3 Working with Vendors
Overview
The University of Washington strives to ensure that IT products developed at, purchased by, or used at the University are accessible to all faculty, students, and staff, including those with disabilities. Some products are more accessible than others, but very few products are totally accessible. This is why it is important for vendors we work have a willingness to make a commitment to address their products accessibility issues. It is important to have some knowledge about how to test their product—whether it’s a database, a publishing platform, or a tool, but you don’t need to be an expert.
Communicate with Vendors
Incorporate accessibility into your procurement process. If the vendor offers a trial before you buy, this is the perfect time to test the product for accessibility. Let vendors know if testing shows that their resources are not accessible. They may not even be aware that the product does not meet accessibility standards.
Responses to the following questions can help reveal the depth and breadth of a vendor’s commitment to inclusive design and accessibility. You may also request an Accessibility Roadmap (timeline) from the vendor. This will show the priority of the product becoming more compliant.
Questions to ask vendors
- Can users perform all functions without a mouse?
- Has the tool, product, or site been tested using assistive technologies?
- If so, which assistive technology tools were used in testing?
- What methods were used?
- What were the findings?
- Who did the testing?
- If the product supports video and/or audio, does it support captions?
- What other accessibility documentation is available?
- What are common accessibility-related issues with the products?
- What are your plans for improving accessibility and do you have a timeline?
Solicit accessibility documentation
- an independent third party evaluation from an accessibility consultancy
- a completed copy of the University of Washington IT Accessibility Checklist
- a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).
VPAT Examples:
Canvas Learning Management System
Validate accessibility information received
Vendors should provide detailed information about the accessibility of their product or services using one or more of the three methods listed above. The first of these sources is the most likely of the three to be credible, providing it was completed by a credible accessibility consultancy. Vendors’ claims should be independently verified and not accepted at face value. The information they provide should provide a good starting point for a thorough discussion about accessibility of vendors’ products, particularly for those whose products are selected as finalists.
More information: Need help ensuring your IT is accessible?
Include accessibility assurances in contracts
UW Procurement Services Procedure 7.2.15 recommends the following contractual language to be inserted in contracts for the procurement of IT:
Accessibility. Vendor represents that it is committed to promoting and improving accessibility of all its products as specified in the University of Washington IT Accessibility Guidelines (https://uw.edu/accessibility/guidelines), and will remain committed throughout the term of this Agreement. If the Products and Services are not in conformance with all applicable federal and state disability laws, policies, and regulations as of the Effective Date, Vendor shall use reasonable efforts to update the Products and Services so as to be in conformance therewith. In the event any issues arise regarding Vendor’s compliance with applicable federal or state disability laws, policies and regulations, Customer may send communications to Vendor as specified in the “Notices” provision of this contract and Vendor will assign a person with accessibility expertise to reply to Customer within two business days.
More information: Procuring Accessible IT
Resources:
You are not alone. There are lots of individuals at the UW that are devoted to improving accessibility.
Learning Technologies Workshops: ATS offers regularly scheduled workshops on accessible web content creation and accessible document creation. All workshops are free to current UW students, faculty, and staff. For a current schedule, see Learning Technologies Workshops.
Accessible Technology at the UW
Accessible Technology Office Hours