Understanding VPATs and Making Them Work for You

The Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) has been with us for close to 20 years, and yet still today we struggle to use it, both as providers and consumers. Recent changes to Section 508 have also impacted the VPAT template and report, leaving many organizations struggling with how to use it when making informed decisions. This high-level overview of today's contemporary VPAT will address the new VPAT report template, review how WCAG 2.0 and the VPAT work together, discuss the role that automated testing plays in VPAT creation and verification, cover some of the follow-up questions you still need to ask your vendors even when they have prepared a VPAT, and address applicability and what to do when none of the potential solutions to your digital problem have fully conforming VPATs.

Outcomes: Review how WCAG 2.0 and VPATs work together * Look at applicability and what to do when none of the potential solutions to your digital problem have fully conforming VPATs * Walk through the new VPAT report template