Accessible Procurement

The Educational Technologies Advisory Committee (ETAC) is responsible for reviewing the purchase of large-scale educational technologies. Part of this review includes an assessment of product accessibility. 

If you find yourself in the position of exploring the purchase of digital technology (or a service that has a digital presence, such as an online ordering or scheduling system), there are a number of tools that can help you evaluate the accessibility of that product.

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

A VPAT is a document template that allows companies to report the level of accessibility compliance of information and communication technology (ITC). It provides a kind of checklist that shows how a product meets (or does not meet) a series of accessibility standards. VPATs should be:

• Complete and current - Reviewing the VPAT for software version 1.2 does little good if you intend to purchase version 3.6!
• Specific - vague language in the VPAT is an indication that it was completed by someone who does not have a comprehensive understanding of accessibility standards.
• Easy to obtain - if you speak with a company that does not know whether they have a VPAT or have a hard time tracking one down most likely has little understanding of whether their product meets accessibility standards or not.

It is not necessarily a deal-breaker if a product does not meet all of the standards listed in a VPAT. For all standards that are not met, however, the company should have a plan and timeline for remediating any deficiencies or there should be a clear and equitable alternative method for a user to access content or functionality.

If you have additional questions, reach out to the Educational Technologies Advisory Committee (ETAC), to learn more.