Ensuring Equal Access Through Digital Accessibility
Digital accessibility is crucial for ensuring that everyone, including people with disabilities, can use technology effectively. It affects daily lives and promotes equality. For example:
- Individuals with vision impairments use zoom features to read text.
- Accessible websites allow text customization for better usability.
- People with dyslexia benefit from accessible fonts or text-to-speech tools.
- Captions in videos help those with hearing impairments understand content.
- People who use screen readers rely on well-structured websites to navigate and comprehend information.
Ensuring digital accessibility means providing equal access to online resources, educational materials, and all digital services. Just as we make physical spaces accessible, our digital environments must also be inclusive. This planning guarantees everyone can benefit from our resources.
Moreover, digital accessibility is a legal requirement under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandates that public entities ensure their digital content and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Inaccessible web content can prevent equal access to information and services. By prioritizing accessibility, we support compliance, foster inclusivity, and improve the usability and adaptability of our digital products.
If you have questions or need help with this process, please reach out to IT Procurement (umkcsoftware@umkc.edu).
Accessibility Considerations for Technology Purchases
All individuals involved in the procurement of technology solutions at UMKC are expected to prioritize digital accessibility. Evaluating accessibility early in the selection process helps ensure smoother compliance with institutional and federal standards.
While many vendors now publish accessibility information on their websites, this alone does not guarantee their products meet accessibility requirements. However, it does indicate an awareness of accessibility needs. During the procurement process, Information Services will collaborate directly with vendors—when needed—to assess and verify the accessibility of the product.
Ready to Submit a Software Request?
To initiate the software procurement process, please submit your request here. Once received, the IT Procurement team will review your submission, coordinate the necessary approvals, and engage with the vendor to obtain any required accessibility documentation.
VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)
A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a document that evaluates how information and communication technology (ICT) products—including software, hardware, electronic content, and support documentation—conform to the Revised Section 508 Standards for IT accessibility.
Once completed, a VPAT becomes an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), which serves as the official documentation of a product’s accessibility compliance.
As part of our IT procurement process, we actively search for and collect VPATs for the software used across campus. When a VPAT is not readily available, we will coordinate directly with the vendor—typically through an accessibility specialist or a reputable third-party accessibility auditor—to request one.
You can download the official Section 508 VPAT template from the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) website. Additionally, the General Services Administration (GSA) website provides step-by-step guidance on how to create an ACR, and ITI offers free VPAT training modules to support this effort.
HECVAT (Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit)
A HECVAT is a standardized questionnaire used by colleges and universities to assess the security, privacy, and compliance posture of third-party vendors, especially those providing cloud services or software.
When it comes to digital accessibility, the HECVAT includes specific questions to help institutions determine whether a vendor’s product or service complies with accessibility standards such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as ADA Title II requirements for public institutions.
Key points regarding digital accessibility in a HECVAT assessment:
- Vendors are often asked if their product has undergone accessibility testing.
- They may need to provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).
- Institutions use this information to ensure the product can be used by individuals with disabilities and meets their legal obligations under the ADA.
An accessibility roadmap outlines a vendor’s plan for resolving accessibility issues in alignment with relevant guidelines and standards. Vendors should detail how and when their product will become fully accessible or explain their approach to addressing accessibility in future updates. This demonstrates the vendor’s commitment to enhancing the product’s accessibility. Completing a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) helps identify accessibility issues and develop an accessibility roadmap.