Universal Accessibility Interest Group

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  • 1.  accessibility and small, niche library vendors

    Posted Sep 20, 2022 02:39 PM
    Edited by Adina Mulliken Sep 20, 2022 02:42 PM

    I'm forwarding this discussion of an interesting issue from the Educause IT Accessibility listserv, since it is about libraries and I thought it would be of interest here.  It seems like a tricky issue, kind of similar to accessibility of open access resources. 
    Adina


    Leigh,

     

    That is an interesting question.  My hunch is that "you get what you pay for" will apply.  

    The in-house VPAT/ACRs I see that come from sales and marketing stand out as such.  In contrast the ones from firms with a skilled in-house group of accessibility knowledge will reveal not only an honest portrayal of the shortcomings, it also shows me that it is likely that I could correspond with them with hopes that they'd have the ability and motivation to fix accessibility barriers.

    When I've seen a VPAT created by a reputable outside firm like say, Level Access, I feel confident that it shows the blemishes as well as the elements meeting the success criteria.

    I have reached out to one-person shops for specialty software to ask for a VPAT and they flat out say something like, "Hey, this is software I offer up for free to my academic colleagues.  I have no plans of ever making a VPAT."  

    Doug Hayman

    IT Accessibility Coordinator

    Information Technology

    Olympic College

    dhayman@olympic.edu

    (360) 475-7632 



    Sent: 9/20/2022 12:56:00 PM
    From: Leigh Mosley
    Subject: inexpensive VPAT preparation?

    Hello all,

    Does anyone have any experience with relatively inexpensive VPAT preparation? I am concerned that the expense of obtaining accessibility documentation may become an big barrier for small vendors of niche library eresources who have maybe just a handful of paid staffers. I'd like to be able to suggest some resources to them so they can remain competitive.  I'd hate for university libraries to be restricted to only doing business with the behemoths on the market.  

     

    Leigh Mosley

    Accessibility Coordinator

    University of Tennessee Libraries

    1015 Volunteer Boulevard

    Knoxville, TN 37996-1000

    865-974-0011

    lmosley1@utk.edu



    ------------------------------
    Adina Mulliken
    Social Work Subject Specialist & Assistant Professor
    Hunter College, CUNY
    New York, NY
    She/Her/Hers
    am2621@hunter.cuny.edu
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  • 2.  RE: accessibility and small, niche library vendors

    Posted Sep 21, 2022 08:16 AM
    Thanks for sharing, Adina!

    I agree this is a tricky issue. I can appreciate that smaller publishers have less resources for most things- but accessibility is so core to publishing and disseminating material that I guess I don't think that gives small publishers a pass to ignore the accessibility of the content they sell.

    Open access content can at least be improved by other people and then shared again without too much fuss.

    ------------------------------
    Anaya Jones She/Her/Hers
    ___
    Accessibility & Online Learning Librarian
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    Original Message