google Doc is '''accessible'''. Using a screen reader and keyboard navigation without using the Google keyboard shortcuts will make navigating and creating a Google Doc more difficult, as some of the labels are misleading, and the actual create button is at the “bottom” of the page.

=== Sharing a Google Doc ===

In general, sharing a Google Doc is '''accessible'''.

=== Editing and Commenting on a Google Doc ===

Editing and commenting on a Google Doc is '''accessible'''. When using a screen reader, you must have the screen reader support activated, and use the keyboard shortcuts to share. Be sure to switch from Browse mode to Focus mode in order to write in the Doc.

== General Information ==
* [https://www.google.com/accessibility/customers-partners/ Accessibility statement]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/179738?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop Keyboard Shortcuts]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6282736 Accessibility for Docs editors]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6282736?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en Dedicated support/information page from Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en Making documents/presentations more accessible From Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/topic/6239407?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 Use a screen reader on your computer to use google docs from Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6057417?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 Use a Braille display with editing google docs from Google]
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/4492226?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 Voice typing (dictation) with google docs from Google]
* [https://theaccessibilityguy.com/google-docs-accessibility-a-comprehensive-review/ Google Docs Accessibility: A Comprehensive Review] (2025)

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Screen Reader Support ===

You must activate the screen reader support in order to use the screen reader with Google Docs. You will be prompted to enable it, as well as given the shortcut to bring up all the keyboard commands. It is absolutely necessary to use the keyboard shortcuts to navigate, edit, and comment on the Google Doc. There may be some cognitive difficulties in exploring the comments for some users.

=== Creating Accessible Tables ===

There is currently no way to create a proper, accessible table in Google Docs without using a 3rd party add-on such as GrackleDocs. As there are some security concerns with using any third party application, you should check with your IT or Google Workspaces admin for advice. It may be easier to format the final version of the document in HTML or Word Doc for accessibility, or to just link to a Google Sheet for information in a table.

=== Images ===

Google Docs only allows you to add Alt Text to an image, but doesn’t allow you to mark it as decorative. When putting in Alt Text, the Description field needs to be used for alt text, not the Title. This is not clear to users that Description is the alt text field.

== Other Resources ==

* [https://oit.colorado.edu/services/messaging-collaboration/google-workspace/accessibility/docs Google Workspace Accessibility by University of Colorado Boulder]
* [https://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/using-technology/assistive-technology-videos/using-google-docs-and-drive-0 Using Google docs and Drive with NVDA by AFB]
* [https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/posts/google-docs-and-sheets-screen-reader-resources Google Docs and sheets with a screen reader by Perkins]
* [https://webaccess.msu.edu/Tutorials/google-drive.html Creating accessible google drive documents by MSU]
* [https://accessibility.wfu.edu/resources/accessible-basic-google-docs/ Creating Accessible Basic Google Docs by WFU]

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Google Forms Accessibility

2025-04-03T14:32:51Z

Dkrahmer: /* General Information */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of Google Forms. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

Our testing focused on creating/editing a Google Form, filling out a Google Form, and accessing Google Form results. We did not test Google Forms on mobile devices or apps. Overall, Google Forms are '''generally accessible''', with some problems; it is difficult to make images accessible, some templates and the default focus indicator have color contrast issues, and there is an increased cognitive load required for creating forms.

=== Creating a Google Form ===

In general, creating a Google Form is '''generally accessible''' via keyboard and/or screen reader, though there are some significant cognitive load issues with setting up longer and more complex surveys due to the amount of options you need to navigate through. If you are using a screen reader or keyboard navigation, you can save a lot of time by using the keyboard shortcuts. Adding description to images is very unintuitive, and the options are confusing. You need to consider the accessibility as well as the layout of the survey before you begin to create it in Google Forms, as much of the accessibility of the final form is dependent on the creator.

=== Filling out a Google Form ===

In general, filling out a Google Form is '''accessible if it is set up well'''. There are missing headers across the various templates, but the active buttons are easy to navigate. With some screen readers, you can get stuck in a short paragraph, long paragraph, or the “other” text-entry form elements, but you don’t need to reload the page in order to get out of it.

=== Accessing Google Form Results ===

The most accessible way to access the results is to '''export them to a Spreadsheet'''. It can be difficult to view the “Responses” tab with a screen reader. You need to make sure you switch from focus mode to browse mode with NVDA. Navigating the Responses page is also difficult due to the lack of headings and the confusing structure. Graphs are re-created in a badly formatted table that is readable to the screen reader. It is easier to navigate the Individual Responses with a screen reader, though you only get a general idea of the responses rather than a clear picture.

== General Information ==
* [https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//accessibility/static/pdf/google-forms-vpat.pdf VPAT] July 19, 2019
* [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3527854 Creating and editing Google Forms with a screen reader]
* Google’s [https://www.google.com/accessibility/customers-partners/ Accessibility statement]
* Google Forms [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6281888?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en support documentation]
* List of [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6026976?hl=en Keyboard Shortcuts]
* [https://theaccessibilityguy.com/google-docs-accessibility-a-comprehensive-review/ Google Docs Accessibility: A Comprehensive Review] (2025)

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Keyboard Navigation ===

If you are using a keyboard for navigation, or using a screen reader, it’s important to use the Keyboard Shortcuts. You cannot reorder questions while creating a Google Form without using the [https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6026976?hl=en Keyboard Shortcuts], as it’s a drag-and-drop action. The keyboard shortcuts will allow you to move a question up or down in the list. They will also save you much navigation time. The shortcuts aren’t linked from or listed on the Questions page, so you do have to look for them if you’ve never used a Google Workspace before. By default, when tabbing through the Questions page, you will be taken to the action menu items (which do not include their keyboard shortcuts) before you are taken to the actual editable areas of the form.

When viewing the Responses, you must switch from focus mode to browse mode

=== Images and Videos ===

When adding images to a Google Form, you have two choices. It can be added as part of a question, or as an “Insert Image” option from the action menu. It is confusing as to how to add alt text or a description for the image depending on which way you include the image.

When adding an image as part of a question, the only option is to add a caption (which is hidden in the “image options” menu). If you add a description as a caption, it will be read twice by a screen reader--once as the Alt Text and once as the caption. If you do not put in a caption, the image will be read as “Captionless image.” There is no option for Null Alt Text or to mark it as decorative.

If you add an image from the action menu (so it appears as its own “question” with no action attributed to it), you are given several options for labelling the image. First there is an Image Title text entry area; this will appear as regular text (not a heading) above the image. Then there is a menu where you can add “hover text.” This serves as both Alt Text and as text that appears when you hover the mouse over the image. Finally, the image editing menu does not include the option to add a caption.

YouTube videos can be embedded into a Google Form. You should be sure to have all videos subtitled. There is no way to automatically turn on or off the closed captions for individual YouTube videos within the Google Form, but you can control the embedded video player with a keyboard.

=== Screen Reader ===

In the Responses page, you must switch from focus mode to browse mode (in NVDA) in order to access any of the responses. The Summary page is very confusing, and defaults to displaying default types of graphs (you cannot select the type of graph you want the summary to display, or change colors). Graphs are also recreated as invisible tables for the screen reader, but they are not well-designed. It’s easier to access and navigate the Individual Responses page, but then you only get a general idea of the answers as opposed to the full overview. Overall, it’s likely easier to export the Responses as a spreadsheet and view them in your preferred application. When adding the Date question to a Google Form, the question will not be accessible to a screen reader unless you are viewing the live form.

When filling out a Google Form, all the question types are technically accessible to the screen reader. A poorly designed question will be difficult for everyone, but can pose extra barriers to a person using a screen reader.

=== Designing a Google Form ===

It’s very important to think about the accessibility of the form before you set up your survey in Google Forms. For the most part, a screen reader and keyboard navigation can be used. However, if your questions are badly worded, or you have confusing options, it will add to the cognitive strain of the survey taker. Images are also difficult and confusing to make accessible as part of the Google Form. Different templates will have different color contrast issues. Before deploying a Google Form as a survey instrument, it should be tested for accessibility.

=== Color Contrast and Focus Indicator ===

[[File:Google Forms Color Contrast.png|thumb|alt=The colors that have perfect color contrast without edits are Red (#db4437), Purple (#673ab7), Indigo (#3f5ab5), and Blue Grey (#607d86). |The colors that have perfect color contrast without edits are Red (#db4437), Purple (#673ab7), Indigo (#3f5ab5), and Blue Grey (#607d86). ]]

Different templates will have different color contrast issues, and should be tested before being deployed. By default, Google uses a gray focus indicator that also “grays” the button color, which might cause color contrast issues when creating a Google Form. When viewing the summary of responses, you cannot select or change the color of the charts, nor can you change the type of chart it displays.

The colors on the default google form template that have perfect color contrast are: Red (#db4437), Purple (#673ab7), Indigo (#3f51b5), and Blue Grey (#607d86). For a sighted reference, refer to the photo on the right.

== Other Resources ==
* [https://oit.colorado.edu/services/messaging-collaboration/google-workspace/accessibility/forms Google Forms accessibility] by University of Colorado Boulder
* [https://accessibility.psu.edu/forms/googleforms/ Google Forms accessibility] by PennState
* [http://accessibility.dl.umn.edu/surveys-forms/google-forms Google Forms accessibility] by University of Minnesota
* [https://www.perkinselearning.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Creating%20Accessible%20Google%20Forms_0.docx Creating Accessible Google Forms] [.docx] by Perkins

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Supportive Resources for Our Time

2025-03-24T19:07:23Z

Dkrahmer:

2025 is a very difficult time for DEI professionals, immigrants to the US, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, librarians, and higher education in general. Here are some resources that have been shared by members of the CEI team that we felt would be useful for the greater CEI audience. Please take what you need, and leave what you don't!

* [https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1-YVbR0zquYwp7HkXrOCtXq-I0p1hHWlz Library Freedom Project's Anti-Doxxing toolkit] - Information on how to protect yourself from Doxxing and Harassment, as well as what to do when it happens to you.
* [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/libvoices/episodes/Episode-41-Shawnta-Smith-Cruz-on-Intersectionality--Community--and-Activism-e2gs57v LibVoices Podcast on Intersectionality, Community, and Activism].
* [https://digitalscholarship.library.cornell.edu/?p=22 Digital Harassment Self-Defense] - From Cornell University Library
* [https://researchersupport.org/ Researcher Support Consortium]

Return to [[Committee for Equity and Inclusion|CEI Homepage]]

Accessibility Auditing Shortlist

2025-02-24T16:45:21Z

Dkrahmer:

This list was initially created in the #IT subgroup slack channel, and is regularly updated (check the page information for when last updated). Find more auditing ideas from the big [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] Page.

==Introduction==
The shortlist is designed to create a simplified guide for beginners to be able to contribute to assessing software and web technologies for accessibility. The goal is to crowdsource accessibility information about a variety of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) technologies that can be shared widely and freely through the [[Digital Accessibility Group|DLF Digital Accessibility Working Group Wiki]]. It is meant to be a self-directed learning experience where anyone, anywhere, can help us to evaluate commonly used software and websites.

If you are participating in the initial review of a technology using the shortlist, you can mark what areas you are planning to test on the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc Accessibility Assessment Template] for that technology. ([[IT_and_Development#Group_Organizers |Contact the Group Organizers]] for more information.)

This auditing shortlist focuses on the usability of the software, rather than how it meets certain criteria. It is not based on the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ WCAG standards], but has many parallels. The larger [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] page includes links to WCAG testing checklists.

==What do we mean by accessibility?==
In general, when we say Accessible, we mean that something can be used by everyone, whether they use assistive technologies (such as screen readers or a stylus) or have any disabilities. A software program that responds only to vocal commands is not accessible to someone who doesn’t speak, to someone who doesn’t have a microphone on their computer, or to someone in a very noisy place.

As information professionals, our duty is to ensure that people have access to information. If we hide that information behind inaccessible software or poorly-designed websites, we have failed in this duty.
As with all work by the DLF DAWG IT/DEV, we are guided by the mission and values of our parent organization, the [https://wiki.diglib.org/Digital_Accessibility_Group Digital Accessibility Working Group].

==Considerations for non-English and Multilingual items==
The [https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-html-language-declarations language of a website or document should be properly declared], including in PDFs and epubs. This tells a screen reader what language the document is in, and that it should switch to a different voice engine. This works [https://www.freedomscientific.com/SurfsUp/Languages.htm automatically with JAWS], but [https://nvda.groups.io/g/nvda/topic/multi_language_support/25171008 may not function correctly with NVDA] or other screen readers or [https://uxdesign.cc/the-troubled-state-of-screen-readers-in-multilingual-situations-f6a9da4ecdf3 even certain browsers]. You may need to manually switch your language engine when testing a website that is in a different language than your screen reader's default setting.

A website or document can also support multiple languages. [https://accessibility.psu.edu/foreignlanguages/langtaghtml/ Penn State's page on Language tags] clearly outlines the use and function of using language tags to mark out different languages on a webpage. The links in the above paragraphs include sections of multiple language tags so you can test our your preferred screen reader and browser to determine if it will function correctly for testing.

==Checklist==
Accessibility auditing is both a science and an artform. While it is best to engage with an expert, not all information organizations have access to trained auditors. The DLF DAWG team uses these steps and [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVMgN2BSx1xG7wTqUgOtdpG5xOzCaZsN0PP1vqeGOyE/edit#heading=h.ignecjocxmlc the accompanying template] for our website reviews. Please consult the full [[Accessibility Auditing Resources]] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines.

===First Steps===
These tasks can be completed by anyone regardless of past experience in web design or accessibility auditing. For someone new to testing, website accessibility is easier to test than software accessibility, but there are still basic software checks that anyone can perform.

# Does the vendor or website have a page dedicated to accessibility or a central contact address for accessibility questions and assistance? Does the page acknowledge any inaccessible areas of the software or website? If so, record the information.
## Rationale: It’s a positive sign when a website or vendor recognizes and addresses the accessibility of their product. If there is difficulty finding support for questions or concerns around accessibility, it can be a sign that the vendor hasn’t incorporated accessibility into the design or that they don’t value input about accessibility issues.
# Does the vendor or website have a [https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/ Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] (VPAT) available online? A VPAT is a report that a vendor or third party creates to assess the accessibility of their product. Is there an evaluation available at the [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Library Accessibility Alliance]? Use a search engine of choice to find out and record this information.
## Rationale: A VPAT document is a vendor’s self-disclosure of their accessibility, although the existence of a VPAT alone doesn’t indicate accessibility or that it was conducted by an expert. Anyone can create a VPAT, and it’s not a legal document or legally enforceable. The [https://libraryaccessibility.org/ Big 10 Library Accessibility Alliance] has done a great deal of testing on library vendors to share their professional evaluations with the world. These can tell users what accessibility issues exist with the software or website.
# If the vendor or website has an internal search mechanism (i.e. search box to search the site), test to see if it actually works. You can compare it to a similar search in Google using site searching (add site:website.com to your search string in Google, replacing the address with the top level domain of the site you want to search).
## Rationale: A working internal search can save a user a lot of time and energy if it works. Optimally, you could use the internal search to find the keyboard shortcuts, vpat, or other accessibility information. If the internal search doesn't work, then it's useless to help anyone.
# Run the [https://wave.webaim.org/ WAVE Automatic Accessibility tool] if it’s a webpage or browser-based program. WAVE is also available as a [https://wave.webaim.org/extension/ browser extension].
## Report these errors (found in the Details tab)
### Color Contrast (low or very low contrast?)
### Missing Alternative Text
### Missing Link Text
### Broken ARIA
### Heading Structure
### Anything else listed under the Error tab.
## To learn more about what the errors mean and why they are an issue, click on the “i” symbol/”More Information” link. This is a great way to learn some basics about web accessibility.
# For webpages and electronic documents, check the heading structure of the page by installing and using [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?hl=en the HeadingsMap extension] (for Chrome and Firefox). It will display the headings in the order they appear on the page.
## Rationale: Using properly ordered HTML (h1, h2, etc.) code to mark up the page allows a screen reader user to quickly navigate between headings. Headings serve as an outline structure for a webpage, and HeadingsMap will reveal what that outline looks like. [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/headings/ Learn more about headings].
# Test out basic keyboard-only access to the website.
## Use the Tab key to move the focus (an outline showing where a person is on the website or software) from one link, form element, or button to another. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate that link or button. Use shift-Tab to visit the previous link, form element, or button. Is there a visible focus element a user could track with their eyes?
### Rationale: This tests if users are able to access the major active elements on a page with just the keyboard. To learn more about keyboard-only access, visit [https://nomouse.org/ Take the #NoMouse Challenge] and [https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/ Keyboard Accessibility Basics].
## Can the Tab key be used to navigate through a dropdown menu or checkboxes? What about the Arrow keys? Can a user move out of a menu and back into the main links? Does a user need to use the ESC key to get out of a dropdown menu?
### Rationale: This tests being able to navigate through a dropdown menu or activate checkboxes on the page without using a mouse.
## Use Ctrl-A to “Select All” on the page. Is there anything that isn’t selected, like a menu or button, or even a whole region of the page? Is there any way to use the Tab key or Arrow keys to reach that unselected item or area?
### Rationale: This tests if there are hidden or inaccessible areas on the webpage. “Select All” helps to highlight whether something is actually included in the “All” in the sense of the website. For example, a feedback tab that appears on the right hand side of the screen over the scrollbar may not actually “exist” or be available for keyboard users. If it requires a mouse or a touch gesture to activate it, then report that information.
## Does the vendor include a list of keyboard shortcuts? Record that information.
## How easy is it to find the list of keyboard shortcuts? Are they listed in the menus, or appear when a screen reader is activated?
# Does the website or software require the user to drag-and-drop to do something, without having an alternative?
## Rationale: Drag-and-drop is a very complicated move to make without a mouse, fine motor control, or physical control or steadiness.
# Does the website use color alone to denote meaning?
## Use the [http://www.rgblind.se/url RGBlind color blindness simulator] on the website.
## Does being color blind in some way affect a user’s ability to fully use the site? Is there a difference in color between a visited link and a non-visited link?
### Rationale: Using color alone can affect how users who are color blind use the website, because the meaning denoted in the difference in color may not be noticed by folks who are color blind.
# Test the page with magnification. Zoom in 200%, then 300%, then 400% to confirm readability of content.
## Is any information cut off or made incomprehensible or inaccessible?
## Do the menus become inaccessible or unreadable? If they disappear into a hamburger menu (3 parallel lines), can you still access them with the keyboard? Or with Select All?
### Rationale: Some users with low vision may use several zoom settings on their browsers. An accessible website is usable whether someone is on a big screen or a little screen, or if they have it zoomed in up to 400%.
# Are the links on the website accessible?
## Are the links a different color from the regular text? Are they underlined?
### Rationale: Both of these are visual cues that the text is meant to be a link and/or activated in some way. The different colors of the visited/unvisited link should be of enough contrast that it would pass the color blind test. [https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker].
## Check the actual text of the link--does it say where it goes, or does it just say something generic like “click here”?
### Rationale: Links can be activated by Tabbing and then pressing Enter or Spacebar. When navigating a page looking for the Registration link, for example, if all the links say “click here” or “here”, it makes it harder to find the link a user is looking for, especially when they are using alternate means to access the web.
# Do all videos use subtitles or closed captioning? Are transcripts available for audio content (and do they have timecodes)? Are they automatically generated? Are they accurate?
## Rationale: Providing alternate means of accessing audio content is important for individuals who prefer or have to access audio content, visually.
# Are there any complaints, posts about accessibility issues, or other general discussion around the accessibility of the software or website online? Record this information.
# Note if there is information, such as support documentation, that is only conveyed through PDFs (especially non-digitally-native scanned PDFs or visually complex PDFs), or complex images (jpg or png) without robust associated text descriptions/captions.
## Rationale: PDFs may introduce inaccessibility for some users, so having vital guidance and support information in PDF form could indicate potential challenges. Certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in complex images designed to convey information (e.g. screenshots of workflows) if they do not have associated descriptive captions or text.Complex images designed to convey information but without associated descriptive captions or text will mean certain users will not have access to the information conveyed in the images (for example, screenshots of workflows).

===Next Steps===
These tasks are more easily accomplished by someone who has more experience or knowledge about accessibility auditing. These are often issues that can only be found by testing manually. Please consult the full [https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources Accessibility Auditing Resources] list for courses, tools, specifications, and guidelines that go in depth in accessibility auditing. These steps have fewer explanatory text because they are geared towards more experienced testers.

# Perform whatever tests you typically perform while doing an accessibility audit and share your results on the working document, such as using the steps above or an advanced accessibility checker like [https://www.deque.com/axe/ AXE] ([https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/ browser extension]). Record the results.
# If you have knowledge about VPATs, please share your insights about the VPAT for the service if it exists.
# Does navigation facilitate ease of use?
## Consistent layout and design
## No broken links, or there is a way to report broken links
## Page content hierarchy follows heading guidelines
## Underlined text is avoided unless used for URL navigation
## Is the reading/document order logical and/or natural?
## Is there a “skip to main content” link? Does it go to the most logical “main content?”
# Do images have useful alt text, depending on the context? Do they use a null alt text (alt=””) for decorative images? Refer to the [https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/tips/ W3 Image Tutorial Tips and Tricks] for guidance on constructing alt text.
# Does the site properly use [https://accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu/using-aria-landmarks-a-demonstration/ ARIA landmarks]?
# Test the software/website with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ChromeVox)
## What barriers are encountered?
## Are any pop-ups or form fields invisible to the screen reader? Do any pop-ups or menus not work with a keyboard?
## Can a user navigate and use the site without using sight?
# Does the page use proper HTML formatting? Ex. Uses H2 instead of bold or a different color of text to create a heading.
# How does the website look or perform on a mobile device browser? Test both Android and iOS.
# Are there any complaints, evaluations, or discussions around the software on any AT, IT, or Information professional mailing lists or groups?

==Assistive Technology User Testing==
Above all, it’s necessary to engage with disabled users and their specific needs in testing and evaluating software and websites. Direct experience and feedback are the most important aspect of accessibility testing, as it is difficult to judge something without a real world test. Disabled users are the experts at using their own Assistive Technologies, and can give practical work-arounds that may be missed by other users (especially when they are new to the AT or software, or are stressed out because something isn’t working).

If you use a specific type of AT yourself, we ask you to join in and share your experience with the GLAM technologies we are examining. Some of our current DAWG IT/Developers members are screen reader users and keyboard-only users, but we welcome anyone’s feedback.
If you are doing testing at your own organization, it is important to compensate disabled users for their time and expertise. Even if the person is an employee at your organization, if it is not part of their regular duties, they should receive extra compensation.

==Websites you can practice on==
* [https://prezi.com Prezi.com]
** This is a good site to test the WAVE tool with, as it has many errors.
* [https://pizzahut.com Pizzahut.com]
** Can you order a pizza using just the keyboard?
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Main_Page DLF’s Wiki]
** This wiki uses a basic instance of MediaWiki.
* [https://www.a11yproject.com/ A11y Project]
** This website has several tutorials on accessibility, so you can use it to practice testing while also learning more about accessibility.
* [https://www.w3.org/WAI/demos/bad/before/home.html W3 Example of an Inaccessible Webpage]
** This example website is purposely inaccessible, and includes annotations explaining things, as well as the accessible version

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Supportive Resources for Our Time

2025-02-19T19:07:03Z

Dkrahmer:

2025 is a very difficult time for DEI professionals, immigrants to the US, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, librarians, and higher education in general. Here are some resources that have been shared by members of the CEI team that we felt would be useful for the greater CEI audience. Please take what you need, and leave what you don't!

* [https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1-YVbR0zquYwp7HkXrOCtXq-I0p1hHWlz Library Freedom Project's Anti-Doxxing toolkit] - Information on how to protect yourself from Doxxing and Harassment, as well as what to do when it happens to you.
* [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/libvoices/episodes/Episode-41-Shawnta-Smith-Cruz-on-Intersectionality--Community--and-Activism-e2gs57v LibVoices Podcast on Intersectionality, Community, and Activism].
* [https://digitalscholarship.library.cornell.edu/?p=22 Digital Harassment Self-Defense] - From Cornell University Library

Return to [[Committee for Equity and Inclusion|CEI Homepage]]

CollectionBuilder Accessibility

2025-02-18T14:44:15Z

Dkrahmer: /* Accessibility Overview */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of CollectionBuilder. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

In our testing, it seems possible to create a site with CollectionBuilder using a screen reader and/or keyboard only navigation, but there were some issues. The biggest barrier is cognitive load and clarity of instructions. The walkthroughs for Google Sheets and GitHub are missing some steps, and the instructions are not clear. The Google Sheets walkthrough was more accessible; however, the keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets changed while we were doing testing, which introduced extra complications. GitHub itself has accessibility issues, but they are currently focusing on improving their accessibility.

On the public side of CollectionBuilder, '''a lot of the accessibility of the final site does depend on the creator''' using best practices for accessibility. There were some areas where it seems the basic template of CollectionBuilder may use inappropriate headings, but it was unclear in our testing.

Overall, CollectionBuilder felt difficult to use for a screen reader and/or keyboard only user, with incomplete instructions and audio feedback. In general, CollectionBuilder is '''somewhat accessible''' when using Google Sheets (dependent on the user's familiarity with the new keyboard shortcuts), but it still requires use of GitHub. CollectionBuilder is '''not very accessible''' when using GitHub (though if you're very familiar with using GitHub, it may be easier for you), and requires you to install software.

CollectionBuilder's interface is non-intuitive, and an experienced user is required to give an introduction. CollectionBuilder also offers workshops.

== General Information ==

* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/accessibility/ Accessibility Page]
* There is no VPAT, but there is a [https://github.com/CollectionBuilder/collectionbuilder.github.io/issues/16 discussion topic from 2020 about it].
* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/walkthroughs/ CollectionBuilder Walkthroughs mainpage]

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Cognitive Load Issues ===

CollectionBuilder requires prior knowledge of Google Sheets and GitHub. The walkthroughs to build to a test site require a significant cognitive load, as there are steps missing, complicated language, and required knowledge of some programming basics. When following the GitHub walkthrough specifically, our testers found it to be hard to follow. Many testers became frustrated and gave up, while others stuck it out until the file they needed to upload from the walkthrough was too big to work on GitHub. The gifs on the walkthrough pages were only helpful to sighted users; the alt text for the gifs were not helpful at all.

One tester called out the walkthroughs for being especially frustrating for individuals who take step-by-step instructions literally. The steps were unclear, and didn't always match what actually happened in the software.

For a screen reader user, it's a strain to try to remember the steps of the walkthrough and do the steps on another page. It's not an intuitive interface, so frequent referral back to the walkthrough was required. We suggest having the walkthrough on another device or somewhere convenient to access to cut down on the cognitive load.

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

Supportive Resources for Our Time

2025-02-11T19:20:29Z

Dkrahmer:

2025 is a very difficult time for DEI professionals, immigrants to the US, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, librarians, and higher education in general. Here are some resources that have been shared by members of the CEI team that we felt would be useful for the greater CEI audience. Please take what you need, and leave what you don't!

* [https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1-YVbR0zquYwp7HkXrOCtXq-I0p1hHWlz Library Freedom Project's Anti-Doxxing toolkit] - Information on how to protect yourself from Doxxing and Harassment, as well as what to do when it happens to you.
* [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/libvoices/episodes/Episode-41-Shawnta-Smith-Cruz-on-Intersectionality--Community--and-Activism-e2gs57v LibVoices Podcast on Intersectionality, Community, and Activism].

Return to [[Committee for Equity and Inclusion|CEI Homepage]]

Committee for Equity and Inclusion

2025-02-11T18:44:28Z

Dkrahmer: /* Resources */

The DLF Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI) aims to build and support more inclusive, diverse, and equitable practices for '''Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM)''' organizations. The CEI meets year-round, with its work divided between providing support for [https://www.diglib.org/dlf-events/ DLF Events] and serving as a community of practice. We aim to create a space where community members can share expertise, develop frameworks for inclusive practices, and produce knowledge and documentation to be made openly available. The CEI is led by the Admin Group, which facilitates the Committee's work through standing sub-groups and short-term projects. Participation in the CEI is open to all, regardless if you work at a DLF member institution.

== Resources ==
* [[Supportive Resources for Our Time]] (2025)
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Reading_/_Resource_List_Subgroup Readings and Resources List for DEI] (2020)
* [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8433043 DEI Efforts Across GLAM Organizations: A Report by the GLAM Diversity Subgroup of the DLF Committee for Equity and Inclusion] (2023)
* [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ DLF Code of Conduct] (2016 - 2023)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnKYtZl_86k Forum Active Bystander Orientation] (2023; YouTube)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7UeR-NV6lg&feature=youtu.be Creating Accessible In-Person Presentations] (2022; YouTube)
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Creating_Accessible_and_Interactive_Online_Presentations Creating Accessible and Interactive Online Presentations] webinar and resources (2020)
* [https://www.diglib.org/dlf-events/dlf-social-event-checklist/ DLF Social Event Checklist] (2018)
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Facilitating_for_Diversity_and_Inclusion Facilitating for Diversity and Inclusion], DLF Organizers’ Toolkit (2016 - 2023)

== Means of Communication ==

We use a [https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/dlf-committee-for-equity-and-inclusion Google Group] and a [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H_OMTaGeE789H57hgLEtHyoCOtdOlDcR9Vql6w1zN1g/edit?tab=t.0 running agenda (2025)] for organizing meeting details. Our meetings are held on Zoom. Monthly call information and agendas are in the [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0AKwikPlBxfGCUk9PVA Google Drive]. To suggest new resources for the Reading Resource List, [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHc-iVTUyj9zuFx3y_OPZTLIpo8j3DcwdnbPZAyKzUih_qNQ/viewform use this feedback form]. For suggested edits to the wiki, email the google group.

== Structure ==

=== CEI Admin Group ===
The work of the committee is overseen by multiple co-chairs within the [[CEI Admin Group]].

2024 Co-Chairs:
* [mailto:dkrahmer@cornell.edu Debbie Krahmer]
* [mailto:carrie.pirmann@bucknell.edu Carrie Pirmann]: Committee Chair
* [mailto:Lisa.Schiff@ucop.edu Lisa Schiff]

=== Subgroups ===
====Active====
* [[Inclusivity at the DLF Forum Subgroup]]
** Advises on inclusivity initiatives for the DLF Forum, such as [[Bystander Training]] and [[Creating Accessible In-Person Presentations]].
** Chair: [mailto:dkrahmer@cornell.edu Debbie Krahmer]
* [[CEI Resources Subgroup]]
** Compiles lists of readings and resources on equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility for community use. Previously know as the [[EDIA Resources Subgroup]], and prior to that, the Reading / Resource List Subgroup
** Chair: Jeannette Ho

====Inactive====
* [[Advocacy, Recruitment, and Leadership Programming Subgroup]]
** Develops strategies to support advocacy around DEI initiatives relating to recruitment/retention and other organizational activities.
** Inactive as of November 2022.
* [[GLAM Diversity Subgroup]]
**Identifies a spectrum of resources and activities designed to help begin and sustain organizational DEI development and growth.
**Authored a report on global [https://zenodo.org/records/8433043 DEI Efforts Across GLAM Organizations] (2023).
** Inactive as of September 2023.
* [[Wiki Subgroup]]
** Coordinates development and maintenance of the Wiki for the DLF Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI), including documentation and style guidelines.
** Inactive as of December 2024.

== Get Involved ==
As an initiative-based working group, you can choose your level of activity by volunteering.
* If you want to follow or join the main CEI group, please join the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/dlf-committee-for-equity-and-inclusion Google Group]. You are encouraged to attend the monthly meetings.
* If you want to join a subgroup, please visit the subgroup wiki pages listed [https://wiki.diglib.org/Committee_for_Equity_and_Inclusion#Subgroups above] to learn more about the individual subgroups, and discover key contact information.

As you begin to become involved with the CEI, please review essential [https://wiki.diglib.org/CEI_On-boarding on-boarding information] to help familiarize yourself with our key activities and administrative information.

Supportive Resources for Our Time

2025-02-11T18:44:02Z

Dkrahmer:

Supportive Resources for Our Time

2025-02-11T18:42:51Z

Dkrahmer: Created page with "2025 is a very difficult time for DEI professionals, immigrants to the US, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, librarians, and higher education in general. Here are some resources that have been shared by members of the CEI team that we felt would be useful for the greater CEI audience. Please take what you need, and leave what you don't! * [https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1-YVbR0zquYwp7HkXrOCtXq-I0p1hHWlz Library Freedom Project's Anti-Doxxing toolkit] *"

Committee for Equity and Inclusion

2025-02-11T18:36:24Z

Dkrahmer: /* Resources */

The DLF Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI) aims to build and support more inclusive, diverse, and equitable practices for '''Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM)''' organizations. The CEI meets year-round, with its work divided between providing support for [https://www.diglib.org/dlf-events/ DLF Events] and serving as a community of practice. We aim to create a space where community members can share expertise, develop frameworks for inclusive practices, and produce knowledge and documentation to be made openly available. The CEI is led by the Admin Group, which facilitates the Committee's work through standing sub-groups and short-term projects. Participation in the CEI is open to all, regardless if you work at a DLF member institution.

== Resources ==
* [[Supportive Resources for Our Time]]
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Reading_/_Resource_List_Subgroup Readings and Resources List for DEI] (2020)
* [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8433043 DEI Efforts Across GLAM Organizations: A Report by the GLAM Diversity Subgroup of the DLF Committee for Equity and Inclusion] (2023)
* [https://www.diglib.org/about/code-of-conduct/ DLF Code of Conduct] (2016 - 2023)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnKYtZl_86k Forum Active Bystander Orientation] (2023; YouTube)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7UeR-NV6lg&feature=youtu.be Creating Accessible In-Person Presentations] (2022; YouTube)
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Creating_Accessible_and_Interactive_Online_Presentations Creating Accessible and Interactive Online Presentations] webinar and resources (2020)
* [https://www.diglib.org/dlf-events/dlf-social-event-checklist/ DLF Social Event Checklist] (2018)
* [https://wiki.diglib.org/Facilitating_for_Diversity_and_Inclusion Facilitating for Diversity and Inclusion], DLF Organizers’ Toolkit (2016 - 2023)

== Means of Communication ==

We use a [https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/dlf-committee-for-equity-and-inclusion Google Group] and a [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H_OMTaGeE789H57hgLEtHyoCOtdOlDcR9Vql6w1zN1g/edit?tab=t.0 running agenda (2025)] for organizing meeting details. Our meetings are held on Zoom. Monthly call information and agendas are in the [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0AKwikPlBxfGCUk9PVA Google Drive]. To suggest new resources for the Reading Resource List, [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHc-iVTUyj9zuFx3y_OPZTLIpo8j3DcwdnbPZAyKzUih_qNQ/viewform use this feedback form]. For suggested edits to the wiki, email the google group.

== Structure ==

=== CEI Admin Group ===
The work of the committee is overseen by multiple co-chairs within the [[CEI Admin Group]].

2024 Co-Chairs:
* [mailto:dkrahmer@cornell.edu Debbie Krahmer]
* [mailto:carrie.pirmann@bucknell.edu Carrie Pirmann]: Committee Chair
* [mailto:Lisa.Schiff@ucop.edu Lisa Schiff]

=== Subgroups ===
====Active====
* [[Inclusivity at the DLF Forum Subgroup]]
** Advises on inclusivity initiatives for the DLF Forum, such as [[Bystander Training]] and [[Creating Accessible In-Person Presentations]].
** Chair: [mailto:dkrahmer@cornell.edu Debbie Krahmer]
* [[CEI Resources Subgroup]]
** Compiles lists of readings and resources on equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility for community use. Previously know as the [[EDIA Resources Subgroup]], and prior to that, the Reading / Resource List Subgroup
** Chair: Jeannette Ho

====Inactive====
* [[Advocacy, Recruitment, and Leadership Programming Subgroup]]
** Develops strategies to support advocacy around DEI initiatives relating to recruitment/retention and other organizational activities.
** Inactive as of November 2022.
* [[GLAM Diversity Subgroup]]
**Identifies a spectrum of resources and activities designed to help begin and sustain organizational DEI development and growth.
**Authored a report on global [https://zenodo.org/records/8433043 DEI Efforts Across GLAM Organizations] (2023).
** Inactive as of September 2023.
* [[Wiki Subgroup]]
** Coordinates development and maintenance of the Wiki for the DLF Committee for Equity and Inclusion (CEI), including documentation and style guidelines.
** Inactive as of December 2024.

== Get Involved ==
As an initiative-based working group, you can choose your level of activity by volunteering.
* If you want to follow or join the main CEI group, please join the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/dlf-committee-for-equity-and-inclusion Google Group]. You are encouraged to attend the monthly meetings.
* If you want to join a subgroup, please visit the subgroup wiki pages listed [https://wiki.diglib.org/Committee_for_Equity_and_Inclusion#Subgroups above] to learn more about the individual subgroups, and discover key contact information.

As you begin to become involved with the CEI, please review essential [https://wiki.diglib.org/CEI_On-boarding on-boarding information] to help familiarize yourself with our key activities and administrative information.

CollectionBuilder Accessibility

2025-01-31T19:18:06Z

Dkrahmer: /* Accessibility Overview */

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of CollectionBuilder. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

In our testing, it seems possible to create a site with CollectionBuilder using a screen reader and/or keyboard only navigation, but there were some issues. The biggest barrier is cognitive load and clarity of instructions. The walkthroughs for Google Sheets and GitHub are missing some steps, and the instructions are not clear. The Google Sheets walkthrough was more accessible; however, the keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets changed while we were doing testing, which introduced extra complications. GitHub itself has accessibility issues, but they are currently focusing on improving their accessibility.

On the public side of CollectionBuilder, '''a lot of the accessibility of the final site does depend on the creator''' using best practices for accessibility. There were some areas where it seems the basic template of CollectionBuilder may use inappropriate headings, but it was unclear in our testing.

Overall, CollectionBuilder felt difficult to use for a screen reader and/or keyboard only user, with incomplete instructions and audio feedback. In general, CollectionBuilder is '''somewhat accessible''' when using Google Sheets (dependent on the user's familiarity with the new keyboard shortcuts), but it still requires use of GitHub. CollectionBuilder is '''not very accessible''' when using GitHub (though if you're very familiar with using GitHub, it may be easier for you), and requires you to install software.

== General Information ==

* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/accessibility/ Accessibility Page]
* There is no VPAT, but there is a [https://github.com/CollectionBuilder/collectionbuilder.github.io/issues/16 discussion topic from 2020 about it].
* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/walkthroughs/ CollectionBuilder Walkthroughs mainpage]

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Cognitive Load Issues ===

CollectionBuilder requires prior knowledge of Google Sheets and GitHub. The walkthroughs to build to a test site require a significant cognitive load, as there are steps missing, complicated language, and required knowledge of some programming basics. When following the GitHub walkthrough specifically, our testers found it to be hard to follow. Many testers became frustrated and gave up, while others stuck it out until the file they needed to upload from the walkthrough was too big to work on GitHub. The gifs on the walkthrough pages were only helpful to sighted users; the alt text for the gifs were not helpful at all.

One tester called out the walkthroughs for being especially frustrating for individuals who take step-by-step instructions literally. The steps were unclear, and didn't always match what actually happened in the software.

For a screen reader user, it's a strain to try to remember the steps of the walkthrough and do the steps on another page. It's not an intuitive interface, so frequent referral back to the walkthrough was required. We suggest having the walkthrough on another device or somewhere convenient to access to cut down on the cognitive load.

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

CollectionBuilder Accessibility

2025-01-31T19:13:46Z

Dkrahmer:

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of CollectionBuilder. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

In our testing, it seems possible to create a site with CollectionBuilder using a screen reader and/or keyboard only navigation, but there were some issues. The biggest barrier is cognitive load and clarity of instructions. The walkthroughs for Google Sheets and GitHub are missing some steps, and the instructions are not clear. The Google Sheets walkthrough was more accessible; however, the keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets changed while we were doing testing, which introduced extra complications. GitHub itself has accessibility issues, but they are currently focusing on improving their accessibility.

On the public side of CollectionBuilder, a lot of the accessibility of the final site does depend on the creator using best practices for accessibility. There were some areas where it seems the basic template of CollectionBuilder may use inappropriate headings, but it was unclear in our testing.

Overall, CollectionBuilder felt difficult to use for a screen reader and/or keyboard only user, with incomplete instructions and audio feedback. In general, CollectionBuilder is somewhat accessible when using Google Sheets (dependent on the user's familiarity with the new keyboard shortcuts), but it still requires use of GitHub. CollectionBuilder is not very accessible when using GitHub (though if you're very familiar with using GitHub, it may be easier for you), and requires you to install software.

== General Information ==

* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/accessibility/ Accessibility Page]
* There is no VPAT, but there is a [https://github.com/CollectionBuilder/collectionbuilder.github.io/issues/16 discussion topic from 2020 about it].
* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/walkthroughs/ CollectionBuilder Walkthroughs mainpage]

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Cognitive Load Issues ===

CollectionBuilder requires prior knowledge of Google Sheets and GitHub. The walkthroughs to build to a test site require a significant cognitive load, as there are steps missing, complicated language, and required knowledge of some programming basics. When following the GitHub walkthrough specifically, our testers found it to be hard to follow. Many testers became frustrated and gave up, while others stuck it out until the file they needed to upload from the walkthrough was too big to work on GitHub. The gifs on the walkthrough pages were only helpful to sighted users; the alt text for the gifs were not helpful at all.

One tester called out the walkthroughs for being especially frustrating for individuals who take step-by-step instructions literally. The steps were unclear, and didn't always match what actually happened in the software.

For a screen reader user, it's a strain to try to remember the steps of the walkthrough and do the steps on another page. It's not an intuitive interface, so frequent referral back to the walkthrough was required. We suggest having the walkthrough on another device or somewhere convenient to access to cut down on the cognitive load.

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].

CollectionBuilder Accessibility

2025-01-31T19:01:31Z

Dkrahmer:

This page gathers the IT Subcommittee's resources and reviews of the accessibility of CollectionBuilder. This page will be updated as new information is available or further reviews are conducted.

== Accessibility Overview ==

In our testing, it seems possible to create a site with CollectionBuilder using a screen reader and/or keyboard only navigation, but there were some issues. The biggest barrier is cognitive load and clarity of instructions. The walkthroughs for Google Sheets and GitHub are missing some steps, and the instructions are not clear. The Google Sheets walkthrough was more accessible; however, the keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets changed while we were doing testing, which introduced extra complications. GitHub itself has accessibility issues, but they are currently focusing on improving their accessibility.

On the public side of CollectionBuilder, a lot of the accessibility of the final site does depend on the creator using best practices for accessibility. There were some areas where it seems the basic template of CollectionBuilder may use inappropriate headings, but it was unclear in our testing.

Overall, CollectionBuilder felt difficult to use for a screen reader and/or keyboard only user, with incomplete instructions and audio feedback. In general, CollectionBuilder is somewhat accessible when using Google Sheets (dependent on the user's familiarity with the new keyboard shortcuts), but it still requires use of GitHub. CollectionBuilder is not very accessible when using GitHub (though if you're very familiar with using GitHub, it may be easier for you), and requires you to install software.

== General Information ==

* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/accessibility/ Accessibility Page]
* There is no VPAT, but there is a [https://github.com/CollectionBuilder/collectionbuilder.github.io/issues/16 discussion topic from 2020 about it].
* [https://collectionbuilder.github.io/cb-docs/docs/walkthroughs/ CollectionBuilder Walkthroughs mainpage]

== Known Accessibility Issues ==

=== Cognitive Load Issues ===

CollectionBuilder requires prior knowledge of Google Sheets and GitHub. The walkthroughs to build to a test site require a significant cognitive load, as there are steps missing, complicated language, and required knowledge of some programming basics. When following the GitHub walkthrough specifically, our testers found it to be hard to follow. Many testers became frustrated and gave up, while others stuck it out until the file they needed to upload from the walkthrough was too big to work on GitHub. The gifs on the walkthrough pages were only helpful to sighted users; the alt text for the gifs were not helpful at all.

One tester called out the walkthroughs for being especially frustrating for individuals who take step-by-step instructions literally. The steps were unclear, and didn't always match what actually happened in the software.

For a screen reader user, it's a strain to try to remember the steps of the walkthrough and do the steps on another page. It's not an intuitive interface, so frequent referral back to the walkthrough was required. We suggest having the walkthrough on another device or somewhere convenient to access to cut down on the cognitive load.

* Back to [[Digital Accessibility Group|main Digital Accessibility Group page]].