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[…]
READ MORE about Why Every Product Needs a VPATFederal Government
Digital Accessibility Checklist for Section 503 Focused Reviews
Last year, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) began acting on Directive (DIR) 2018-04, placing an increased emphasis on disability inclusion in the workplace. In order to accomplish that goal, the agency said it will be conducting “focused reviews” of compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain individuals with disabilities. Focused reviews may[…]
READ MORE about Digital Accessibility Checklist for Section 503 Focused ReviewsDOJ Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA as Related to Title II
On March 18, 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. The guidance seems to target business owners and government employees unfamiliar with the DOJ’s long-standing position on website accessibility. The legal industry and industry advocates generally regard the[…]
READ MORE about DOJ Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA as Related to Title IIFederal A11y : Federal Digital Accessibility Updates
This “Federal-A11y” page offers an ongoing collection of articles primarily related to digital accessibility and the future of work as it relates to the Federal Government. Please bookmark this page to keep up to date on Federal Industry developments in making digital environments accessible for people with disabilities. Accessibility and Transforming the Citizen Experience OPM Issues Call for Comments on Improving Customer Experience As a signal of what’s next in[…]
READ MORE about Federal A11y : Federal Digital Accessibility UpdatesVPAT and ACR: A Guide for Vendors and Procurement Teams
What is a VPAT? What is an ACR? 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.[…]
READ MORE about VPAT and ACR: A Guide for Vendors and Procurement TeamsUnderstanding 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 ProcessVPAT 2.X, The Evolution of the Accessibility Conformance Report | Part One: An Overview
*NOTE: The Information Technology Industry Council has released subsequent minor VPAT revisions, available on the ITIC VPAT® web page. The Current VPAT Version 2.4 was released February 2020. Last reviewed / updated: 4/30/2021 This post adapted from the article, “VPAT 2.X, The Evolution of the Accessibility Conformance Report,” originally published in the November 2019 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a[…]
READ MORE about VPAT 2.X, The Evolution of the Accessibility Conformance Report | Part One: An OverviewSection 508 Refresh: How WCAG Impacts Federal Website Accessibility Requirements
Section 508 and WCAG: What’s Changed for Federal Government Website Accessibility Requirements? This article on Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 reprinted, with updates and modifications, from the February 2017 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. It was originally published as “Making Technology Accessible To People With Disabilities: Section 508 Refresh Incorporates Internationally Recognized WCAG Standards.” Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a division of LexisNexis. Copyright[…]
READ MORE about Section 508 Refresh: How WCAG Impacts Federal Website Accessibility Requirements