Make accessibility a criteria when choosing electronic and information technology (EIT). Keep in mind that NIU must comply with state and federal accessibility laws and may be audited to ensure compliance. This applies to day to day purchases as well as to the formal bidding process.
Is this product an exception to accessibility requirements?
Here are some easy ways to check accessibility (this is not a complete accessibility check). If the answer is no to any of the following questions, there is an accessibility issue.
Standard Dell and Apple desktop and laptop purchases do not need a VPAT because they have accessibility built in.
Many vendors have VPAT®s for their products on their websites. If the VPAT® for a product you're considering isn't online, request it from the vendor.
If the VPAT® is older than version 2.2 or it is more than one year old, request a more current one. The tables for Conformance Levels A and AA should be filled out completely and show support for each criteria.
Here is typical language to use in a VPAT® request:
Northern Illinois University is purchasing [product name]. The invoice number is [vendor's invoice number if available].
As a public university in Illinois, we must comply with
regarding technology accessibility.
We need a VPAT® WCAG for our records. In addition to the VPAT, we also invite you to share information about planned accessibility improvements for your product (third party certification, usability test results, etc.).
Thank you,
[your name, position, etc.]
If a vendor responds negatively, point out that
Having a VPAT® does not guarantee that a product is accessible. If any criteria is labeled "Supports with Exceptions" or "Not Supported," then the product is not fully accessible.
The report has three columns:
Since NIU is required to meet Level AA criteria, which includes Level A, review the tables for both levels.
You can get an idea of a product's accessibility by checking the following criteria: