The Understanding VPATs course is designed to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills to effectively understand, evaluate, and utilize Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs). In this course, participants will learn the purpose, structure, and significance of VPATs in assessing the accessibility of digital products and services. Through practical examples and hands-on exercises, participants will gain the necessary expertise to use VPATs as a valuable tool for evaluating and procuring accessible technology solutions.
Objectives:
- Introduction to VPATs: Understand the background, purpose, and significance of VPATs in the context of digital accessibility, including their role in procurement processes and compliance with accessibility standards.
- Key Elements of a VPAT: Learn about the essential sections and components of a VPAT, including the product information, conformance levels, and detailed accessibility requirements.
- Accessibility Standards and Guidelines: Familiarize yourself with the accessibility standards and guidelines referenced in VPATs, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 508, and understand their impact on product evaluation and compliance.
- Interpreting VPAT Conformance Levels: Gain insights into the different conformance levels described in VPATs, such as "Supports," "Partially Supports," and "Does Not Support," and understand how they indicate the product's level of accessibility.
- Evaluating VPATs: Develop the skills to effectively evaluate VPATs for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with your organization's accessibility requirements and goals.
- VPAT as a Procurement Tool: Learn how to utilize VPATs during the procurement process to assess the accessibility of technology products and services, ensuring that your department/school acquires solutions that meet accessibility standards.
- Communicating VPAT Findings: Explore strategies for effectively communicating VPAT findings to stakeholders, including procurement teams, vendors, and decision-makers, to facilitate informed decision-making and promote accessibility awareness.
Who Should Attend:
This course is suitable for procurement professionals, accessibility specialists, IT managers, project managers, and anyone involved in the evaluation, procurement, or compliance of digital products and services. Whether you are new to VPATs or seeking to enhance your understanding and utilization of VPATs, this course provides essential skills to effectively evaluate and utilize VPATs in assessing and procuring accessible technology solutions.
Join us in this course and become proficient in evaluating Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates here at UVA.
Accessibility Statement:
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights would like to make this an inclusive and accessible experience for everyone. Should anyone require disability-related accommodations to participate in this training, please send any requests to [email protected] as early as possible, but no later than the Monday prior at noon (12pm), so that we have time to arrange for the necessary accommodations.
Note: To allow for time to put the disability-related accommodation in place, we recommend including a date that is at least 5 business days prior to the event.