GPATs and VPATs for 508 Compliance

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GPAT & VPAT | ADA 508 Conversion Services | Universities | Government Agencies

With digital experiences now critical across industries, ensuring accessibility for all users is a moral and legal obligation. For US federal agencies and contractors, Section 508 compliance is mandatory to remove barriers for people with disabilities. Completion of VPATs and GPATs has become essential in demonstrating conformance with the Revised Section 508 Standards and WCAG 2.1 guidelines.

The Importance of Section 508 Compliance

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires US federal departments and agencies to make electronic and information technology accessible for all users. This includes sites, applications, multimedia, documents, software, equipment, and more.

There are significant benefits of proactive Section 508 compliance:

• Ensures equal access for users with disabilities – Enables those with auditory, visual, mobility, or cognitive disabilities to access information comparable to others.
• Removes barriers to employment – Employers must provide accommodations to candidates and employees. Accessible technology removes impediments.
• Avoids compliance complaints and lawsuits – The Justice Dept has aggressively pursued cases regarding lack of accessibility.
• Supports better UX for all – Universal design improves mainstream usability.
• Builds brand reputation – Demonstrates commitment to inclusion and corporate social responsibility.

Leading technology vendors and public sector agencies view accessibility as a critical business objective. They recognize the moral, ethical, and financial motivations to fully support users with disabilities.

Required Standards and Guidelines

To comply with Section 508, organizations must adhere to the technical requirements laid out in the Revised Section 508 Standards published in 2017. These are legally binding for federal agencies.

The Standards provide criteria specific to software, websites, multimedia, documentation, equipment, and electronics to address a range of disabilities. They align with globally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.

WCAG 2.1 represents the current global standard for web accessibility. Widely adopted, WCAG 2.1 evolved from and is backwards compatible with WCAG 2.0. Most experts recommend new website and software development comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This covers the Section 508 requirements.

So in practice, federal agencies and vendors need to meet both Revised Section Standards and WCAG 2.1 AA to achieve 508 compliance.

Outlined below are how the Revised 508 Standards and WCAG are related:

Revised Section 508 Standards:

• U.S. federal law
• Mandatory for U.S. government agencies
• Aligns with WCAG 2.0

WCAG 2.1:

• Global standard for web accessibility
• Voluntary for commercial organizations
• Backwards compatible with WCAG 2.0
• Most robust current standard

For Section 508 compliance, federal agencies and vendors must address all requirements in both. This is where VPATs and GPATs come into play.

The Role of VPATs and GPATs

VPATs and GPATs are essential tools in documenting Section 508 compliance. They provide structured frameworks to transparently report conformance to the Revised 508 Standards and WCAG guidelines. VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. It was created by the Information Technology Industry Council to help vendors clearly detail accessibility support in products and services.GPAT stands for Global Product Accessibility Template. It is maintained by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals to align with global WCAG standards.

A VPAT template documents conformance to each focused Revised Section 508 standard – nearly 1,000 criteria. A GPAT template details conformance to each testable WCAG 2.1 success criterion – over 75 criteria. These powerful templates objectively demonstrate to agencies where a product or service may have remaining gaps to the required accessibility standards and guidelines.

Well-written VPATs and GPATs are invaluable to federal procurement officers when evaluating vendor offerings. They can instantly gain understanding of the level of 508 compliance. For vendors, investing in thoughtful GPATs and VPATs prepared by experts signals a commitment to accessibility and compliance. This can provide competitive differentiation to win more federal contracts.

Now, let’s explore key facts on VPATs and GPATs in more detail.

Key Facts on VPATs

• Full name: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
• Created by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
• Standardized reporting format for Section 508 compliance
• Outlines how a product or service aligns to Revised Section 508 Standards
• Allows vendors to transparently showcase accessibility support
• Used by federal agencies in procurement processes
• Useful for both commercial and government products
• Contains three sections:
• Summary Table (brief compliance overview)
• Section 508 Standards/Guidelines detail
• Functional Support Details (explanations)
• Completed by vendor or third-party accessibility specialist

A VPAT enables a federal contracting officer to quickly evaluate a product or service’s level of claimed 508 compliance. They focus only on the Standards column to view if criteria are supported, not supported, partially supported, or not applicable. The Functional Performance Support Details column provides additional context on specific accessibility features and assistive technology support. This gives helpful technical understanding.

You can download the official VPAT template in multiple formats here:
https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat

Key Facts on GPATs

• Full name: Global Product Accessibility Template
• Maintained by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)
• Standardized reporting format for WCAG 2.1 compliance
• Outlines how digital products/services align to WCAG 2.1 AA
• Allows vendors to transparently showcase accessibility support
• Useful for both commercial and government projects
• Contains two sections:
• WCAG Criteria
• Features & Support Details
• Completed by vendor or third-party accessibility specialist

A GPAT enables those evaluating a product or service to instantly view claimed conformance to WCAG’s testable success criteria. They focus only on the WCAG Criteria column. The Features & Support Details column provides helpful explanations and context on how accessibility features address specific WCAG success measures.

You can download the official GPAT template and instructions here:
https://www.accessibilityassociation.org/gpat

How to Complete High-Quality VPATs

Creating thoughtful, accurate VPATs requires proper methodology and expertise. Here are best practices:

1. Have the product/service team provide overview of features and functionality related to accessibility.
2. Establish clear understanding of the Revised Section 508 Standards and requirements.
3. Conduct automated and manual accessibility audits using assistive technology to identify gaps.
4. Thoroughly test the product/service with screen readers, magnification, keyboard navigation etc.
5. Carefully determine how product/service does or does not conform to each focused Standard.
6. Document detailed support explanations in the Functional Performance Support Details column.
7. Clearly indicate the level of support for every Standard: Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable.
8. Review the completed VPAT with the vendor team for feedback and adjustment.
9. Finalize the VPAT and make it available with the product/service for customers.
10. Update the VPAT regularly with new releases to maintain accuracy.

Proper VPAT creation requires a team of accessibility auditors, technologists, and content specialists.

How to Complete High-Quality GPATs

Similar to VPATs, creating useful GPATs relies on thoughtful approach and accessibility expertise. Here are best practices:

1. Have the product/service team explain functionality related to accessibility and areas for improvement.
2. Establish thorough understanding of WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria and conformance requirements.
3. Conduct automated and manual accessibility evaluations using assistive technology to uncover gaps.
4. Comprehensively test the product/service with screen readers, magnification, keyboard navigation etc.
5. Carefully determine how the product does or does not conform to each testable success criterion.
6. Document detailed explanations of accessibility features and support in the Features & Support Details column.
7. Clearly indicate the level of conformance for every WCAG success criterion: Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable.
8. Review the completed GPAT with the team for feedback and adjustment.
9. Finalize the GPAT and make it available with the product/service for customers.
10. Update the GPAT regularly with development changes to maintain accuracy.

Proper GPAT creation requires a team encompassing accessibility auditors, technologists, UI experts, and content specialists. Rushing through GPATs without experience leads to misleading results.

Working with Experienced Accessibility Partners

Creating trustworthy, high-quality VPATs and GPATs requires specialized expertise and overhead. For most organizations, partnering with a seasoned accessibility services firm is the optimal approach.

Choosing the right partner is crucial. You want an experienced provider that:

• Has helped major enterprises achieve digital accessibility
• Brings certified consultants and subject matter experts
• Offers full services beyond just VPAT/GPAT creation
• Provides advisory on accessibility program development
• Takes an integrative and standards-driven approach
• Acts as an extension of your team throughout the journey
• Is transparent on pricing with no hidden costs

At Web Experts, we take enormous pride in our work to help clients fulfill the promise of technology to empower everyone. With 500+ accessibility engagements across leading enterprises, our certified experts become trusted advisors that enable your success. If you are seeking robust GPATs and VPATs as part of a complete accessibility program, we welcome you to explore how we can partner together.

Let’s Connect

We hope this guide has helped demonstrate the vital importance of VPATs and GPATs in achieving Section 508 compliance and digital inclusion. Done properly, these structured templates enable vendors to transparently communicate accessibility support and gaps. For federal agencies, they provide efficient mechanisms to evaluate conformance to Standards and WCAG in procurement.

One of the most important aspects of our 508 conversion process is testing. We know that it’s not enough to simply make changes to a website or media product and assume that it’s now 508 compliant. We test our work with actual screen readers, which allows us to identify and correct any issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. This ensures that our clients’ media products are fully accessible to all users, regardless of any disabilities they might have.

Web Experts is a company that specializes in mission-critical and large-scale 508-compliant conversions for businesses and institutions alike. With our extensive experience working with companies and institutions across various industries, in-house development, design, and programming talent, and a strong focus on testing and compliance reporting, we are confident that we can help our clients ensure that their media products are fully accessible to all users. Contact us today to learn more.