Applies to: Android (v1050) | Last verified: 2026-06-30
This assessment evaluates how well Avicenna v1050 for Android supports participants who rely on assistive technologies, including screen readers, screen magnification, display scaling, larger text, and high-contrast or color-inversion settings.
Accessibility affects who can enroll in and remain in a study, how representative the participant sample is, whether consent is genuinely informed, and whether a study meets the equal-access expectations of ethics boards and research institutions.
To assess this, our QA team evaluated the full participant journey, including sign-up and consent, the study dashboard, all core survey question types, notifications, data collection settings, and account management. Testing was performed on a physical Samsung device using the built-in Android accessibility features listed below, together with an automated audit using Google Accessibility Scanner.
Accessibility Support Overview
The table below shows how well Avicenna v1050 currently supports different accessibility needs.
- Full: Fully supported in typical use.
- Partial: Generally usable with limitations.
- Limited: Accessibility barriers are present.
| Accessibility need | Who this typically helps | Support | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen magnification (Android magnifier) | Low-vision participants | Full | Any part of the app can be magnified clearly, and the app does not interfere with zooming or panning. |
| Display scaling (Samsung “Screen Zoom”) | Low-vision participants | Full | The entire interface scales proportionally and remains readable, with no content pushed off-screen. |
| Color inversion | Low-vision participants; people with light sensitivity | Full | The interface inverts cleanly to a dark background with light text, with no loss of content or functionality. |
| High-contrast fonts | Low-vision participants; people with contrast sensitivity | Partial | Text becomes easier to read on nearly all screens, but some colored dashboard banners and buttons remain low contrast because their colors are set by the app and cannot be overridden by the operating system. |
| Larger system text (font scaling) | Low-vision participants | Partial | Body text enlarges and reflows correctly, but some fixed-width headings and buttons become truncated at the largest size, for example Previous, Submit, and Drop Out. |
| Screen reader (TalkBack) | Blind and severely low-vision participants | Partial | Most content is announced correctly, but navigation is slower and several controls lack accessible labels. |
Overall, Avicenna works well for participants who rely on screen magnification, display scaling, or color inversion and is generally usable with high-contrast fonts and larger system text. The main limitation is screen reader support: most tasks can be completed, but navigation is slower and several controls, particularly in the Number, Mass, Length, and Calendar survey questions, are not fully accessible in the current release.
If your study is likely to include blind or severely low-vision participants, we recommend reviewing the Recommendations for Researchers section before deployment.
[!note>] Screen magnification and display scaling are two different features
Screen magnification is the Android magnifier. The participant triple-taps to enlarge part of the screen and pans around it, while the app itself remains unchanged.
Display scaling (called Screen Zoom on Samsung devices) permanently increases the size of everything in the interface, and the layout reflows to fit.
Both are fully supported. Display scaling is also a useful workaround for participants affected by the text truncation described above because content that becomes truncated with larger system text remains readable when the whole display is scaled instead.
Current Barriers for Screen Reader Users
The following issues affect participants who rely on a screen reader, particularly those using TalkBack. These are the most significant accessibility limitations identified during testing.
| Location | Accessibility barrier |
|---|---|
| Number, Mass, and Length Survey Questions | Question titles and increment/decrement (+/−) controls are not labeled, preventing the screen reader from identifying them. |
| Calendar Survey Question | The calendar picker is not accessible once opened, preventing participants from navigating its contents with a screen reader. |
| Dashboard Icons | The Settings and Chat icons are announced only as “button,” while My Activities, Optional Activities, and About Study are not announced. |
| Close (×) Button and Status Indicators | The Close button, sync status indicator, and GPS battery optimization prompt are not announced. |
| Low Visual Contrast | Several interface elements do not meet recommended color contrast ratios, particularly sign-up and login fields, dashboard headings, and the Next and Previous buttons. |
| Small Touch Targets | Some controls are smaller than the recommended minimum touch target size, including the sign-up control, the data collection information icon, and the increment/decrement (+/−) buttons. |
Screens and Tasks That May Present Accessibility Challenges
The table below highlights the areas where participants using assistive technologies may experience difficulties.
| Screen or task | Potential accessibility issues |
|---|---|
| Sign-up and Login | Low-contrast text, small touch targets, and some text is not announced by the screen reader. |
| Home Screen | Unlabeled Settings and Chat icons, low-contrast banners and headings, and truncated text at larger font sizes. |
| Survey – Number, Mass, and Length | Unlabeled increment/decrement controls and question titles, small touch targets, and truncated text at larger font sizes. |
| Survey – Calendar | The calendar picker is not accessible with a screen reader, and the Select Date and Submit buttons may become truncated at larger text sizes. |
| Survey Navigation | The Next and Previous buttons have low contrast, and the Previous and Submit buttons may become truncated at larger text sizes. |
| Settings and About | Small Back and Privacy Policy controls, low visual contrast, and the app version is not announced by the screen reader. |
| Notifications | Low-contrast headings and icons, with some labels not announced. |
| Data Collection and GPS Settings | A small, unlabeled information icon, low visual contrast, and a GPS battery optimization prompt that is not announced by the screen reader. |
| Account and Email Verification | The Change and Verify controls are not announced by the screen reader. |
Recommendations for Researchers
- Studies involving participants with low vision: Avicenna provides strong support for participants who rely on screen magnification, display scaling, or color inversion. High-contrast fonts and larger system text are also well supported, with only minor limitations.
- Studies involving screen reader users: Avicenna is usable for most reading and standard navigation tasks, but participants using TalkBack may experience slower navigation and encounter inaccessible controls in the Number, Mass, Length, and Calendar survey question types. Where appropriate, consider using text entry, single-choice, multiple-choice, or slider questions instead, and allow additional time for participant onboarding.
- Pilot your study configuration: Accessibility depends on the survey questions and screens included in your study. Before launching, we recommend testing your actual participant workflow using the same assistive technologies your participants are expected to use.
- Plan accessibility accommodations: Understanding these limitations in advance allows you to document appropriate accommodations for ethics submissions and provide effective support to participants throughout the study.
- Need advice? If your study includes participants with specific accessibility requirements, our support team can help you identify the most suitable study configuration and advise on the current accessibility capabilities of your study configuration.
[!note]
The accessibility issues identified in this assessment have been shared with our product team and are being addressed in ongoing development. This report reflects Avicenna v1050 for Android as tested in June 2026. Support levels are re-checked against each major release, and the version and verification date above are updated accordingly.