- Consider which features are most important to your needs and link through to the specific checklist. Review more than one to see if other areas might be useful or review them all to learn more about each feature area.
- Check off the features that you would like on your mobile device.
- Save the checklist for reference while you are shopping for a mobile device. Download a .doc format of the checklist for mobile devices formatted to letter size paper for easy printing.
There are many mobile device features and capabilities that can be considered when purchasing a phone that meets accessibility and preferences needs. Everyone has different needs and those needs may have changed when it comes time to upgrade or purchase a new device.
We’ve developed a checklist to help you identify features you may need or want in your mobile device. The list is grouped into the following fifteen categories:
- Visual display
- Auditory display
- Tactile display
- Hardware controls
- Hardware keypads and Software Keyboards
- Touchscreens
- Orientation control
- Voice control
- Alternative access
- Other hardware related
- Call
- Text input
- Other features
- Preferences and Customization
- Help and Support
1. Visual Display
- Does the mobile device include a large screen? A larger than average screen facilitates magnification.
- Does the mobile device include a backlit screen? This additional source of illumination for screens enhances luminance and contrast.
- Does the mobile device include an anti-glare screen? This coat or layer placed over screen reduces reflection from external light sources, enhances contrast and facilitates discerning foreground from background.
- Can the mobile device allow you to adjust for brightness?
- Can the mobile device allow you to adjust the contrast?
- Will the mobile device allow for high contrast mode? This setting allows the highest possible brightness ratio of the lightest to the darkest parts of all elements on the screen.
- Does the mobile device have high contrast focus indicators? This setting provides for highly visible indicators on onscreen elements that currently have focus.
- Does the mobile device allow for a grayscale display? This setting allows the translation of all colours on the screen into their grayscale equivalents
- Can the mobile device allow you to adjustable font size?
- Can the mobile device allow you to adjust the fonts type?
- Can the mobile device allow you to adjust the colours?
- Does the mobile device allow you to customize the layout (i.e., re-arrange the user interface elements)?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable themes, i.e., changing the appearance of all elements on the screen (including fonts, colours, etc.)?
- Does the mobile device allow for panning? Panning allows you to navigate content larger than the screen.
- Does the mobile device allow for magnification (i.e., increasing the size of all elements on the screen) with panning?
- Does the mobile device allow for magnification with word wrap? This will allow you to increase the size of text on the screen while avoiding the need for panning.
- Does the mobile device allow for textual alerts and notifications?
- Does the mobile device allow for graphical alerts and notifications such as icons?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable visual alerts?
- Does the mobile device have no visible screen flicker?
- Will the mobile device include a video/TV out port allowing for compatibility with external monitors and/or magnifying equipment?
2. Auditory Display
- Does the mobile device include a speaker for displaying auditory information?
- Does the mobile device include headphone connection for external headphones?
- Does the mobile device include controls for changing the volume?
- Does the mobile device include a control for muting all sounds?
- Can you customize the auditory alerts and notifications on the mobile device?
- Does the mobile device allow for sonic alerts and notifications (e.g., beeps)?
- Does the mobile device allow for spoken alerts and notifications (e.g., “new message”)?
- Does the mobile device readout numbers when the digit is dialled?
- Does the mobile device convert written text into speech?
- Does the mobile device include a screen reader?
- Does the mobile device allow you to customize the screen reader settings?
3. Tactile Display
- Does the mobile device include vibration?
- Can you present all system alerts and notification through vibration with this mobile device?
- Can you customize the vibration properties (e.g., pattern, frequency, strength) for all vibration alerts and notifications?
- Does the mobile device include a built-in Braille display?
- Is the mobile device compatible with an external Braille display?
4. Hardware Controls (including numeric keypads, QWERTY keypads, volume controls, other physical buttons)
- Does the handset include physical controls (i.e., keys and buttons) for controlling the handset functions?
- Does the mobile device include guarded/recessed controls that prevent keys from being activated accidentally?
- Can the keys and buttons on the mobile device be identified tactilely (different sizes and/or shapes)?
- Does the mobile device include an identifiable nib on ‘5’ key (standard numeric keypad only) to allow you to orient to the keys?
- Does the mobile device include identifiable nibs on ‘J’ & ‘F’ key (qwerty keypad only) to allow you to orient to the keys?
- Does the mobile device include physical controls (i.e., keys and buttons for the QWERTY keypad) for entering text?
- Does the mobile device include additional sources of illumination (i.e., backlit controls) for the physical controls to facilitate identification?
- Does the mobile device include physical feedback for the controls so that all keys and buttons provide a means to identifying their activation tactilely?
- Does the mobile device include a D-Pad for directional control (typically up, down, left, right) in order to navigate the user interface?
5. Hardware Keypads and Software Keyboards
- Does the mobile device include a standard keypad layout?
- Do the individual controls visually discernible, i.e., include clear labels and outlines?
- Are the controls on the mobile device larger than average?
- Are the labels for the controls larger than average on the mobile device?
- Does the mobile device include high contrast control labels?
- Are there graphic labels for controls describing the purpose of each control on the mobile device?
- Does the mobile device include keypad shortcuts?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable visual feedback for the controls?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable auditory feedback for the controls?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable tactile feedback for the controls?
- Does the mobile device allow you to customize the key sensitivity? This allows you to change the amount of time required for a key to be continuously pressed before it is activated.
- Does the mobile device allow you to customize the pointer sensitivity? This allows you to change the amount of movement required on a physical pointer to change the position of its on-screen equivalent?
- Does the mobile device allow you to enable Sticky Keys? This allows for sequential activation of modifier keys.
6. Touchscreens
- Does the mobile device include a touch screen?
- Does the mobile device include allow you to explore the touch screen eyes-free by providing auditory feedback without activation?
- Does the mobile device provide alternatives to multi-touch (i.e., simultaneous interaction with two or more points on the screen)?
- Does the mobile device provide alternatives to gesture control (i.e., tactile paths on the touch screen)?
7. Orientation Control
- Does the mobile device provide alternatives to orientation control (i.e., by tilting the mobile phone)?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable orientation control?
8. Voice Control
- Does the mobile device include voice control (i.e., controlling all phone functions through speech only)?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable voice control?
9. Alternative Access
- Does the mobile device support software-based (programmatic) control (i.e., control all phone functions through software only)?
- Can the focus navigation of the mobile device be separate from activation? That is the elements on the screen may receive input without being activated.
- Is the mobile device switch accessible?
- Does the mobile device support a stylus/mouth stick support?
- Does the mobile device support an external keyboard?
10. Other Hardware-Related
- Does the mobile device include non-slip surfaces that increase grip?
- Does the mobile device include a flat back so that it can be used reliably on a flat surface?
- Does the mobile device allow for single-hand operation (with left or right hands)?
- Can the mobile device be slid or flipped open/close easily?
- Is the mobile device free of hazards to you?
- Does the mobile device include a lanyard connector?
- Does the mobile device allow for custom mounting (includes cradles, car/bike kits, etc.)?
- Does the mobile device provide feedback (visual, tactile and/or auditory) when the connector has been engaged/disengaged?
- Does the mobile device allow you to restore it to its’ original factory default state?
11. Call
- Does the mobile device allow for speed dial (or one-touch dial)?
- Can the mobile device automatically answers and ends a call when opened and closed, respectively?
- Does the mobile device allow for automatic redial (redialing the last number with a single key, tap, or keypad shortcut)?
- Does the mobile device allow you to automatically answer incoming calls?
- Is a speakerphone included allowing for calls at a distance from the mobile device?
- Does the mobile device allow you to automatically use the speakerphone feature when answering any calls?
- Does the mobile device allow you to use any key to answer the phone?
- Does the mobile device allow you to dial using voice only?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable caller ID (by audio, visual and/or vibrating)?
- Does the mobile device allow for customizable call alert (by audio, visual and/or vibrating)?
- Does the mobile device allow you to create call alert profiles? This allows you to change the alert patterns of incoming calls (e.g., ring, and then vibrate)
- Does the mobile device allow for push-to-talk (i.e., half-duplex, walkie-talkie-type communication)?
12. Text input
- Does the mobile device allow you to enter text through speech only?
- Does the mobile device offer word alternatives when entering text (i.e., predictive text input)?
- Does the mobile device suggest the most likely word after the user inputs the first few letters (automatic word completion)?
- Does the mobile device include previously entered words by the user in automatic word completion (adaptive word completion)?
13. Other Features
- Does the mobile device include a built-in camera?
- Does the mobile device support external (3rd party) mouse/pointers?
- Does the mobile device include voice recording functions?
14. Preferences and Customization
- Does the mobile device allow for changing all accessibility-related settings?
- Does the mobile device allow you to change the screen timeouts?
- Does the mobile device allow you to change the timeout of system alerts and notifications?
- Does the mobile device support symbolic communication methods?
- Does the mobile device have a simple, easy to use user interface?
- Does the mobile device allow you to change all playback properties (e.g., size, speed, etc.) of media players?
- Does the mobile device incorporate user-defined words in all text-input functions?
- Does the mobile support different locales?
- Does the mobile device allow you to change the labels of any user interface element?
- Does the mobile device allow you to change the layout and sequence of all operational elements (includes widgets and applications)
15. Help and Support
- Is there electronic documentation available on your mobile device?
- Will you be able to get on-demand accessibility information for your mobile device?
- Will you be able to get access to trained customer service people?
This checklist is based on the ‘Mobile Wireless Handset Accessibility Assessment,’ authored by the Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC).