You are here: Home » Procurement, Uncategorized » Tactical use of Product Vendor Accessibility Process: From High-Impact to Demo

Tactical use of Product Vendor Accessibility Process: From High-Impact to Demo

Handouts

Presented at 11:30am in Independence on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

#38325

Speaker(s)

  • Leon McNaught, Director, Digital Accessibility, California State University, Los Angeles
  • Sue Cullen, Director of Universal Design & ICT Accessibility, Tech For All

Session Details

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

Summary

Join us to discuss alternatives to lengthy reviews of low-quality Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs). Pivot from poor documentation and shift the onus to vendors to demonstrate the functionality of their products for individuals with disabilities. Timely leverage of this tactic resets the accessibility discussion and avoids wasting precious time and resources. Use the information obtained from this process (whether positive or negative) to guide favorable outcomes and avoid the quagmire of unknowingly purchasing inaccessible products.

Abstract

We will walk through the Cal State LA and CSU Office of the Chancellor Vendor Accessibility Requirements, which communicate to vendors the tasks and requirements necessary to complete a product accessibility demo. The demo tracks a representative set of options a user typically takes when interacting with a product. Learn how to leverage the data points gathered from this demo to validate whether an ACR is of sufficient quality or if additional documentation is necessary.

Within this process, the campus is informed of deficits in the required accessibility documentation. At the same time, the current state of accessibility conformance is exposed before an ICT acquisition continues. These interactions with the vendor and buyer yield a verified baseline of product accessibility conformance and barriers. This is especially helpful in the absence of quality accessibility documentation, which is all too often a reality. Further, the information obtained can be used to identify if an Equally Effective Alternate Access Plan is necessary or feasible or if the procurement should proceed. Learn how this activity fits into the more extensive, fully articulated, accessible procurement process at Cal State LA. This session will help attendees maximize conformance information utilizing minimal time and resources.

Keypoints

  1. How to work with limited resources for maximum impact within the procurement process.
  2. Understanding the importance of the User Flow and how this relates to the ACR testing methodologies.
  3. How to conduct a vendor product accessibility demo.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Procurement, Uncategorized

Speaker Bio(s)

Leon McNaught

Leon McNaught is the Director of Digital Accessibility at Cal State LA. His work at the Los Angeles campus includes implementing the CSU system-wide Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI), a Capability Maturity Model framework, to improve digital accessibility among higher education stakeholders. ATI focuses on three priority areas: web, instructional materials, and procurement. Leon’s other work includes accessibility consulting, and he is the Vice Chairperson on the board of Blindness Support Services in Riverside, CA. Leon has worked in the field of assistive technology and accessibility in higher education for 29 years, which provides a breadth of experience in an ever-changing field.

Sue Cullen

Sue Cullen is the Director of Universal Design and ITC Accessibility at Tech for All, Inc. She was the Assistant Director of the Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) for the California State University (CSU) System. Prior to joining the CSU Office of the Chancellor, Sue served as the campus ATI Executive Sponsor Designee, and was instrumental in creating the Universal Design Center (UDC) at California State University, Northridge. Sue trained the professional staff and paraprofessional students at the UDC to provide services to both CSU Northridge and the CSU. In addition, Sue helped build the CSU Accessible Technology Network (ATN), which is comprised of accessibility experts both inside and outside the CSU. Sue is a recognized IT Accessibility expert and is regularly called upon to present at national conferences. Sue was Co-Chair of the EDUCAUSE ITACCESS Constituency Group. She has been actively advocating for individuals with disabilities since 1995.

Handout(s)