The audit: five pages, real test scripts
Pick a public website you use often.
- Choose five key pages: home, search, a form, an error state, and checkout or contact.
- Write a test script per page covering keyboard, screen reader, zoom and contrast.
- Run it, logging each issue with the WCAG 2.2 criterion, who it affects and steps to reproduce.
- Run one automated checker from the W3C tools list and note what it missed compared with your manual testing.
Share it privately with the site owner or anonymise it. Kindness counts.
Manual testing habits that accessibility work needs
| You already do | What it becomes |
|---|---|
| Wrote test cases with expected results | Write accessibility test scripts per WCAG criterion |
| Tested across browsers and devices | Test with keyboards, screen readers and zoom |
| Logged clear bugs | Write issues that name the criterion and who is affected |
| Did exploratory testing | Explore pages as a screen-reader user would |
The new parts are using a screen reader comfortably (NVDA on Windows is free), reading WCAG success criteria precisely, and knowing which issues automated tools miss.
Your realistic 90 days
Manual testing taught you to write exact steps and exact expected results. Accessibility testing uses the same discipline with a screen reader and a keyboard. The plan ends with a five-page audit that shows it.
Assumes 2–3 hours a day alongside job applications, a laptop and a phone, and free plans only. Every step has a smaller version and a way to pause. Use them. It runs in three blocks of 30 days, each ending with a signal that you're on track. A signal is not a promise of a job or income.
Your first 7 days
| Day | Task | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Read the W3C intro to evaluating accessibility | Notes on 5 ideas |
| 2 | Install NVDA and learn 10 basic commands | Commands practised |
| 3 | Use 3 websites with only a keyboard | 3 lists |
| 4 | Pick a public site for your audit | Chosen |
| 5 | Write a test script for one page | Script done |
| 6 | Run it and log 5 issues | 5 issues |
| 7 | Save 10 accessibility testing or QA postings that mention WCAG | 10 links |
Days 1–30: A five-page audit
| Step | Time | Done when | Smaller version | If you need to pause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish the audit and the tool comparison | about 12 hours over 3 weeks | audit report | Two pages. | Stop at the end of the step you're on and write two lines about where you stopped. Pick it up from those notes later. |
| Send the audit to 5 QA leads or accessibility testers | about 2 hours | 5 messages | Send the audit to 3 QA leads or accessibility testers. | Optional. If reaching out feels like too much this week, skip it and put the time into your proof. |
Signal by day 30: Someone reads an issue and knows how to fix it.
Days 31–60: Mobile and documents
| Step | Time | Done when | Smaller version | If you need to pause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test one mobile app with TalkBack or VoiceOver | about 6 hours | 10 issues | 5 issues. | Optional. Skip it if the week is full; nothing later depends on it. |
| Apply to 8 accessibility tester or QA roles mentioning WCAG | about 4 hours | 8 logged | Apply to 4 accessibility tester or QA roles mentioning WCAG. | Stop sending for now. Keep a list of who you've contacted so you can follow up later without doubling up. |
Signal by day 60: A screening call for an accessibility tester role.
Days 61–90: Credibility
| Step | Time | Done when | Smaller version | If you need to pause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read about the IAAP certifications and decide if one fits | about 2 hours | decision note | Skim. | Optional. Skip it if the week is full; nothing later depends on it. |
| Ask 2 ex-colleagues for referrals into QA teams doing accessibility | about 1 hour | 2 asks | Just one instead of 2. | Optional. If reaching out feels like too much this week, skip it and put the time into your proof. |
Signal by day 90: A practical test you complete calmly.
Job-hunt moves that matter for this route
- Search 'accessibility tester', 'accessibility QA', 'WCAG tester' and 'digital accessibility analyst'.
- IT services firms with US and EU clients and accessibility consultancies hire testers.
- Put 'WCAG 2.2' and 'NVDA' in your headline.
One search that fits your background
The full set of search strings for this move is on the route page. They work on LinkedIn, Naukri and foundit; Instahyre and Cutshort are worth a weekly look too. Add your old job title to any of them with AND, so recruiters who want both skills find you first.
The two worries we hear most about this move
I don't code. Can I really move into accessibility? Yes, for testing roles. You test, record and explain. Reading basic HTML helps, and you can learn it alongside the audit. Will AI tools replace accessibility testers? Automated checkers already exist and miss many issues, which is why manual testing is still needed. Your tool comparison in the proof shows exactly that.
Other worries, such as age, a career gap, no degree, English, family pressure and savings, are covered on the route page and the role page.
Five questions for careful testers
(Takes about a minute; answers stay on your device.)
- Do you write careful step-by-step test cases? (yes / no)
- Have you tested on different browsers and phones? (yes / no)
- Do you notice small things others miss? (yes / no)
- Would you learn to use a screen reader? (yes / no)
- Do you like work that helps real people directly? (yes / no)
Four or five yeses: this bridge is short for you. Two or three: still reachable. Fewer: start with the manual tester role page and come back.
Screen Reader Script
Write the next line of a screen reader test script. Pick the correct expected result.
Screen Reader Script
Your 30/60/90 quests
XP: learning 20 · proof 60 · outreach 40. Ranks: Wayfinder → Builder → Pathmaker. Progress stays in your browser only.
Accessibility tester pay: we haven't verified
We haven't verified pay data for accessibility specialist roles. Rates differ by city, company and contract type.
Manual testers' accessibility questions
Do I need to code? Not for testing roles. Reading basic HTML helps you explain issues. Is the demand real in India? Much of it comes from overseas clients where laws require accessibility. Check listings in your city.
Testing-job scams
Be careful with "test tasks" that are really unpaid client work, recruiters asking for fees, or anyone asking for OTPs or UPI PINs. Use official domains only. Report: cybercrime.gov.in / 1930 (India), ReportFraud.ftc.gov (US).
Next: route page · Manual Tester role page · Quiz
Quick quiz: does this path fit?
Answer each, then press Check. Every answer explains itself.
Make your Path Card
A shareable reminder of where you're heading. The day count starts the first time you open this page; quest XP comes from your log above.
Scam check before you apply anywhere
- Real job and gig platforms are free to join. Never pay a "joining" or "training" fee.
- Never share an OTP or UPI PIN — no genuine employer needs them.
- Use official domains only; type the address yourself.
- India: report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930.
- US: report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Small steps, every day.
Each quest has a smaller version for hard weeks, and a pause button. Nothing is lost.
Keep exploring
Sources
Checked 25 Oct 2026. We opened every link below ourselves. Search volumes on this site come from OpenSEO keyword research (Oct 2026).
The other facts here are shared with the route page, where each is listed in full with its link.
| What we checked | Where |
|---|---|
| W3C: evaluating accessibility | w3.org |
| NVDA screen reader (free) | nvaccess.org |
| W3C evaluation tools list | w3.org |