UWorld Accessibility and Usability Information

Test result

Evaluation date: October 2026

Based on our most recent evaluation, UWorld has more barriers than average; this product needs serious remediation.

Range of possible descriptions:

• This product has fewer than average barriers; the product appears likely to be supported by developers trained in accessible development.
• This product has an average number and type of barriers.
• This product has more barriers than average; this product needs serious remediation.

Additional comments:

This evaluation is not comprehensive and should not be used as a replacement for internal quality assurance of a product. We find patterns of accessibility barriers and show examples of the types of barriers we find. 

We use WCAG 2.1 AA as the technical standard. Refer to "Testing information and conditions."

Resources

• To discuss accessibility barriers, contact ada_coordinator@wisc.edu
• For general assistance, contact the DoIT Help Desk
• UWorld Accessibility Statement

Expanded test results

Pages tested

• General UI, Login, and Dashboard
• QBank dashboard, Create Test
• Take Test

Log in and Dashboard

1. General UI, Log in, and Dashboard

1.1 Cannot select all dropdown options with keyboard, don't appear interactive to screen readers

When a user selects the My Classes dropdown with a keyboard, the keyboard focus is forced onto the Go to My Account button. The user can only select that option, or open and close the menu, but cannot select options under Faculty Led or Self Study. Although the other options are included in the screen reader navigation, they are not announced as clickable.

Users can launch their classes or QBanks from the Subscriptions page under My Account, but this adds an additional step to reach the QBank dashboard for assistive technology users. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Everything can be done with a keyboard. (2.1.1)

1.2 Magnification barriers in navigation menus

At 150% magnification, the sidebar navigation collapses and a hamburger menu button appears in the corner of the screen. This button overlaps with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health heading on the screen.

At 200% magnification, the action buttons and menus at the top of the page are pushed off screen, and the user must scroll horizontally to access some options.

 300% magnification, the screen further reflows and the content no longer overlaps, but the label for the My Classes dropdown menu disappears. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Content can be presented without loss of information or functionality, and without requiring scrolling in two dimensions. (1.4.10)

1.3 Adjacent click targets with the same destination

In the Dashboard, course cards have two links that both lead to the Class Assignments for those courses. Neither of the links have strong enough labels to inform users of their destination, and having two adjacent links to the same content makes the keyboard navigation through the content longer for assistive technology users. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Provide descriptive names or context for all links. (2.4.4)

QBank dashboard, Create Test

2.1 No Skip to Main link

There isn't a Skip to Main content link on the QBank dashboard or Create Test page.

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Provide a means of skipping repeating content. (2.4.1)

2.2 Inaccessible info icons

The info icons next to various settings on the Create Test page are not included in the keyboard or screen reader navigation order, meaning that assistive technology users cannot access these descriptions and explanations. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Everything can be done with a keyboard. (2.1.1)

2.3 Difficult to distinguish difference between adjacent expand and collapse buttons 

The test settings have options nested in accordion panels, and sometimes those options have further nested options. The expand and collapse all buttons for both levels are side by side and have nearly identical labels, one referring to "all subjects" and the other "subjects row," or "all systems" and "systems row." There is also no button state update when switching between Expand and Collapse, so it's difficult to determine which content on the page is expanded. 

In the following video, screen reader focus moves onto "Expand all systems, button," which toggles the lowest level of nesting. There is no state update when the user toggles the button. Focus moves to a visually unlabeled button with the screen reader label, "Collapse systems row, button." There is also no state update when that button is pressed. The user moves forward into the Number of Questions row before navigating back to Collapse All Systems, and toggles the button, showing again that there is no state update and that it's difficult to tell what content the button expands if the row itself is collapsed.

Adjacent expand and collapse button screen reader demo

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Provide descriptive names or context for all links. (2.4.4)

2.4 Create Test page lacks heading structure

The main content of the Create Test page does not have a heading structure. Headings would help screen reader users jump to specific content sections more quickly, especially in sections with a large number of options and checkboxes. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. (1.3.1)

2.5 Loss of visual indication of keyboard focus

The visual indication of keyboard focus is ocassionally lost throughout the settings options on the Create Test page, particularly on toggles like Tutor or Timed under Test Mode, or Standard or Custom under Question Mode.

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Ensure each item receiving focus has a visible indicator. (2.4.7)

2.6 Low contrast text and elements in Create Test 

The light blue color used for many labels, elements, and icons on the Create Test page is too low contrast with the white background to meet normal text contrast standards. It does, however, meet the 3:1 non-text contrast standard for icons and form elements. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines: 

• • • • Provide sufficient contrast between text and its background. (1.4.3)

3. Take Test

3.1 Cannot make radio button selection via keyboard

Typically, users Tab to a set of radio button options and use the Up and Down arrow keys to make a selection. Then the user can Tab away from the options and their final selection is maintained. Alternatively, Tab and Arrow keys can move the user's focus, but they must press Enter to finalize a selection. 

When taking a test, both Tab and the Arrow keys move the user's focus to different radio button options when navigating via keyboard, and the active selection follows the user's keyboard focus. This means the user cannot make a permanent selection for an option other than the last option.

When navigating via screen reader, the user can switch between Reading and Forms mode to lock in their selection, but this is an unexpected interaction and may lead to erroneous submissions.

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Everything can be done with a keyboard. (2.1.1)

3.2 Arrow buttons unexpectedly change question 

If the user hits the Left or Right Arrow buttons at any time with focus on any button or form element on the screen, the test will advance to the next question. If navigating with a screen reader, focus remains on the same element when the question advances (whether that's in the navigation bar or on a question, for example) and it can be difficult to tell that the question has advanced. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Forewarn users if their context will change based on their input. (3.2.2)

3.3 Lab values sidebar not accessible via screen reader

Users can display lab values to help them answer questions. Users can enter text to highlight related terms in the tables, but the text box is unlabeled visually and via screen reader so the purpose is unclear. Users also cannot place screen reader focus within the tabs to read the content in the tables.

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Use code to preserve meaningful content order. (1.3.2)

3.4 Question status sidebar unavailable via keyboard and screen reader

Users can mark questions to return to, and a list of question statuses is pinned on the left side of the screen. Users can track how many questions are flagged and click on questions to jump to them directly instead of selecting the Next button. This list is not in the screen reader or keyboard navigation order.

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Everything can be done with a keyboard. (2.1.1)

3.5 Cannot access Expand/Collapse buttons, or Medical Library menu in sidebar

An explanation for question answers appears in a sidebar after the user submits their answer. The user can open a Medical Library from some of the links in the explanation. Assistive technology users cannot place focus on several elements, including the buttons to expand or collapse content sections, as well as the tree menu for the library itself.

The following screenshot shows the expand and collapse elements highlighted with a red box.

The following screenshot shows the medical library tree menu displayed next to an open section of the library. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Everything can be done with a keyboard. (2.1.1)

3.6 Strikethrough button only available when navigating backwards; unclear screen reader label

If the user is navigating via keyboard or screen reader, the strikethrough button on potential answers to a question is only available when navigating from the bottom to the top of the list. Additionally, the purpose of the button is not announced via screen reader. 

Strikethrough button screen reader demo

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Use code to preserve meaningful content order. (1.3.2)

      • Provide descriptive names or context for all links. (2.4.4)

3.7 Video controls added to end of keyboard navigation order

Users can launch lecture videos from the explanations to question answers. The video opens in a dialog over the main question content. After the user opens the video, keyboard focus is placed back at the top of the screen, and the user must tab through all of the page content to reach the video playback controls.

The following screenshot shows the video player opened over the main question page. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Use code to preserve meaningful content order. (1.3.2)

3.8 Unclear link text for images linked in explanation

After a user answers a question, an explanation of the answer opens in a sidebar. Throughout the explanation, many terms are links that open an image viewer. It isn't clear from the links alone what the destination of the link is, and if the user opens a link, an image viewer displays. Sometimes the image is announced as "unlabeled graphic," and sometimes it is left out of the screen reader navigation entirely, but in neither case is there useful information for screen reader users. The links should make it clear that they will take the user to an image viewer. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Provide descriptive names or context for all links. (2.4.4)

3.9 Highlighted text announced as "clickable" via screen reader

The user can toggle highlight hints while taking a test. This highlights details that may help the user answer the question. The screen reader announces, "clickable," when it reaches highlighted text. 

Relevant WCAG guidelines:

• • • • Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. (1.3.1)

Test information and conditions