Web Access Centre

Testing with Opera version 7

Summary: Techniques for testing web pages using Opera version 7.

• Checking in "User mode"
• Checking images
• Checking multimedia and scripts
• Switch off Style Sheets
• Implementing accessibility links

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Browser testing:

• Testing with Internet Explorer
• Testing with Navigator
• Testing with Opera

Opera version 7 is an excellent testing tool able to test a vast number of Website Accessibility Checkpoints (WAI). It is free and downloadable from the Opera website.

Checking in "User mode"

The key feature of Opera is that it allows you to switch from "Author mode" to "User mode". "Author mode" displays the page as the page designer intended it to render. "User mode" contains a number of options which allow users to change the page to suit their browsing needs. As such it is an excellent tool for testing the flexibility and compatibility of the web page with various different browsing technologies.

Options for accessibility testing include:

• Emulate text browser – good for testing alt text, link text and page linearisation
• Nostalgia – backward compatibility with 8-Bit computers
• Show images and links only – good for checking alt text for images, finding hidden images and sense checking link text.
• High contrast (W/B) – check page contrast using white text on a black background.
• High contrast (B/W) - check page and image contrast using black text on a white background.
• Hide non-linking images - check for images of text used as links and alt text.
• Disable tables – remove data and tables used for layout to check content makes sense when delinearised.
• Show structural elements – good for checking that headings are coded structurally, page tiles, metadata.
• Debug outline – displays tables and table cells.

Checking images

Images can also easily be switched on or off by using the camera icon on the toolbar.

Checking multimedia and scripts

By selecting “File”, then “Quick Preferences” you can deselect various multimedia and script options. These options can also be accessed from the toolbar.

Switch off Style Sheets

This feature can be accessed from the toolbar. If using keyboard commands, press “Control” and “G” to toggle the style sheet on and off.

Advanced Style settings can be accessed by selecting “File”, then “Preferences”, and then Page style.

This is good for checking if the page is flexible and still readable when styles are removed.

Implementing accessibility links

• Planning
• Intranets
• Checklists
• Testing
• Evaluation and monitoring
• Return to testing for accessibility

For Web Access Centre updates email webaccess@rnib.org.uk

Content author: webaccess@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/10/2008 15:51