We continue our discussion on procurement in our series of accessibility conversations around the 8 Key Elements for Creating a Culture of Accessibility with Jeff Kline. We dive deeper into categories of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), tools for purchasing departments, and the roles of vendors and purchasers during the proposal and review process. Benefits of Addressing Accessibility When Making ICT Purchases Sanjay Nasta: Why is considering accessibility in purchasing Information[…]
READ MORE about Framing an ICT Accessibility Policy During ProcurementTechnology
Why Accessibility Matters When Buying Technology (and Other Most Asked Questions)
We surveyed our CTO Hiram Kuykendall and accessibility policy expert Kathy Keller on some of the often asked questions we hear from both purchasers and public sector contractors faced with ensuring accessibility during the technology purchasing process. Why is accessibility important in the purchasing process? Kathy: Including accessibility in purchasing eliminates countless hours of dealing with noncompliant, inaccessible ICT and the problems it creates not only for people with disabilities[…]
READ MORE about Why Accessibility Matters When Buying Technology (and Other Most Asked Questions)The Role of Litigation and Regulation in Web Accessibility
In March 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). The effort focuses specifically on Title II— State and Local Governments (and Public Transportation) and Title III— Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities. This summer, the DOJ followed up this guidance with an announcement of plans to update accessibility guidelines in 2023. Microassist’s CTO, Hiram Kuykendall, recently joined with Converge Accessibility’s Ken Nakata, on the[…]
READ MORE about The Role of Litigation and Regulation in Web AccessibilityAccessibility Testing Tool Reality Check
When talking with customers about accessibility, I frequently get asked: Why can’t automated accessibility testing tools find all errors? This question is understandable, given we have accessibility guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, technical standards such as HTML5 and WAI-ARIA, and a myriad of patterns and practices. First, let’s address the assumption that accessibility testing tools can only catch between 30% to 50% of errors. There is a[…]
READ MORE about Accessibility Testing Tool Reality CheckTen Accessibility Errors Automated Tools Miss on PDF Documents
To comply with accessibility law and be inclusive you must provide an equal experience for all users, regardless of disability. To accomplish this goal, you must develop all your digital content with accessibility in mind. The media platforms encompass websites, videos, e-learning, documents, and an ever-growing list of other mediums. The wide use of PDF documents on websites and in email means PDF document accessibility plays a vital role in[…]
READ MORE about Ten Accessibility Errors Automated Tools Miss on PDF DocumentsAccessible Overlay Tools: Realities and Myths
This post adapted from the article, “Accessible Overlay Tools – Realities and Myths” originally published in the December 2020 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a division of LexisNexis. In recent months there has been much discussion regarding accessibility overlay tools claiming to completely remediate an inaccessible site to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0/2.1 level AA. The allure of[…]
READ MORE about Accessible Overlay Tools: Realities and MythsVPAT: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
What does VPAT® stand for? VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. A VPAT is a document template used to create a report on how accessible an information and communication technology (ICT) product is. ICT products include software, mobile applications, websites, documentation, or hardware. The generated report helps the procurement community assess the level of accessibility conformance during the market research and proposal evaluation stages. Once the VPAT is complete, it becomes[…]
READ MORE about VPAT: The Ultimate Buyer’s GuideUnderstanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement Process
This post adapted from the article, “Understanding Accessibility in the Procurement Process” originally published in the September 2020 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a division of LexisNexis. Why Digital Accessibility Matters Public sector entities such as the federal government, state government, and higher education institutions are required by various laws to try and procure products that are usable by[…]
READ MORE about Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement ProcessMobile Apps for Public Safety Organizations – Survey of Common Features
The use of mobile devices has grown significantly in the last few years. In a recent Pew Research report, 46% of respondents said they could not live without their smartphone; earlier research had 44% of respondents reporting that they sleep with their phones. Google has extensively studied mobile search and app use and has coined a new term: “micro-moments.” These micro-moments are defined as “the I want-to-know moments, I want-to-go[…]
READ MORE about Mobile Apps for Public Safety Organizations – Survey of Common FeaturesTaking Control of Your Agency Image – Mobile Apps and Policing
For years, law enforcement was criticized for being a closed and unapproachable society. Studies showed that too often police officials took a “we know what the priorities for public safety need to be better than the community does” approach. It was repeatedly demonstrated that a stunning misalignment existed between agency perceptions of citizen concerns, and actual citizen concerns. The take away for us was that positive and regular interaction with[…]
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