All IT products and services used at U-M must meet accessibility standards and provide equitable access to people with disabilities.
Considering a new product for purchase or adoption? Use this guide to assess the product and take action.
Step 1: Determine Risk
Calculate the accessibility risk of the product based on its intended use.
Document your results and determine if the product is considered higher risk or lower risk.
Resources:
- Use the risk matrix to determine risk level
Step 2: Get Information and Evaluate Compliance
Gather and review accessibility compliance information about the product.
In many cases, accessibility compliance documentation will provide enough information to determine if the product can be used as is.
U-M uses two industry-standard templates for accessibility compliance, the HECVAT and the VPAT.
Resources:
- Understand and evaluate compliance documentation
Step 3: Review Product
If the product has a passing score for both HECVAT and VPAT, it is reasonable to expect the product provides equitable access to people with disabilities.
Lower risk products that pass the compliance review can usually be implemented as is.
Higher risk products that pass the compliance review usually require an accessibility review to confirm accessibility and identify barriers.
- Determine who will conduct a review based on availability, resources, and expertise
- Prepare for the review by describing user workflows (how people use the product) in detail
- Arrange access to product by setting up login credentials, test instance, configuration, and whatever else is needed
- Review product and record accessibility barriers with detail and expected user impact
Resources:
- Understand how to test accessibility
- Consult with your unit Digital Accessibility Liaison
- Get an expert accessibility review
Step 4: Negotiate with Vendor
Include contract language that describes the vendor’s responsibility to support accessibility.
If accessibility barriers have been identified, include language that describes the vendor’s responsibility to address these barriers on a specified timeline.
Resources
- Use standard U-M contract language about digital accessibility
Step 5: Implement Product and Maintain Accessibility
After the procurement process, maintain product accessibility as part of your ongoing management of the product and the vendor.
Maintenance and management is the responsibility of the unit that purchases or manages the product.
Determine and assign appropriate resources to manage the service or product, liaise with the vendor, respond to complaints, and take action over time.