Technology

Why Every Product Needs a VPAT

By Sanjay Nasta | February 27, 2023 | |

In today’s purchasing market, accessibility is an increasingly important factor for companies looking to sell their products and services to government agencies, universities, and other organizations that care about accessibility. Many organizations now require a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) during the purchasing process to assess the accessibility of a product or service and determine if it meets their accessibility requirements. A VPAT is a document that provides detailed information on the accessibility of a product[…]

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Third-Party Auditor for Your VPAT Engagement

By Hiram Kuykendall | March 20, 2023 | |

Potential customers frequently ask product developers to provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) based on a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). It usually doesn’t take long for the developer to realize that the VPAT form is complex and contains language specific to the accessibility industry. This realization leads many developers to seek a third-party auditor’s assistance in auditing their product and creating an accessibility compliance report. This VPAT engagement checklist[…]

Find Your Perfect Match: Tips for Selecting the Right VPAT Vendor Partner

By Sanjay Nasta | February 16, 2023 | |

For companies that do not have the resources or expertise to conduct an accessibility assessment and create a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), working with an outside vendor partner can be a viable option. An outside vendor partner can provide expertise and resources to conduct an accessibility assessment and create a comprehensive and accurate VPAT. Choosing the right vendor partner to create your VPAT is critical to the success and[…]

Accessibility Testing Tool Reality Check

By Hiram Kuykendall | June 21, 2022 | |

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[…]

Why Accessibility Matters When Buying Technology (and Other Most Asked Questions)

By Sanjay Nasta | September 6, 2022 | |

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 Accessibility Matters Josh and Lauren, who have been blind their entire lives, recount their experiences on how living with disabilities influences their everyday lives. They also discuss the significance of web and app[…]

The Role of Litigation and Regulation in Web Accessibility

By Dallas Richard | August 29, 2022 | |

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[…]

Accessible Overlay Tools: Realities and Myths

By Hiram Kuykendall | December 15, 2020 | |

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[…]

VPAT: What Technology Vendors Need to Know

By Sanjay Nasta | June 18, 2024 | |

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Title II Alert Public sector organizations under ADA Title II jurisdiction must purchase WCAG 2.1 Level AA products starting April 24, 2026. Vendors supplying products and services to states, cities, public institutions of higher education, and other covered entities should take time to assess risk and develop a strategy. Our ADA policy teams are available to discuss your organization’s concerns regarding the new Title II changes. We have created a[…]

Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement Process

By Hiram Kuykendall | September 23, 2020 | |

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[…]

Digital Accessibility Checklist: 10 Critical Elements to Evaluate for Website Accessibility

By Microassist Editor | May 16, 2023 | |

Missing These Ten Areas Puts Your Website at Risk Inaccessible websites and applications not only reduce your opportunity to reach a growing segment of the population—they put your organization at legal risk. We’ve written this accessibility checklist to help you better understand the fundamental categories that make online content easier to navigate, use, and understand by individuals with disabilities. Many of these categories are often overlooked when developing online content. A full-scale web accessibility[…]