All About the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template - VPAT

Aligning with Section 508 VPAT

 

I recently ran into an old friend at my favorite coffee shop, and we had a pleasant conversation about how 508 VPAT compliance had resulted in incredible gains for people with disabilities. A young man joined our table from the one he had been eavesdropping on our conversation while we were busy comparing notes on the gains.

 

I believe that the genuine questions that the young man asked us about VPAT accessibility are representative of what many young entrepreneurs in the United States are asking.

 

 

 

In this article, I'll focus on the key issues raised by the young entrepreneur and point you in the direction of additional information, resources, and assistance regarding the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

 

What is a VPAT?

The young entrepreneur's first question to us was, "What is a VPAT?" We wanted to learn more about the young man before answering this question.

 

We discovered that he was a burgeoning entrepreneur working on a novel solution to one of many technology-tipping-point issues, namely the Internet of Things (IoT).

 

He was leading a group of under-25-year-old American men and women who were attempting to use smart gadgets to enable pets to detect accessibility issues in public places. The gadgets are to be installed somewhere on the pets' bodies so that the pets can communicate any dangers or concerns to their companions who may be elderly or living with disabilities.

 

The entrepreneurial focus of this young man's team piqued our interest. We valued the possibility that the proposed innovations could revolutionize the VPAT accessibility conversation.

 

Fortunately, my old friend was a VPAT assessment guru due to his many years of service with ADA Compliance Pros. Using three distinct steps to website accessibility, ADA Compliance Pros has assisted many businesses in avoiding costly lawsuits. Their free VPAT accessibility test assisted us in identifying major issues with our website that could have resulted in us becoming part of the website lawsuit statistics!

 

My friend began the lesson elatedly: "This is what a VPAT is." It is a document prepared by a product developer or vendor like you. It describes how well your product conforms to the accessibility standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, "he continued.

 

What is the purpose of a VPAT document?

Whether you're a new or established entrepreneur, a VPAT template assists buyers of your information and communication technology (ICT) product or service in making informed decisions before purchasing your product or service from four perspectives:

 

  • They can determine the level of VPAT compliance for your product or service.
  • They can compare VPAT assessments for comparable products or services.
  • It becomes simple to select products or services that best meet accessibility standards as well as their organization's function and legal requirements.
  • They can effectively plan for the acquisition of equally efficient access when the product or service they prefer is unavailable due to required accessibility levels.

 

VPAT certification assists you in meeting the fundamental goal of making your ICT products and services ADA compliant. Many businesses have used VPAT certification to identify accessibility flaws in their wide range of digital products, including e-learning platforms, mobile apps, websites, software, hardware, and remote access tools.

 

Is VPAT compliance mandatory?

While, as the name implies, a VPAT document is voluntary, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires the federal government and its agencies to make ICT accessible to people with disabilities.

 

A VPAT is required if your company intends to supply products or services to the federal government and/or any of its agencies. This means that not having a VPAT precludes your company or organization from doing business with the federal government and/or its agencies.

 

Even if you provide a VPAT of your own volition, the preceding demonstrates why VPAT audit and digital compliance are generally considered mandatory.

 

Steps to VPAT certification

 

If you have a business or service that falls under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, especially if you do business or receive federal funding, VPAT certification is required.

 

The steps to generate the VPAT certification are as follows:

  • Obtaining an unbiased and accurate audit of ICT products or services in accordance with Section 508 VPAT guidelines.
  • Improving compliance based on the shortcomings discovered during the VPAT audit of technical requirements, functional performance, and support requirements.
  • Creating the necessary compliance data in order to create a VPAT document that will serve as the VPAT certification.

 

Interested in more information about the VPAT?

There is a lot of information and resources available about the VPAT template, assessment, certification, and compliance that promising young and seasoned entrepreneurs should be aware of. While you focus on your business's innovations and growth frontiers, you must be vigilant to avoid being disrupted by lawsuits and backlash from people with disabilities and human rights organizations.

 

ADA Compliance Pros has been a reliable resource for us when it comes to Section 508 VPAT issues, compliance, and audit report generation. Our first interaction with them was through their free website compliance checker. It provided us with invaluable insights, which encouraged us to proceed with a full VPAT audit. ADA Compliance Pros can be reached at (626) 486-2201 or by clicking here.

Which Businesses Require a VPAT?

What is a VPAT?

 

A VPAT is a self-disclosing document used to evaluate accessibility in line with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. It defines an entity's accessibility levels and establishes the technical requirements for web content accessibility standards such as Section 508, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, and WCAG 2.1. A typical VPAT can have between 50 and thousands of pages.

 

The VPAT is available in four different editions. These offer insights into the businesses that require a VPAT. The editions are as follows:

  • WCAG
  • Section 508 and the Revised Section 508
  • EN 301 549
  • International

Businesses contemplated under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

 

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act states that when the federal government of the United States and its agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information and communication technology (ICT) products or services, those products or services must be fully accessible to federal employees and members of the general public with disabilities.

 

Businesses that collaborate with the federal government and its agencies in the development, procurement, maintenance, and use of electronic and ICT products or services must have a VPAT. The VPAT assessment, which is usually performed prior to the compliance certification required by entities procuring electronic and ICT products and services for the federal government and its agencies, assists target businesses in identifying areas for improvement in order to avoid losing business opportunities with the government.

 

 

Aside from businesses that provide electronic and information technology products and services to the federal government and its agencies, all businesses that receive federal funding must also have 508 compliance VPATs. A VPAT report created prior to their consideration for federal funding can determine whether they receive federal funding or not, depending on their level of conformance.

 

Businesses anticipated under WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) serve as a voluntary consensus standard for web content accessibility. The standard serves as a universal yardstick for ensuring that web content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Given that the courts have cited public-facing websites and online platforms as places of public accommodation, any business that has or uses a public-facing website or online platform to provide their products or services is required to have a VPAT. These include e-commerce companies, banking and finance companies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and so on.

 

Businesses envisioned under EN 301 549

 

EN 301 549 is a European Union digital accessibility standard (EU). It adheres to the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Businesses that want to sell their products and services in the EU, therefore, require a VPAT.

 

International businesses

The international VPAT is comprehensive. It incorporates the WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, Revised Section 508 standards, and EN 301-549 accessibility requirements appropriate for European public procurement of ICT products and services. This demonstrates that businesses with international operations also require a VPAT.

 

The VPAT is clearly required for any business or service that falls under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, based on the foregoing. Entities that do business with the federal government and its agencies, as well as those that receive federal government funding, have a greater need for VPATs than others.

 

Having a VPAT is beneficial for businesses that do not do business with the federal government or receive federal funding because it allows your buyers to:

  • Understand the level of accessibility compliance of your products or services.
  • Compare the compliance for similar products or services.
  • Choose the products or services that best meet the accessibility standards and functional requirements of their organizations.
  • Plan for equally effective accessible products or services when the desired accessible ones are not available.

 

Need more information and help with businesses requiring a VPAT?

 

Click here for more information about the businesses that require a VPAT. You can also contact ADA Compliance Pros at (626) 486-2201 for help in developing your VPAT ACR or check here to see an example of a VPAT.