Digital accessibility isn’t just about compliance, it’s about empowering every employee to work effectively. By creating an environment where all employees can use technology independently, you demonstrate respect for diverse needs and abilities. Whether someone uses a screen reader, voice control, or keyboard navigation, tools for accessibility ensure that everyone can fully contribute to the work being done. When digital tools aren’t inclusive, individuals face unnecessary barriers.
Inclusive tools increase engagement, reduce employee frustration, and open the door to a wider talent pool. Accessible products improve both productivity and innovation across your workforce. They also help your organization meet global accessibility standards and avoid costly reconstruction at a later point. When accessibility is embedded in your digital system, everyone benefits, whether they have a disability or not.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): Sets the global standard for digital accessibility, built around four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
- Perceivable: This means that content should not depend on a single sense. For example, images should include descriptive alternative text, videos should have captions, and audio content should offer transcripts. Visual contrast and text resizing options are essential so users with low vision or color blindness can still interpret information accurately.
- Operable: This ensures that users can interact with elements through multiple means, such as a keyboard, voice commands, or assistive switches. Clear, consistent navigation and visible indicators are also key aspects of an optimal design. When technology is operable, everyone can engage with it at their own pace and through their preferred input methods.
- Understandable: This means using clear language, predictable layouts, and consistent functionality. Error messages should provide specific, actionable feedback so users can correct mistakes easily. For instance, a form should clearly identify which fields are required and explain errors without technical jargon.
- Robust: An ideal system ensures compatibility with current and future versions of browsers, operating systems, and screen readers. This ensures that users won’t lose access when technology evolves or when they switch devices.
VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template): It is a document vendors use to explain how their products meet accessibility criteria when compared to standards like a WCAG and Section 508.
- Once completed, it becomes an ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report): A detailed document that helps buyers compare accessibility across products. By reviewing an ACR, organizations can identify which features meet compliance requirements and which need improvement. It’s also an opportunity for vendors to demonstrate their commitment to accessibility and provide evidence of continuous improvement in their products. These reports allow you to see how closely a vendor’s product aligns with WCAG and where improvements are still needed.
How to Procure Accessible Products
1. Request an ACR: Request an updated ACR for any tool or service you are evaluating. This highlights how you take accessibility seriously and what level of transparency you expect from your vendors.
2. Compare the Accessibility Levels of Vendors: Use ACRs to compare products and analyse which one best meet accessibility standards. This will allow you to look for features that are relevant to your entity and ensure they are fully supported.
3. Make Accessibility a Standard in Procurement: Make accessibility part of your selection criteria, not an afterthought. Make it clear that accessibility is a necessity and not simply an added bonus through the process.
4. Review Accessibility Regularly: Accessibility evolves; ensure your vendors uphold the current standards with frequent updates. Encourage user feedback to identify challenges early.
Digital inclusion is about more than compliance, it’s about people. By embedding accessibility into procurement and product design, organizations move beyond compliance to true inclusion. Accessible technology enables collaboration, drives innovation, and reflects a forward-thinking commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging.
When you prioritize accessibility, you create a workplace where everyone can succeed. Understanding how people with disabilities use technology gives you the confidence to procure tools that truly support your entire workforce.