React Native / Expo Accessibility

Extends the ECC quality bar to accessibility (a11y). Treat a11y as a release requirement, not an afterthought. Target: usable with screen readers (VoiceOver on iOS, TalkBack on Android) and at large font sizes.

Labeling

• Every interactive element has an accessibilityRole and an accessibilityLabel (or readable child text).
• Icon-only buttons MUST have an accessibilityLabel — there is no visible text for the reader to announce.
• Use accessibilityHint only when the action is non-obvious; keep it short.
• Group related elements with accessible on the container so they're announced as one unit when appropriate.

<Pressable
  accessibilityRole="button"
  accessibilityLabel="Delete item"
  onPress={onDelete}
>
  <TrashIcon />
</Pressable>

State & Live Regions

• Communicate state with accessibilityState (e.g. { disabled, selected, checked, expanded }).
• Announce async/transient changes (toasts, validation errors) via accessibilityLiveRegion (Android) and AccessibilityInfo.announceForAccessibility where needed.
• Reflect loading/error/empty states in text the reader can reach — not just spinners or color.

Touch Targets & Layout

• Minimum touch target ~44x44pt (iOS) / 48x48dp (Android); use hitSlop to enlarge small controls.
• Respect Dynamic Type / font scaling — avoid fixed heights that clip scaled text; test at the largest accessibility font size.
• Honor prefers-reduced-motion (AccessibilityInfo.isReduceMotionEnabled) — gate non-essential animation.

Color & Contrast

• Do not convey meaning by color alone; pair with text, icon, or shape.
• Meet WCAG AA contrast: 4.5:1 for body text, 3:1 for large text and meaningful UI/graphical elements.
• Verify both light and dark themes.

Focus & Navigation

• Logical focus order; move focus to new content (modals, screens) on open and restore on close.
• Ensure custom components are reachable and operable by the screen reader, not just by touch.

Testing

• Manually test with VoiceOver and TalkBack on real devices — automated checks do not catch everything.
• In component tests, query by role/label (see testing.md) so a11y and tests reinforce each other.
• Add a11y to the pre-release gate: key flows pass a screen-reader walkthrough.