The importance of accessibility in HR Tech stems from the fact that it is a basic requirement for any business looking to meet the needs of its employees.  Accessibility of software and hardware used to manage the human resources function in organizations needs to be at the core of the Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives.

A lot of companies are thinking about accessibility in the procurement process. So, start making a roadmap if you want to be considered. Your HR tools become a differentiator if its accessible. A lot of companies take note of that.

These are times where:

1. We have to move fast but ensure that we don’t ignore HR Tech accessibility.
2. Budgets will be scarce, and we need to find ways to do more with less.
3. Teams would be stretched to make it happen but might not always have the resources needed.

At BarrierBreak, we understand this, and we also believe this is an opportunity to make a difference.

We are the leaders in offshore digital accessibility specializing in Accessibility Testing, VPAT Creation, Accessibility Consulting and Accessible Documents. BarrierBreak’s People First approach includes people with disabilities as a part of our testing process. Every team consists of people with disabilities that are trained accessibility testers and specialists.

Come and learn about the packages to support your Accessibility needs. Meet our team at Booth 928 at HR Technology Conference & Exposition, September 13-16, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

The post HR Tech Accessibility Solutions – Meet BarrierBreak at 2022 HR Technology Conference & Expo appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

In this blog we are trying to answer this question, so let us first start with understanding what VPAT is all about.

What is a VPAT? 

A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is a document about the accessibility of a product conforming to the Section 508 Standards. It can be considered as an accessibility conformance report for different Information and Communication technology (ICT) products such as applications, software, websites, electronic  products and documentation.

This document states, how a particular product meets or conforms to the Revised 508 Standards for IT accessibility. This document is published by the product vendor itself and it contains the details about each aspect of the Section 508 requirements and where does the product stand with regards to accessibility on each criterion. 

The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) officially hosts the VPAT template document. ITI offers VPAT in four different editions enabling ICT vendors to create accessibility conformance report on the standards appropriate for their markets. 

• VPAT 2.4Rev EU (February 2020): It is created by keeping in mind the European Union’s “Accessibility requirements suitable for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe”. 
• VPAT 2.4Rev 508 (February 2020): It is created by keeping in mind the U.S. Federal accessibility standard. 
• VPAT 2.4Rev WCAG (February 2020): It is created by keeping in mind Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. 
• VPAT 2.4Rev INT (February 2020): This edition incorporates all the above 3 standards/guidelines.

The latest VPAT version is VPAT 2.4 . Check out our blog on What is new in VPAT 2.4?

A VPAT document can consist reports based on different accessibility standards and guidelines as follows: 

• Section 508 (Refresh) 
• WCAG 2.0  
• WCAG 2.1  
• European Accessibility standards EN 301549 

So, make sure you always use the latest version VPAT 2.4 for creation of report. 

Now, back to the actual question about creating a VPAT for your technology product, should you or should you not? 

US Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires government agencies to make ICT accessible to people with disabilities. When you are a ICT company dealing with federal agencies it is mandatory to provide a VPAT. 

Even though it is a vendor’s own free will to provide a VPAT, the simple and wise answer would be, Yes! Yes, you should create a VPAT for your technology product. Since the government agencies opt for a product with VPAT, it might be fruitful for your product to have a VPAT as it places your product into the arena where the Federal procurements are made. Without a VPAT it is quite possible that you are losing money as your product might be as good as other products available in the market. 

As a VPAT vendor, BarrierBreak works with our customers to create an effective and complete VPAT and ACR of the product. Discuss your VPAT Strategy with an Accessibility Expert today. 

Let us now understand what VPAT is not all about.

What VPAT is not all about? 

• Companies might be hesitant in creating a VPAT report for a product as they might think their product will be shown in a bad light. Such is not the case. It is important to know that a VPAT is not a black and white statement about the conformance of a product. In fact, it is a report on the overall level of conformance of the product.  
• VPAT is not about listing all the issues, but it is about giving the overview of the successes and challenges found in the product. 

What are the benefits of creating a VPAT? 

VPAT indicates a product’s compliance with Section 508 standards. It is a crucial document for both companies as well as buyers. 

• Helps to boost the sales and thereby increase the revenue. 
• Helps the company recognize the accessibility gaps and challenges of the product and work towards it. VPAT acts as a measure to make the product accessible for which the employees of the company can work towards a common goal i.e. developing accessible product. Using the VPAT report the company can look into the areas where the product needs improvement in accessibility and work towards the quality of the product constantly. 
• Helps buyers in making an informed decision before procuring an ICT product. VPAT helps the buyers to understand a product’s level of accessibility conformance. Makes the procuring process hassle free as the buyer can get all the accessibility details through the VPAT instead of reading from the product brochure.  
• Helps buyers to compare conformance of similar products and choose a product that best meets accessibility standards and the organization’s functional and legal requirements. In case of a conundrum, buyers can choose for an equally accessible product when a required accessible product is not available. 
• Allows companies to provide documentation and an explanation on the level of conformance of their product. A drafted VPAT becomes a product conformance report which is an example of a company’s accessibility standard. Another benefit of VPAT is that it tells the buyers that the company is aware about the accessibility challenges of the product and is working towards making it equally accessible for all users.  

All in all, VPAT for a product benefits the organization in terms of monetary gains and builds trust and reputation. 

Where do I get my VPAT done? 

A VPAT can be created by an organization’s internal accessibility team. However, it is recommended to hire external party audit teams for the creation of VPAT. Outsourcing the VPAT ensures that the VPAT document is accurate and unbiased. Hiring a VPAT vendor or external accessibility agencies would ensure an accurate and good quality VPAT document. Since VPAT is a legal document for a product, you should aim for accuracy. 

Make sure the VPAT document you create is available in accessible formats such as PDF, Word, HTML, etc. 

In conclusion it is incredibly beneficial to create a VPAT document for your technology products. 

If you are looking out for a VPAT vendor to author VPAT for your product, reach out to us at sales@barrierbreak.com. 

The post What is a VPAT? Should I create a VPAT for my product? appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

An accessibility audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a website or application’s conformance with accessibility standards to meet the needs of people with disabilities.  

The audit process usually involves: 

• Performing manual and automated testing by Accessibility experts 
• Conducting testing with people with disabilities 
• Assessing the overall design and user experience of the site or the app 
• Reviewing the code for potential accessibility issues 

The accessibility audit help identify potential accessibility barriers and provide recommendations for how to make your site or app more accessible. 

What are the common standards & guidelines that one can conform to? 

When conducting an accessibility audit, there are a variety of standards & guidelines that can be used to measure conformance. The most common standards are: 

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG 2.1 and 2.0 are the versions. 
• EN 301 549 – This is the European standard that covers Accessibility for all ICT. 
• Section 508 – Section 508 requires access to ICT developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies. 

Which technologies should you conduct an accessibility audit for? 

The myth for a long time has been only for websites! But accessibility is needed for all web and non-web Information & Communication Technology (ICT). So time to think: 

• Websites 
• Web Applications 
• Mobile Apps 
• Software 
• Gaming 
• SAAS Platforms 
• Documents 

This list will keep evolving as we see digital technology evolving! 

When should you conduct an accessibility audit? 

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of when to do an accessibility audit.  

The simple answer is start testing your solutions as early on in the process. Often accessibility is one of the last things that we check for and that is why it also feels like a lot of effort.  

It is generally recommended that audits be conducted on a regular basis, prior to launch and then if there are significant updates. But it makes sense to set a regular cadence so that you keep investing the accessibility efforts.  

At BarrierBreak, our accessibility consulting and digital accessibility services assist organizations to audit, maintain and strategize to ensure that accessibility is an on-going effort and not an afterthought. 

Schedule a meeting or write to us at sales@barrierbreak.com to talk to an accessibility consultant and get started on your accessibility journey right away. 

The post What is an Accessibility Audit? appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

The post Shining the spotlight on 5 companies focusing on accessibility in SAAS appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Who does Section 508 apply to?

It applies to all Federal agencies.

What does Section 508 Accessibility Standard cover?

It covers all electronic & information technology which is either developed, procured, maintained, or used. Some of the items it would cover would be computers, printers, softwares, websites, information kiosks and electronic documents.

So let’s demystify that. If a federal agency buys a software to conduct surveys, or develops a Human Resource management system or buys office productivity suites for their employees to use, all those technologies must comply with Section 508.

What is the Section 508 Accessibility Standard and what does it include?

The standards and guidelines for Section 508 were revised and updated on on January 18, 2017 and then amended on March 23, 2018.

One of the key things that the Final Rules included was referencing and thereby incorporating the Web Content Accessibility Guideline 2.0. This was critical and it went beyond that by applying the Level A and AA Success Criteria’s as developed by the W3C WAI. This also was a set towards harmonising with the international accessibility standards in specific the European Standards EN 301 549.

It looked to bring about clarity on what type of solutions needed to be compliant for example, the confusion on which electronic documents need to be accessible.

It highlighted that operating systems must also provide accessibility features and options and must interoperate with the assistive technologies needed by the diverse disability groups.

So if you are looking to sell your product or service to federal agencies, you cannot and should not ignore Section 508. You can even look at making accessibility a differentiator.

At BarrierBreak, we assist our customers to meet Section 508 compliance. Feel free to email us to discuss Section 508 Testing.

The post What is Section 508 Accessibility Standards? Where do we start? appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

Facts about Effectiveness of Automated Accessibility Tools

The facts are out there! The UK Government GDS Accessibility Team conducted an audit of automated accessibility testing tools and if you haven’t read it — you must!

I am just going to call out 2 staggering statistics from the audit:

• Automated tools identified between 17% to 37% of the accessibility barriers.
• Of the 143 barriers we created, a total of 42 were missed by all of the tools

So the question is can you rely on automated tools alone! The answer is quite obvious!

Automated Testing Tools — A part of the toolkit

At BarrierBreak, since our inception, we have always focused on manual testing. Automated testing tools assist accessibility testers to identify some of the challenges. But even there often there has to be manual verification.

A simple example everyone gives is image descriptions for images. It is easy to detect if an alt attribute is provided for an image, but it needs manual intervention to see whether the image description is meaningful.

We use between 3 to 5 tools, plugins, bookmarklets to help us evaluate accessibility! Automated Accessibility Testing Tools have to be a part of the toolkit used but can’t be the only one!

Let’s bring in the Who — People into Accessibility Testing

At BarrierBreak, our accessibility experts are key to our process. They are the people who test, analyze, validate and recommend the solutions.

We have always been focused on including people with disabilities as a part of our process. They are not only doing user testing! They are a part of the team that conducts the accessibility evaluation!

Native assistive technology testers should be a part of the solution since at the end of the day accessibility is about ensuring people with disabilities get access to digital solutions!

When I founded BarrierBreak, I was clear that I saw this gap in the industry that people with disabilities weren’t always a part of the solution!

When we think of the People First Approach, it is about our accessibility experts — who bring value to the product or solution. It is their inputs that are critical. They are the people that analyze the code, they are the people that recommend the solution!

So time to strike the balance between automated testing and manual accessibility testing and above all remember it is the people who are at the heart of the process.

Reach out to the team at BarrierBreak, to see how we can support you in the People First Approach

The post Automated and Manual Accessibility Testing appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

So below are the top 5 resources for learning Accessibility!

1. W3C (World Wide Web Consortium – Web Accessibility Initiative WAI)

The  international standards for the Web: HTML, CSS,  etc. were developed by World Wide Web Consortium. The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has developed standards and support materials to help us learn the basics of accessibility. They have provided us with resources to make our websites, applications, and other digital creations accessible. They also have tutorials on web content designed for a variety of individuals, such as Web developers, Web designers and Web trainers.

2. WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)

WebAIM provides in-depth information on accessibility, guidelines to build accessible products and assistive technology. They have also developed a browser extension tool WAVE to check for any website’s compliance with accessibility standards. It is a great and handy tool for accessibility testers and developers.

3. The A11Y Project

A11y is a site developed collectively by developers on GitHub using Jekyll. It is an open source site where people can make their own contributions. They have divided the topics on accessibility into short articles so that newbies can easily grasp them.

4. MDN Web Docs

MDN Web Docs is a website developed by Mozilla and other contributors that feature different topics such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. They have also covered topics of mobile accessibility.

5. Mailing List and other resources:

I learnt a lot about accessibility from the discussions on various communities such as GitHub, Stack Exchange, WordPress etc. There are many posts on accessibility available across the web where accessibility experts and consultants discuss  web accessibility issues. We can subscribe to these mailing lists to keep up with the current trends in the world of accessibility.

If you find any other useful online resource do share with us in the comment section to help the community at large to gain some information.

The post Top 5 resources for learning Accessibility appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

Section 508 standard of the Rehabilitation Act 1973 requires all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government to be accessible to people with disabilities. The Section 508 accessibility standard applies to electronic and information technology procured by the federal government. 

Section 508 compliance does not apply to federal agencies alone but also private companies, financial industries, healthcare, legal, or any other organization that does business with a federal agency. 

Ensure Government opportunities by creating accurate VPAT for your digital products. VPAT indicates a product’s compliance with Section 508 standards. Check out this blog on What is a VPAT? Should I create a VPAT for my product?

BarrierBreak’s Section 508 testing team assists your organization to ensure that your digital solutions adhere to Section 508 accessibility standards. 

The Scope 

Section 508, drafted in 1986 as an amendment to the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, was intended to address the needs of disabled workers in the field of electronic information technology at work. It replaced the federal Electronic Information Technology Accessibility and Compliance Act in 1998, which required that all electronic IT products and services provided by Federal agencies be accessible to people with disabilities.

An update of the law which took effect in 2018 aims to align American standards with international accessibility efforts such as the WCAG (Web Content Access Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium). The original scope of Section 508 was to make federal information available and accessible to users with disabilities.  

Section 508 Refresh 

On January 9, 2017, the Access Board issued a definitive rule updating the accessibility requirements under Section 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act known as “Section 508 Refresh”. The Section 508 refresh was to ensure that the information and communication technologies (ICTs) covered by the Act are accessible to people with disabilities.

The Social Security Administration has undertaken to make all its electronic information technologies accessible to disabled people by meeting or exceeding requirements of Section 508. The agency is committed to the comprehensive approach to compliance with 508 to ensure that people with disabilities have access comparable to those without disabilities, and its commitment to accessibility includes the content and online services offered on this website. 

If someone with a disability is unable to access a federal agency website, including federal employees with disabilities, Section 508 requires the federal government to provide a means of access. If your website does not comply with the requirements set out in Section 504, you may be subject to legal action or a fine.  

BarrierBreak is aware that compliance with Section 508 and related refurbishment of Section 504 is based on testing standards, not a specific set of accessibility tests. The team has worked closely with customers across the globe to implement evaluation procedures that take into account 508 standards, the W3C Digital Accessibility Guidelines and other applicable, policies, and independent development platforms and testing tools. 

Section 508 Compliance Testing Checklist 

There are some attributes and functions one should check when testing a website for Section 508 compliance. They are as follows: 

• Using Alt-Text for every photo, video, logo and non-text element. These are critical because people with visual impairments or low vision can understand and know what’s contained in them. They may be using Assistive Technology like Jaws Screen Reader to read the text on the website. 
• There should be sufficient contrast between the background color and information on the webpage. This helps people with low vision read the information on the page. 
• Filling out forms shouldn’t be restricted to only mouse. People with disabilities, especially those with motor disabilities should be able to fill such forms using Assistive technology or their keyboards. 
• People using Assistive Technology should be able to skip the long list of navigation and sitelinks and jump straight to the content or page they want to read. 

Our highly experienced team of accessibility testers not only assist in making your website and other ICT solutions accessible and easily navigable but also makes sure it is ADA and Section 508 compliant. 

Write to sales@barrierbreak.com and reach out for further assistance. 

The post Section 508 Compliance Testing appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

How do you evaluate what is better?

Some factors to consider when evaluating an offshore accessibility testing firm are :

What is their level of knowledge on Accessibility: 

What is the depth of the knowledge about accessibility in the organization? A good place to start would be to see if the vendors own website is accessible. Numerous companies offer accessibility services as one of their many service offerings but do they walk the talk.

After 20 years in accessibility, I can tell you that accessibility is something that you start to live in breathe. The guidelines are only starting point and the goal should be to go beyond compliance.

Experience in conducting accessibility testing:

Get to know more about the number of projects, the type of technologies, the different standards they have worked with, the scale of the projects and the type of customers they have serviced.

These questions will allow you to understand the level of experience in accessibility testing. Accessibility and is really not about the checklist. It is about an interpretation of the guidelines based on how something is developed. 

Does the team comprise of people with disabilities?

“Nothing without us“ – Ask them about the team and how there including people with disabilities as a part of the testing process.

Even though I have been testing using assistive technology since the last 20 years, I would yet lean to the experience of my disabled colleagues. The reason is very simple, I am not a native screen reader or assistive technology user. 

I would go so far as to say that accessibility is a specialization. You get better at it with experience. 

At BarrierBreak, I have often been asked why we don’t do any other type of testing. 

When I founded BarrierBreak, we were a technical writing and an accessibility consulting firm. I soon realized the importance of a specialization. 

We are passionate about accessibility, people with disabilities matter to us, we want to make the world more accessible, we see technology as a game changer, and we believe in inclusion. 50% of the accessibility testing team being people with disabilities.

Meet Shilpi Kapoor for a 1 hour tête-à-tête focused discussion on accessibility for a personalised advice to forward your organisations accessibility journey.

The post Choosing a generalist software testing firm versus an accessibility testing firm appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.

VPAT 2.0 was expanded to include the leading ICT accessibility standards, the Revised Section 508 (US), EN 301 549 (EU) and W3C WAI’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) develops the VPAT and ensures that it is updated with the latest developments happening in different ICT accessibility standards and guidelines.

VPAT comprises of different Editions, WCAG, Section 508, EN 301 549 and International (Int) that include different accessibility standards and guidelines. The INT Edition of VPAT includes all the 3 leading ICT accessibility standards.

VPAT 2.4 was revised in February 2020 and was made available for download on March 7, 2020. Discuss your VPAT Strategy with an Accessibility Expert today. 

VPAT 2.4 Updates

Some of the key changes in VPAT 2.4 are:

• Template date: template date is now removed from the document as it created confusion with the Report date. The date will be there in the filename and only version information will be present in the document.
• Edition specific instruction: Instructions are changed based on the Edition, for e.g. in the WCAG Edition, only instruction related to WCAG is available.
• Table heading: A table missing heading in the previous version is now been added.
• EN 301 549 version: Links and tables of the EU and INT Editions are updated to reflect the new version of EN 301 459.

All in all, major update in VPAT 2.4 is associated with the EN 301 549 which reflects the new version of the standard and the other updates are relatively minor ones. So if you are focusing on the European Markets, time to update your VPATs.

We would love to hear from you! Share your inputs with us using the comments box below!

As a VPAT vendor, we provide VPAT audit support to our customers by conducting Section 508 testing and assisting them to create a VPAT and ACR for their product wherein we provide a third-party view of the product. If you are looking for an external accessibility consulting agency to author or update the VPAT for your product or service, write to us at sales@barrierbreak.com!

The post What’s new in VPAT 2.4? appeared first on Leader in Offshore Accessibility Testing | Section 508 Compliance | WCAG Conformance | BarrierBreak.