Missing Abbreviation Extension Check
Description
The “Missing Abbreviation Extension Check” evaluates whether all abbreviations, acronyms, or initialisms used in the content include their expanded or full form upon first use.
Example outcome
I found 1 abbreviation in which the expansion was forgotten.
Impact
- Visual Impairments: Users with visual impairments using a screen reader, will just hear the abbreviation as-is (e.g., “HTML” as “H-T-M-L”) without clarification of the meaning.
- Motor Impairments: People with motor impairments might not recall what a previously stated abbreviation means.
- Cognitive Disabilities: A person with cognitive disabilities may struggle to interpret abbreviations, especially in academic or technical contexts.
Fixes
To address missing abbreviation expansion:
- Identify the abbreviation that is missing an expansion.
- Add the expansion using the
<abbr>element with a title attribute (e.g.,<abbr title="World Health Organization">WHO</abbr>).