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Reading between the Lines: How to Assess and Communicate Risk using a Vendor’s Accessibility Conformance Report

Handouts

Scheduled at 4:15 pm in Penrose 1 on Wednesday, November 19.

#41236

Speaker(s)

  • Michele Bromley, Manager, Digital Accessibility and Content, Portland State University
  • Alex Patterson, Digital Accessibility Support Specialist, Portland State University

Session Details

  • Length of Session: 1-hr
  • Format: Lecture
  • Expertise Level: Beginner
  • Type of session: General Conference

Summary

Knowing how to effectively read a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) can help to establish a baseline understanding of the compliance risk associated with a given technology. What is and isn’t captured in the VPAT front matter, remarks and explanations is just as critical as the reported conformance levels. This presentation will take attendees step-by-step through the process of evaluating a VPAT and extrapolating meaningful data and recommendations for next steps.

Abstract

Concern in higher education information technology and online learning units is mounting over last year’s enhancement of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act to explicitly define WCAG 2.1, Level AA, as the technical standard for digital assets. The biggest barrier to establishing a sustainable framework for digital accessibility maturation is a lack of awareness and technical capacity around both accessible digital design and procurement. For procurement especially, purchasing departments often feel as if they have checked all necessary boxes by obtaining a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) to file alongside the vendor’s security and data privacy documentation. But the existence of a VPAT in the first place may likewise just be a box that a vendor has checked without fully understanding what it means for their product to be fully accessible and usable for people with disabilities. While a VPAT alone will never substitute for validatory, internal functional accessibility testing with adaptive technology, knowing how to effectively read and interpret a VPAT can allow higher education units to establish at least a baseline understanding of the compliance and practical risk associated with procuring a given technology. What is and isn’t captured in the VPAT front matter, remarks and explanations is often just as critical as the reported conformance levels. This presentation will take attendees step-by-step through the process of evaluating a VPAT and extrapolating meaningful data and recommendations for next steps.

Keypoints

  1. A scalable workflow for risk assessment is a critical component of any digital accessibility roadmap.
  2. The front matter of a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) can inform risk assessment.
  3. Understanding how to read and interpret a VPAT is a critical skill to support vendor accountability.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Procurement, Uncategorized, Web/Media/App Access

Speaker Bio(s)

Michele Bromley

Michele Joy Bromley, MA, ADS, CPWA, is a digital accessibility and inclusivity specialist, currently supporting the Office of Information Technology (OIT) at Portland State University (PSU) as the manager of the Digital Accessibility and Content team. Michele is a Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA) and Accessible Document Specialist (ADS) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). Her primary areas of expertise are project and change management, enterprise service management, and accessible digital procurement, design, validation, remediation, and incident response. She has presented on these topics for the Postsecondary Disability Training Institute, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), AHEAD’s Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference (Accessing Higher Ground), and EDUCAUSE.

Alex Patterson

Alex Patterson, CPACC, is the Digital Accessibility Support Specialist for the Office of Information Technology at Portland State University (PSU). As part of the Digital Accessibility and Content team, they are responsible for creating and maintaining publicly available accessibility documentation, raising awareness and capacity for digital accessibility and inclusive design around campus, and evaluating third-party accessibility documentation for procuring parties. Alex is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

Handout(s)