As we’re talking to clients who are being met with requests for VPATs, we’ve noticed there’s a lot of confusion between the different terms floating around. Give us 2 minutes and we’ll have you back on track.
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What is a VPAT and ACR?
A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is a standardized document (literally just an empty template) that, when filled in, provides an accounting of how accessible your product or service is according to specific technical standards. Once completed, this document becomes an ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report).
The tricky part is the two terms are used interchangeably so when you receive a request for a VPAT and then you hear about an ACR, it seems confusing. Just remember that the VPAT is the blank document and, when we fill it in, it creates an ACR.
And an ACR is really what buyers are asking for (even though they may say VPAT).
The Four VPAT Editions
There are four editions of the VPAT template, each designed for meeting different technical accessibility standards (mainly because different entities need to meet different compliance requirements).
- VPAT 2.5 WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (usually WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA)
- VPAT 2.5 508: Section 508 standard (WCAG 2.0 AA + other technical requirements)
- VPAT 2.5 EU: European Union’s EN 301 549 standard
- VPAT 2.5 INT: Incorporates all of the above standards
What is WCAG?
WCAG stands for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and these are the most referenced technical standards for web accessibility. WCAG is comprised of requirements called success criteria and it’s best to meet as many as possible, if not all of them (so we have less accessibility issues show up in our ACR).
There are different versions and conformance levels, but we’re almost always concerned with conformance level AA. As for the best WCAG version, usually our clients need to be conformant with WCAG 2.1 AA.
If you have a request for WCAG 2.2 AA, it doesn’t significantly change anything – it just means we need to be concerned with 6 more success criteria (we simply add the new success criteria from 2.2 to those already in 2.1 AA
Why Choose the WCAG Edition?
The WCAG edition is our default recommendation for most clients because:
- It’s based on internationally recognized standards that apply to virtually all digital products
- It’s streamlined and focused compared to other editions
- Most buyers are familiar with WCAG as the foundation for digital accessibility
- It provides clear criteria for evaluation without extraneous sections
- It’s appropriate for websites, web applications, and many software products
If you’re selling to diverse markets or aren’t sure which edition to choose, the WCAG edition provides a solid foundation that most purchasers will accept.
Understanding WCAG Versions
When completing a WCAG edition VPAT, you must specify which version of WCAG you’re using. There are three main options:
- WCAG 2.0 AA: The classic version from 2008 (38 success criteria)
- WCAG 2.1 AA: The 2018 update that added mobile considerations (50 success criteria)
- WCAG 2.2 AA: The current version released in 2023 (56 success criteria)
Completing a WCAG Edition VPAT
If you want to download and take a look at the actual WCAG VPAT, you can download the WCAG edition (or any other) for free from the ITIC VPAT page.
Here’s what’s involved in creating an ACR using the WCAG edition:
- Fill out the details section: Include your product name, version, evaluation methods used, and other administrative information.
- Complete the accessibility table: For each success criterion in WCAG, indicate one of the following conformance levels:
- Supports: Your product fully meets this requirement
- Partially Supports: Some aspects of your product meet this requirement
- Does Not Support: Your product doesn’t meet this requirement
- Not Applicable: This requirement doesn’t apply to your product
- Add remarks and explanations: For any criteria marked as “Partially Supports” or “Does Not Support,” you must include detailed explanations about what aspects don’t conform and why.
Note: Before filling in a VPAT, you’ll need to conduct a thorough accessibility audit of your digital product (we provide this service). This ensures your ACR accurately reflects your product’s true accessibility status.
Common Questions
Is a VPAT the same as certification? A: No. A VPAT/ACR is an accounting of your product’s accessibility status—not a certification. It documents both what your product supports and what it doesn’t.
Can I complete my own VPAT? A: Technically yes, but purchasers increasingly prefer independently issued ACRs. Self-issued ACRs may be viewed with skepticism due to potential bias.
What if my product isn’t fully accessible? A: That’s okay. An ACR documents your current state of accessibility. You can still be considered for purchase if your product has some accessibility issues, but being transparent is crucial. And, obviously, the less issues, the better.
Next Steps
If you need help creating an ACR using the WCAG edition of the VPAT, here’s what to do:
- Determine which WCAG version is most appropriate for your needs
- Get an accessibility audit of your digital product
- Consider having your VPAT completed by an independent accessibility expert
For most clients, we charge $550 to fill in and complete the WCAG edition of the VPAT, plus the cost of the audit. The audit cost can be estimated by multiplying the number of unique pages or screens in scope by $275.
One nice feature to our VPAT service is we can pause work after the audit, allowing you to fix identified issues before we issue your final ACR. This approach results in a cleaner document that better positions your product in the procurement process.
Do you need help with a VPAT? We’re happy to help – just send us a message and we’ll take it from there.
