The Accessibility and Usability of Online Job Applications for Screen Reader Users

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Accessibility Research
• Digital Inclusion

Background:

• Online job applications are a primary tool for employment.
• Individuals with visual impairments often rely on screen readers for digital interaction.
• Previous research indicates challenges in digital accessibility for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the accessibility and usability of online job applications for screen reader users.
• To identify specific barriers encountered during the online job application process.
• To evaluate the success rate of completing applications and the severity of accessibility issues.

Main Methods:

• Three experienced screen reader users tested 30 Fortune 500 company job applications (90 trials total).
• Each tester used a different screen reader and browser combination.
• Accessibility issues and ease of use were systematically recorded.

Main Results:

• Only 55.6% of application attempts were successful, with 76.7% of sites having critical issues.
• Testers identified 694 accessibility issues, rating ease of use at 3.60/5.
• Significant accessibility variations existed even among applications from the same software vendor.

Conclusions:

• Current online job applications create unnecessary employment barriers for screen reader users.
• While success rates improved from prior studies, universal accessibility remains a challenge.
• Adoption of Universal Design principles and WCAG guidelines is recommended for vendors and companies.