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College of Health and Human Sciences
Accessibility by Design

Purchasing Technology

Technology has the power to include or exclude. It can either reduce barriers or erect them. The tools we choose have far-reaching implications for our campus community and the level of accommodations we need to make.

Requirements for Purchasing Technology

Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) purchases include university systems required for use by students or employees such as registration, electronic textbooks, adaptive courseware, software or apps used in instruction or evaluation, databases, proctoring tools, clickers, etc.

All software and hardware must be evaluated before purchase. Ideally, this will take place before a final decision has been made in case an accessible alternative is required.

Procurement Process

  1. Request an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), which is a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), from the vendor.
  2. Request an internal accessibility review from the Division of IT using the ICT request form.
  3. Once approved, attach the ICT accessibility approval to the requisition.
  4. Accessibility language will be included in all contracts.

Evaluating Product Accessibility

Accessibility Documentation: ACR (VPAT)

Prospective vendors should be able to demonstrate their knowledge of and commitment to electronic accessibility during the purchasing process by:

  • Maintaining a current Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) from VPAT version 2.4 or higher describing the accessibility of their products and services. Vendors may also submit an independent third party accessibility evaluation from a certified accessibility consultant.
  • Disclosing any existing accessibility issues that they are aware of in their product, and a roadmap or other such plan for addressing existing issues. (Note that all products have accessibility issues, since accessibility is a continuum.)
  • Providing accommodation options for areas in which their product isn’t yet fully accessible.

Having a completed ACR (VPAT) does not mean that a product is accessible.

  • A good ACR (VPAT) should acknowledge specific areas of concern and detail plans for improvement.
  • A flawless ACR (VPAT) is not realistic, and raises questions about the vendor’s understanding of accessibility.
  • If a vendor does not have a ACR (VPAT) readily available, it could be a sign that accessibility is not an active concern of theirs.

Contracts and Product Improvements

All University contracts for EIT should contain appropriate provisions concerning accessibility. See IT Accessibility Requirements on the Procurement Website for sample contract language. Vendors can demonstrate a commitment to making accessibility a priority by

  • Assigning a specific support contact to work on accessibility issues as they arise.
  • Offering workarounds for issues that currently exist.
  • Adopting WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines as a standard for development.
  • Adopting a development process that includes accessibility testing throughout, with a variety of assistive technologies (not just screen readers).
  • Developing a roadmap for accessibility improvements, including a timeline for development.

If the adoption of a product does not include a contract, the adopter should still advocate with the vendor or publisher for making accessibility a priority in their business.

Vendor Commitment to Accessibility

These additional questions can help provide a more complete picture of a vendor’s understanding of and commitment to accessibility as part of their product development.

  • Is your product developed using accessibility standards? If so, which?
  • Which assistive technologies have been tested with your product?
  • Has your product been tested with assistive technologies beyond screen readers, such as keyboard, magnification, text-to-speech, voice recognition, etc.?
    • If not, do you have plans to include these in future testing?
  • Have you had users with disabilities do any testing for you?
  • What existing accessibility issues are you aware of in your product?
  • Do you have a roadmap for addressing existing issues?
  • Do you have a plan for resolving any accessibility issues that come up during the period of a contract?
  • Does your company have an accessibility policy?
  • Do you have anyone assigned to accessibility issues in your company?

Exceptions

  • Exceptions may be determined during the evaluation if appropriate
  • Products with accessibility issues may be adopted if the vendor provides a roadmap for improvements
  • If an inaccessible product is adopted, individuals with disabilities must be accommodated by offering an equitable alternative