VPAT document example: Using the VPAT form to ensure ADA compliance in technology
What is ADA compliance in technology?
ADA is short form for the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is a law that requires all electronic and information technology (EIT) such as websites and other digital content to be accessible to people with disabilities. It is not the same as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
ADA compliance in technology refers to technology having appropriate and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. This includes things like having large print, having interpreters, having wheelchair ramps, and allowing service animals.
ADA compliance provides protection in employment, local and state government services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and miscellaneous provisions. However, it does not provide guidelines to facilitate conformity. Despite that, data shows that more than 11,400 people filed ADA lawsuits in 2021, which was a 4 percent increase from those filed in 2020 and a 320 percent increase from those filed in 2013.
While the ADA established a strong framework for considering people with disabilities, it focuses on the commercial sector, leaving a gap in the public sector. To bridge that gap, in 1998, Congress amended the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require the federal agencies to make their EIT accessible to people with disabilities.
Section 508 specifically requires federal agencies to ensure that the EIT they develop, procure, maintain, or use allows people with disabilities access to and use of information and data, regardless of whether they are federal employees or not.
The ADA, Section 508, and the VPAT
Section 508 augments the ADA. To make it easier for buyers and procurement officials to conduct preliminary assessments of ICT products’ and services’ conformance to the Section 508 accessibility standards, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) collaborated with the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop a voluntary product accessibility template (VPAT).
A VPAT allows a business or organization to provide a comprehensive analysis of its product’s or service’s conformance to accessibility standards set by Section 508. It outlines key accessibility requirements and provides a structure for vendors and manufacturers of ICT products and services to outline their levels of compliance and give explanatory remarks.
The VPAT form, which is available through procurement offices, is a critical component of the RFP process for any organization where accessibility, and by extension Section 508 compliance, is a key concern.
Use of the VPAT form to ensure ADA compliance
A duly completed VPAT document described how well an ICT product or service conforms to the existing accessibility standards. Its purpose is to help buyers of the products or services make informed decisions before purchasing the products or services.
Given that the ADA does not have compliance standards and guidelines, VPAT forms for documenting the accessibility of ICT products and services for procurement or use in the U.S. contain Section 508 accessibility requirements that incorporate the ADA compliance requirements. That is why a VPAT that helps a vendor or manufacturer of an ICT product or service document how their product or service conforms to the ADA requirements is known as an ADA VPAT.
While there isn’t a specific version of the VPAT dedicated to ADA compliance, the Section 508 VPAT is frequently updated with the ADA compliance requirements so that the vendors filling out the form end up simultaneously fulfilling the accessibility requirements of the ADA and Section 508.
Reviewing a VPAT document example created by an ADA VPAT consultant can assist you in understanding how the two accessibility compliance standards find convergence in a Section 508 ADA VPAT.
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