Whether simply buying a single item or working on a multiyear implementation project, vendors are vital partners. It is important that vendors are clear about the UNH commitment and responsibility to accessibility, and to work with UNH they need to share that commitment.
Vendors who work primarily in higher education may be familiar with accessibility requirements, but there are some vendors who are not aware of what is necessary. In either case, it is important to seek out additional information and assurances from vendors regarding accessibility. This not only ensures an accessible outcome, but also helps to establish a shared commitment to accessibility.
Accessibility Questions for Vendors
Accessibility Commitment
- What information can you share about your commitment to accessibility?
- Are you familiar with accessibility standards such as WCAG?
- Do you have an accessibility team? Who is on that team?
- Do you regularly engage the disability community for feedback?
- Are there people with disabilities on your team?
- How is accessibility integrated into your design process?
Accessibility Information
- What information do you have available related to the accessibility of the product?
- Can you share an “accessibility statement”?
- Can you share a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)?
- Are there any known accessibility issues or concerns?
- Can you share specific feedback you have received about accessibility?
- Are there multiple versions/formats available?
- How did you review the product for accessibility compliance?
- Do you do on-going accessibility reviews of the product?
- How frequently do you do the reviews?
- What goes into those reviews?
- Who is involved in the reviews?
- How is information from the reviews shared with clients?
Feedback from Others
- Can you share feedback about accessibility from others who have purchased your product?
- Are there other higher education partners that have used the material/product in the past?
- Have others already completed an accessibility review?
- Do others have information about overall usability or accessibility concerns?
Possibility of an Audit
- If additional information is not available, can you make the product available for UNH to audit?
- Can we perform an automated audit?
- Can we perform a manual audit?
