What is VPAT?
All over the world there is now awareness and demand for accessible digital products. The demand also increases during the development and planning stages, when contracts are signed, and of course when the customer receives the product. Usually, the manufacturer is required to answer whether their product is accessible with a “yes” or “no,” but the answer, or product accessibility assessment, is much more complex than that. The ITI (the body that developed the VPAT) claim that the way to assess accessibility is not with a “yes” or “no,” but rather by assessing the degree of compliance with each regulation, taking into account the severity of each regulation. But how would a customer or manufacturer know how to perform this assessment? Well, this is the VPAT – a well-organized and recognized format for assessing product accessibility developed by the ITI. It should be noted that the VPAT itself is not the report, but a format for creating a report. In English, they use the abbreviation ACR – Accessibility Conformance Report to indicate the report itself.
Who needs the VPAT?
Both buyers and manufacturers will want to have a recognized and accepted way to assess the accessibility of the product. For example: application manufacturers, web applications, and on the other hand, purchasing bodies, government companies, etc.
For which technologies is a VPAT needed?
For any digital product that wants to receive an accessibility assessment, an ACR based on the VPAT can be prepared, from documents to websites to applications.
What standards does the VPAT support?
There are 4 VPAT documents – three documents for the leading standards in the world today and they are:
- In Europe ETSI EN 301 549
European Standards Institute – based on WCAG 2.1
- In the United States Section 508
Standard for purchasing products for the United States Federal Market
- And of course the versions of WCAG developed by WWW
The international standard we know and love And one more document that unites all three standards together, you can download them here: https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat-training-modules
So what should this VPAT look like?
In fact, we create an ACR, which is the report generated from the VPAT, and it is actually a (very long) table that will look something like this:
The table will consist of 3 columns
- The criteria – defined according to the VPAT
- The degree of compliance – only VPAT terms may be used
- Supported
- Partially supported
- Not supported
- Not applicable
- Not tested
- Remarks and Explanations – this is your place to express yourself
The ACR report also includes company information
VPAT Project – Step-by-Step Process
Initial Review & Scope Definition
Define the scope of the VPAT—whether it covers a website, software application, mobile app, or digital product. Identify the applicable standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1, Section 508, EN 301 549).
Accessibility Audit
Conduct a thorough accessibility evaluation of the product using a combination of automated tools, manual testing, and assistive technologies. Document findings in line with the relevant standards.
Gap Analysis & Recommendations
Analyze results and map existing conformance against each criterion in the VPAT. Provide clear guidance on necessary remediations.
Remediation Support
Assist the product team in fixing identified accessibility issues—this may include code updates, content changes, or design adjustments.
VPAT Authoring
Complete the official VPAT/ACR report, detailing the level of conformance (Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable) for each criterion. Include notes and evidence where needed.
Final Delivery & Publication
Deliver the final VPAT document, ready for distribution to clients, partners, or procurement officials. Optionally, publish it on your website for transparency.
Contact us if you need help in your VPAT project.
