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Web Accessibility VPAT
Businesses and organizations looking to work with federal agencies or companies under government contract must produce a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) report. This standardized document outlines a product’s conformance with accessibility standards under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, detailing how it meets specific accessibility requirements, including functionalities and features. EqualWeb offers fast, affordable VPAT creation to help you meet these compliance needs effectively.
What is a VPAT?
A VPAT is a document that provides essential information about the accessibility features and compliance status of a product or technology solution. Developed by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), the VPAT is widely used to assess accessibility across various products, including software, hardware, and electronic devices. It offers a clear picture of the product’s accessibility efforts and the levels it has achieved.
For vendors looking to sell Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to the federal government, a VPAT is vital. By presenting a VPAT, you demonstrate how your product meets accessibility regulatory requirements, facilitating a smoother path to government partnerships. EqualWeb’s tools can help ensure your website meets accessibility standards, allowing for smooth VPAT creation.
Testing your website against Section 508 standards
The VPAT report specifies in a simple statement the accessibility features of a website and how it meets the Revised 508 Standards. Since Section 508 stipulates WCAG as the benchmark standard for web accessibility, it is best to audit a website against WCAG 2.2 Level AA Success Criteria before filling in the VPAT.
You can learn more about VPAT at the Section 508 website, where you can also download the VPAT template.
There’s often confusion between a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) and an ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report), so let’s clarify. An ACR is simply the VPAT template filled out with the specific accessibility details of your product—yes, that’s all there is to it! The VPAT itself is a blank template, available for download, while the ACR is the completed report that outlines your product’s accessibility features and compliance levels. In industry practice, people often refer to an ACR as a VPAT, so if you haven’t heard of "ACR" before, there’s no need to worry—they’re often used interchangeably. EqualWeb’saccessibility auditing tools can assist in ensuring your website meets the necessary accessibility standards, allowing you to complete your VPAT or ACR accurately.
Is there a VPAT score?
No, there is no VPAT score. A VPAT is also not an audit report. It’s a specified summary of a website’s accessibility status after it has been audited and evaluated for overall accessibility compliance, providing a clear overview without assigning a numerical score.
The generating process is simple: we audit your website with the most advanced and powerful monitoring technology (see Web Accessibility Monitor). Our team of experts then manually scans your website for any accessibility issues the automated scan may have missed. Next, we fill in the VPAT document for you, detailing your accessibility standards and assessing your compatibility. At the end of the process, we issue the VPAT to your email.
Our VPAT reports are thorough, simple, and highly detailed, accurately reflecting your accessibility status as well as the existing gaps between your website and legislative standards.
