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CQ Researcher

Summary

Accessiblü conducted a high-level accessibility evaluation of the CQ Researcher platform from SAGE Publishing to assess its usability for individuals with disabilities. The review was conducted using the JAWS and NVDA screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and manual inspection for conformance to select WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria.

CQ Researcher demonstrates thoughtful design in several areas, including comprehensive keyboard navigation support and semantic HTML structure in many sections. The platform provides valuable research content with multiple access points and search functionality. However, our evaluation identified some accessibility barriers that may create challenges for users with disabilities, particularly those relying on screen readers and keyboard navigation.

The platform shows strong potential for enhanced accessibility through systematic improvements to heading structures, ARIA implementation, and form labeling. These opportunities for improvement would benefit not only users with disabilities but enhance the overall user experience for all researchers accessing this valuable content.

Key Findings

Our evaluation revealed that CQ Researcher provides robust content with multiple pathways for research discovery. The platform includes functional search capabilities, filtering options, and content organization that supports various research workflows. However, some users may experience challenges with navigation efficiency and content comprehension due to structural and interactive elements that could benefit from accessibility enhancements.

Addressing the identified opportunities would significantly improve the experience for users of assistive technology while maintaining the platform's research-focused functionality. Most improvements involve systematic adjustments to existing code patterns rather than fundamental architectural changes.

Top 3 Issues Identified

1. Heading Structure Optimization

  • Headings appear out of logical sequence, with H4 elements preceding H2 and H3 elements on the homepage.
  • Impact: Users relying on heading navigation may experience confusion about content hierarchy and miss important sections.
  • WCAG Success Criteria: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A), 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA)

2. ARIA Implementation Enhancement

  • Several ARIA attributes reference non-existent elements or contain invalid values, affecting assistive technology communication.
  • Impact: Screen reader users may receive incorrect or incomplete information about interactive elements and page structure.
  • WCAG Success Criteria: 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A), 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A)

3. Form Element Accessibility

  • Search fields and filter controls lack visible labels, relying solely on title attributes or placeholders for identification.
  • Impact: Users may have difficulty understanding the purpose and function of form controls, particularly with screen readers.
  • WCAG Success Criteria: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A), 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA), 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A)

Disabilities Impacted

Blind and Low-Vision Users

  • Issues: Navigation challenges due to inconsistent heading hierarchy, missing alternative text for linked images, and incomplete ARIA labeling of interactive elements.
  • Impact: Screen reader users may experience difficulty understanding page structure, locating specific content sections, and comprehending the purpose of certain interactive elements. Navigation efficiency could be reduced, requiring additional time to complete research tasks.

Users with Motor Disabilities

  • Issues: Range sliders in advanced search are not accessible via keyboard arrow navigation, requiring tab-based navigation which may not be intuitive for all users.
  • Impact: Users relying on keyboard navigation may miss important filtering options or require alternative navigation patterns to access all search functionality.

Neurodiverse Users

  • Issues: Inconsistent heading structure and unclear form labeling may create cognitive load and reduce predictability of interface patterns.
  • Impact: Users may experience increased mental effort to understand page organization and form functionality, potentially affecting research efficiency and task completion.