Overview
When purchasing digital resources & software, accessibility documentation needs to be requested from the vendor and reviewed for compliance. For items that are not compliant, an alternate access plan needs to be developed to ensure that all Vol State students and employees can use the resource. This webinar recording about Working Effectively with Vendors will help you better understand what materials you need request and review.
Check the AIMT Database
Before you ask a vendor for accessibility documentation, you can check TBR's AIMT Database (Accessible Instructional Materials and Technology) to see if another TBR school has uploaded accessibility documentation to the database.
To access the database, go to the My Vol State portal, then click on the AIMT Database icon. 
Search the database for the digital resources/software. If the documentation is more than a year old, or if the product or documentation is missing, then you will need to contact the vendor to request documentation.
Requesting Accessibility Documentation
You will need to reach out out to your vendor contact and request several accessibility documents. Here is sample language that you can use to request accessibility documentation.
Sample Request
Subject: Request for Accessibility Documentation – VPAT, Conformance and Remediation Form, and Accessibility Statement
Body:
Dear [Vendor Name/Representative],
As part of the 2024 DOJ Website and Apps Accessibility Rule, and our commitment to accessibility and compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA standards and Section 508 standards, we require accessibility documentation for all digital products and instructional tools considered for use at Volunteer State Community College. We need the following items for [Insert Product here].
Please provide:
- The most recent Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) for your product. If you do not currently have an updated VPAT®, you can download the Template to fill out.
- A completed Accessibility Conformance and Remediation Form (click to download).
- An Accessibility Statement on your commitment to ensuring product accessibility.
- ***If interactive materials/media are present, include the EPub 3 Accessibility Checklist, completed.
This information will assist our accessibility review team in evaluating your product for use within our system. If full conformance is not yet achieved, please indicate time lines or alternate access measures you support.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Institution Name]
[Email / Phone]
Vendor Questions
If your vendor/publisher pushes back on providing documentation, TBR has created some helpful responses to vendors/publishers.
Reviewing Accessibility Documentation
Once you have the VPAT and Accessibility Conformance Report, you will want to know how to understand the documents.
This hour-long webinar recording from TBR outlines what to look for when reviewing VPATs and Conformance and Remediation Forms.
Additionally, you may want to watch part of the AI and Accessibility training to learn how AI may assist you in reviewing documentation and completing alternate access plans.
This link will start you at the "procurement" part of the AI and Digital Accessibility Working Together training. This link will download the Word document of accessibility prompts mentioned in the training. AI Accessibility Prompts download
Creating an Alternate Access Plan
If your VPAT includes any "Partially Supports or "Not Supported" standards, an alternate access plan needs to be developed. It needs to provide a equivalent work around to ensure all students and employees can get the benefit of the resource/software.
Click this link to download TBR's Alternate Access Form
This hour-long webinar recording from TBR outlines how to develop an alternate access plan.
What if the Product is Not Accessible and/or the Vendor Won't Provide Documentation?
You will need to complete a Risk Acceptance Form (will download). It can only be used when all 3 of the following conditions are met:
- a vendor absolutely refuses to comply with requests to provide accessibility documentation despite your best efforts;
- there are no alternate vendors to explore for that product/service/textbook; and,
- the department is still choosing to adopt that product/service/textbook.
Accessibility Documents Overview
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Document Name
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Where to Find
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What Needs to Be Done
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Vendor or Product Accessibility Statement
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First check the AIMT database.
If not found or if documents are over a year old, then check the vendor’s/publisher’s website or ask your vendor’s representative. This needs to be captured and turned into a PDF or Word doc (not a link).
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You will need capture the accessibility statement to submit it as one of the accessibility documentation items.
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VPAT
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First check the AIMT database.
If not found or if documents are over a year old check the vendor’s/publishers’ websites or ask your vendor’s representative to send you a product VPAT.
If the vendor has not heard about a VPAT or will not provide one, reach out to Amie Nephew (amie.nephew@TBR.edu) to have her work with the vendor on this documentation.
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You, the product requester will need to get and review the VPAT. You will need to know what accessibility issues are present in the software or resource that you are requesting.
You will need to submit this as one of the accessibility documentation items.
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Conformance and Remediation Form
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First check the AIMT database.
If not found or if documents are over a year old check the vendor’s/publishers’ websites or ask your vendor’s representative.
If the vendor has not heard about a Conformance and Remediation Form or will not provide one, you can send them this blank Accessibility Conformance and Remediation Form to complete.
If they have further questions, reach out to Amie Nephew (amie.nephew@TBR.edu) to have her work with the vendor on this documentation.
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You, the product requester will need to get and review the vendors C&R document. You will need to know what accessibility issues are present in the software or resource that you are requesting.
You will need to submit this as one of the accessibility documentation items.
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Alternate Access Plan Form
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You can use this Alternate Access Plan Form created by TBR.
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As the product requester you are responsible for completing the Alternate Access Plan Form.
You need to review the VPAT and the Conformance and Remediation document.
After viewing the items that are not fully accessible, make an alternate access plan that outlines the strategy/plan for providing information or services to people with disabilities when the item you want to purchase is not fully accessible.
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Risk Acceptance Form
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You can use the form attached to this Knowledge Base Article - Risk Acceptance Form (will download).
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The product requester needs to complete the form, documenting the effort to get the needed accessibility documentation, acknowledge non-compliance, and route the document for signatures.
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