Experts in mobile accessibility, you're going to struggle (a little) less
RAAM 1.1 has just been unveiled! With clearer tests and methodologies, and an expanded glossary, the Mobile App Accessibility Assessment Framework has been dusted off.
Thursday, February 20, 2025
The RAAM, first presented in June 2021, has undergone its first facelift to version 1.1.
We have incorporated the feedback gathered in a survey last year about this change, as well as the issues that were open on GitHub.
Eleven new entries have been added to the glossary - some of them taken from the recent RAWeb, with a view to standardising common resources - while eight others have been revised to clarify the content.
It is with this same aim of clarification that almost a third of the criteria have been rewritten, including expanded and more detailed tests and methodology.
Example of a rewrite: the methodology of criterion 2.2 for assessing text contrast
RAAM 1 Assessment methodology
iOS
- Activate the Increase contrast option (Settings > Accessibility > Text display and size > Increase contrast) or if present in the application, activate the replacement mechanism enabling the application to be displayed with a sufficient contrast ratio.
- Identify on the screen the texts, the texts contained in graphic elements and the texts embedded in videos that could cause contrast problems.
- Activate the Colour Contrast Analyser software on the computer and capture the foreground and background colours on the mobile device either
- by broadcasting the screen of the mobile device to the computer;
- by taking screenshots of the elements to be evaluated (and importing them onto the computer).
- Check:
- for normal size text, that the contrast value is 4.5:1, at least;
- for large text, that the contrast value is at least 3:1.
- If this is the case, the criterion is validated.
Note: It is possible to use the Accessibility Inspector application available on macOS to carry out a quick evaluation of screen contrasts. The software has an "Audit" function which allows you to automatically test certain text and graphic elements on screens. This function does not detect all contrast faults, and additional tests following the methodology described above will be necessary.
Android
- If it exists in the application, activate the replacement mechanism to display the application with a sufficient contrast ratio.
- Identify on the screen the texts, the texts contained in graphic elements and the texts embedded in videos that could cause contrast problems.
- Activate the Colour Contrast Analyser software on the computer and capture the foreground and background colours on the mobile device either
- by broadcasting the screen of the mobile device to the computer;
- by taking screenshots of the elements to be evaluated (and importing them onto the computer).
- Check:
- for normal size text, that the contrast value is 4.5:1, at least;
- for large text, that the contrast value is at least 3:1.
- If this is the case, the criterion is validated.
Note: It is possible to use the Accessibility Scanner application to carry out a quick evaluation of screen contrasts. The application does not detect all contrast defects, and additional tests following the methodology described above will be necessary.
RAAM 1.1 Assessment methodology
iOS
- Activate the Increase contrast option (Settings > Accessibility > Text display and size > Increase contrast) or if present in the application, activate the replacement mechanism enabling the application to be displayed with a sufficient contrast ratio.
- Identify on the screen the texts, the texts contained in graphic elements and the texts embedded in videos that could cause contrast problems.
- For texts whose size (normal or enlarged) cannot be appreciated with the naked eye, you will have to measure it (see the dedicated section in the methodology).
- Activate the Colour Contrast Analyser software on the computer and capture the foreground and background colours:
- by broadcasting the screen of the mobile device to the computer;
- or by taking screenshots of the elements to be evaluated (and importing them onto the computer).
- For the texts with issues identified previously, check:
- For texts that are less than 24px in size without a bold effect, or less than 18.5px with a bold effect, that the contrast value is at least 4.5:1;
- For texts that are 24px or larger without a bold effect, or 18.5px or larger with a bold effect, that the contrast value is at least 3:1.
- If this is the case, the criterion is validated.
Note: It is possible to use the Accessibility Inspector application available on macOS to carry out a quick evaluation of screen contrasts. The software has an "Audit" function which allows you to automatically test certain text and graphic elements on screens. This function does not detect all contrast faults, and additional tests following the methodology described above will be necessary.
Android
- If it exists in the application, activate the replacement mechanism to display the application with a sufficient contrast ratio.
- Identify on the screen the texts, the texts contained in graphic elements and the texts embedded in videos that could cause contrast problems.
- For texts whose size (normal or enlarged) cannot be appreciated with the naked eye, you will have to measure it (see the dedicated section in the methodology).
- Activate the Colour Contrast Analyser software on the computer and capture the foreground and background colours:
- by broadcasting the screen of the mobile device to the computer;
- or by taking screenshots of the elements to be evaluated (and importing them onto the computer).
- For the texts with issues identified previously, check:
- For texts that are less than 24px in size without a bold effect, or less than 18.5px with a bold effect, that the contrast value is at least 4.5:1;
- For texts that are 24px or larger without a bold effect, or 18.5px or larger with a bold effect, that the contrast value is at least 3:1.
- If this is the case, the criterion is validated.
Note: It is possible to use the Accessibility Scanner application to carry out a quick evaluation of screen contrasts. The application does not detect all contrast defects, and additional tests following the methodology described above will be necessary.
What's new?
A new criterion (14.3, dedicated to the accessibility of the documentation provided by the support services) has been added, with the aim of making the message clearer. This criterion was previously included in theme 12.
With regard to synchronised media, tests have appeared in criteria 3.7 and 3.8 to support live media. While these are included in the exemptions provided for in the law of 28 May 2019 (transposition of the Web Accessibility Directive), live media are included in the scope of the law of 8 March 2023 (transposition of the European Accessibility Act).
Finally, for each criterion where possible, a link has been established to the APPT documentation. APPT offers a technical guide to making apps accessible. It provides example code scripts in various languages that meet the requirements set out.
The test environment now includes the latest and penultimate versions of iOS and Android.
We end this overview with the methodology page: it includes all the information that was previously shared with the 'legal requirements' page. This 'legal requirements' page has been slimmed down, so that all the information relating to the frameworks can be found under their respective menu items. The methodology also specifies that it is possible to test with or without a keyboard accessibility service on Android. Finally, the section entitled "Take screenshots" explains how to evaluate text sizes for criterion 2.2.
To find out more, take a look at the Changelog.