myBama
Technology Accessibility

Digital Accessibility for Third-Party Resources 

Vendor Information

The University of Alabama works with numerous vendors and requires them to provide documentation of product accessibility status, often through a VPAT (voluntary product accessibility template) and information related to UA’s web content accessibility guidelines, which follow the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Level 2.1 AA (includes A). 

The VPAT checklist, created by the Information Technology Industry Council, mirrors the US Federal Government’s technology accessibility requirements. Vendors indicate to what degree their product complies with each accessibility criterion. More information about the VPAT is available from the Information Technology Industry Council’s Accessibility page. 

Message to vendors

The University of Alabama is committed to ensuring that our facilities and the information, services, courses, and technology that we provide are inclusive and accessible in accordance with applicable law. The Web and Digital Materials Accessibility Policy applies to anyone responsible for creating, dissemination, selecting, or purchasing web and digital resources on behalf of UA (students, faculty, staff, contractors, and volunteers). It is important to make sure we have documentation regarding how you address accessibility because our institution is considering or currently uses your products or services. Please send the information requested below, as well as any other relevant information to aid us in this effort.  These resources will be kept on file for use at The University of Alabama and will need to be updated when the product changes. The responses will be used to aid UA in evaluating products and services and may be added to a publicly available repository of accessibility information. 

  • A copy of or link to the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template for your product(s), particularly the version or release relevant to the University of Alabama. Information about the VPAT and a template for its completion are available from the Information Technology Industry Council’s Accessibility page. 

Questions to ask vendors

While many vendors have accessibility documentation, it can also help to ask for more information.  Vendor responses to the following questions can help reveal the depth and breadth of a vendor’s commitment to digital accessibility.

  • Vendor’s accessibility webpage 
  • Product’s accessibility webpage 
  • Product’s Voluntary Product Accessibility Template or equivalent evaluation of product accessibility with regard to WCAG 2.1 A/AA
  • Responses to the following questions: 
    • Can users (including administrators) perform all functions using just the keyboard, without a mouse? 
    • Has the resource been tested using assistive technologies? If so, which assistive technology tools?  What were the findings?  
    • If the product supports audio or video, does it produce or provide access to transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions? 
    • If the product produces output, is the output accessible? 
    • What user-facing accessibility documentation is available? 
    • What aspects of set up and implementation can UA adjust to make the resource or its output more accessible? 
    • What are common accessibility-related issues with the products?  
    • How do users report accessibility issues?  
    • How does the vendor address accessibility concerns? 

Accessibility documentation

VPATs and other information submitted to The University of Alabama