VPATS

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®)

A VPAT® is completed by a vendor or a developer to advise which WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are supported and which are not supported. This information allows us to make an informed decision about use of the product based on whether or not it is accessible to those with disabilities and how we, as a State of Texas agency, meet our obligations under Texas Administrative Code 206 and 213.

VPAT Information

The templates are published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) and are free to download from itic.org. There are four templates to choose from:

  • EU - Criteria includes WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, EN (Harmonised European Standard) 301 549 2019-11, and EN 301 549 2021-03 criteria.
  • INT - Criteria includes WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, Revised Section 508 1/22/2018, EN (Harmonised European Standard) 301 549 2019-11 ,and EN 301 549 2021-03 criteria.
  • Rev 508 - Criteria includes WCAG 2.0 and Revised Section 508 1/22/201 criteria.
  • WCAG - Criteria includes WACG 2.0 and 2.1
Currently, because UTA is a State of Texas agency, we are required to meet WCAG 2.0 guidelines. All of the templates include this specified criteria, so all are acceptable.

ITIC has on-line training videos available for vendors to use. Also, ITIC has a YouTube channel with training videos available.

We may discount a report if any of these red flags apply:

  • The document is more than two years old.
  • The document is based on resource knowledge but not actual testing or assessment.
  • The vendor requires a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
  • Responses on the form are not logical.
  • Responses do not match our own assessment.
It is necessary to have a scoring system so that we can compare between multiple resources and so we can compare year over year how a resource is progressing towards accessibility. In addition to a numerical score, we also apply a letter grade so that even if the numerical scale is updated, the letter grade can be compared year over year.

The EIR Accessibility Coordinator at UTA has developed an Excel scorecard for VPATs®. Contact accessibility@uta.edu if you would like to request the scorecard be emailed to you.

The scorecard excel file has 5 worksheets:

Worksheet 1 - Instructions: Provides a description of each tab and the tables on each tab.

Worksheet 2 - Score: This worksheet has 8 separate tables as described below

  1. EIR Details - provide general information such as name of the resource, cost and use
  2. Accessibility and Risk Grade - a calculated table; no input required
  3. Score - a calculated table; no input required
  4. Responses - a calculated table; no input required
  5. Weights - a calculated table; no input required. You have the option to customize how responses are weighted
  6. Disabilities Impacted - a calculated table that advises which portions of the population are expected to be impacted by use of this resource
  7. UTA Approval Methods - the letter grade correlates to our approval methods and when an exception form is required
  8. Risk Grade - indicates the parameters for the risk factor.

Worksheet 3 - ACR Responses: Input the responses from the vendor.

Worksheet 4 - Criteria by Impact: This table explains which types of disabilities are impacted by each WCAG criteria.

Worksheet 5 - File Updates: A running list of upgrades to the scorecard.

Most data entry is made in Worksheet 3. Simply indicate by entering a 1 in the appropriate response column for each WCAG criteria. Worksheet 2 will display a score and grade based on the tallied responses.

In Worksheet 2, you will also provide additional information indicating the cost, the number of users and the confidence in the ACR responses. These factors will help calculate the Risk response.

VPAT Score shows a letter grade for accessibility and a range from low to extremely high for risk.

Currently, the scorecard lists both WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 criteria because that matches the VPAT® template. However, only WCAG 2.0 criteria are included in the scores because that is the legal requirement for State of Texas agencies. If Texas Administrative Code is updated to 2.1, the score calculations will be updated.