Research Guides: Making Open Digital Projects More Accessible: Related Legislation

Legislation

It may be useful to review some of related legislation about accessibility:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities This does not explicitly address websites, but Title III of this statute addresses public accommodations and services operated by private entities and therefore is often interpreted by the department of justice, U.S courts, and state legislature to apply to websites.
Section 508 amendment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Section 508 amendment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that federal agencies make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public. So while this is focused on federal agencies, electronic and information technology providers in the private and public sector will often self-disclose a voluntary product accessibility template, referred to as a VPAT, especially if their product will be used by federal employees or if the product is federally funded.

What is a VPAT?

Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPAT) outline how well a provider complies with section 508 requirements. VPATS are not universally mandatory for private sector providers, but some buyers do require them before a purchase is made. It’s important to keep in mind though that a VPAT does not necessarily guarantee that a website is accessible, but you can get a sense for a websites accessibility strengths and deficiencies.

Making Open Digital Projects More Accessible

Creator Profile

Legislation

What is a VPAT?

VPAT Samples and Repositories