{"id":8789,"date":"2024-11-14T16:02:51","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T16:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/?p=8789"},"modified":"2026-03-01T16:29:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T16:29:27","slug":"voluntary-accessibility-template-vpat-what-it-is-and-what-it-is-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/voluntary-accessibility-template-vpat-what-it-is-and-what-it-is-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Voluntary Accessibility Template (VPAT): What it is and what it is for"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;963997&#8243;]<strong>The VPAT, or voluntary accessibility statement, is a document designed to demonstrate the accessibility of digital products and services in accordance with the guidelines established by the <strong>Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;7602&#8243; dynamic=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;733672&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; content_parallax=&#8221;0&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;211597&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;190692&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is VPAT and what is it for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)<\/strong> is a template that helps organizations document the level of accessibility of their digital products. Initially created to comply with Section 508 of the American Rehabilitation Act, VPAT has become a standard that facilitates compliance with ADA and other digital accessibility regulations.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, the VPAT is adjusted to the guidelines of the ADA regulations, so it mainly follows the methodology imposed by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/WCAG21\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WCAG<\/a> (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the VPAT is usually completed to generate the ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report), also called the accessibility conformance report, a final report that documents the extent to which the product meets the accessibility criteria.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why is VPAT important in ADA compliance?<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>There are several reasons why it is important to complete the VPAT:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Commitment<\/strong>. By documenting the accessibility of a product or service through a VPAT, organizations demonstrate their commitment to digital inclusion.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Eliminates legal barriers.<\/strong> Minimizes legal risks associated with non-compliance with ADA regulations, WCAG, etc.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Identify areas for improvement<\/strong>. A well-completed VPAT helps identify areas for improvement in accessibility, facilitating future adaptations and certifications.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improves positioning<\/strong>. By justifying the accessibility of your product, it will have greater visibility and improve its positioning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How to complete a VPAT to comply with ADA regulations<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Completing a VPAT can be a complex process, but following a series of steps can ensure that the final document is correctly completed to the necessary standards:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Review of accessibility requirements: <\/strong>Understand the ADA and Section 508 criteria that apply to the product to understand its current compliance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Evaluation of each accessibility criterion: <\/strong>Subsequently, each accessibility criterion must be carefully evaluated and documented to verify the level of conformity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Detailed documentation: <\/strong>Note in the VPAT the accessibility aspects that the product meets or does not meet, and provide detailed explanations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Third-party validation and review: <\/strong>Many organizations opt for external validation to ensure the accuracy and validity of the VPAT, a highly recommended option to avoid incomplete or poorly completed documents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Best practices for documentation and certification<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>To maximize the clarity and effectiveness of the VPAT, it is recommended:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Include clear examples<\/strong> of accessibility.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cite specific ADA standards<\/strong> that the product meets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Update the VPAT<\/strong> regularly to reflect improvements in accessibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>VPAT is an essential tool for any organization seeking to comply with the ADA<\/strong> and ensure its products are accessible.<\/p>\n<p>Following a detailed methodology when completing the VPAT ensures not only legal compliance, but also the effective inclusion of people with disabilities in the digital environment.<\/p>\n<p>Do you want to know more about the ADA regulations? Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/normativa-ada-guia-complete-accesibilidad\/\">Complete Guide.<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][uncode_block id=&#8221;5789&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover what VPAT is, how it facilitates ADA compliance, and learn how to complete the documentation necessary to achieve web accessibility certification.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6460,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"Voluntary Accessibility Template (VPAT) - What it is and what it is for |  %currentyear%","rank_math_description":"Discover what VPAT is, how it facilitates ADA compliance, and learn how to complete the documentation necessary to achieve web accessibility certification.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"VPAT, ADA regulations, ADA, Voluntary Declaration of Accessibility","rank_math_primary_category":null,"rank_math_rich_snippet":"off"},"categories":[138],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-training"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8789\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuwebaccesible.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}