Provide an option to enable the user to adjust the volume.
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Rationale
Users may not be able to hear or distinguish sounds at certain volumes, so they need the ability to adjust the volume. A user that is hard of hearing can have difficulty hearing auditory output and needs to adjust the volume so they can hear the warnings and messages. A user with a vision impairment may depend on speech output and will need to adjust the volume to accommodate different environmental conditions.
Required development techniques
One or more of the following techniques are the minimum required to meet Checkpoint 3.3 from the IBM Software Accessibility Checklist:
Examples for Microsoft Windows developers
1. Respect the system volume settings.
Example 1
Windows applications that play sounds by calling PlaySound and specifying a registry-based sound event use system volume settings and do not require additional work to be accessible. The user can change the volume using Sound options in the Control Panel.
2. Provide volume control in the software.
Example 2
Application can set the volume or inherit the system volume. In the dialog below, Windows Media Player enables the user to adjust the volume setting with the application.
Required test techniques
Test the software to ensure that it complies with accessibility requirements.
Required test software
No additional software is required to test this checkpoint.
Test techniques
Passing one or more of the following test techniques is the minimum required to pass this checkpoint:
| Action | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | If the software application respects system settings for volume, increase the volume through the Control Panel. Verify all sounds generated by the application including warnings and messages can be heard. |
Pass:
|
| 2. | If the software application provides an option to adjust the volume, increase the volume. Verify all sounds generated by the application including warnings and messages can be heard. |
Pass:
|
©2009 IBM Corporation
Last updated October 1, 2009.