Section 508 Accessibility

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

Last Updated: October 29, 2023

The Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a standardized form developed in partnership by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to document a product’s conformance with key regulations of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The following VPAT document describes how the accessibility features of the VisibleThread product lines help federal agencies address the requirements of Section 508 Standards. The purpose of this is to assist Federal contracting officials and other buyers in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial “Electronic and Information Technology” products and services with features that support accessibility.

Note: This document is provided for information purposes only and all statements are subject to change without notice. VisibleThread does not warrant that this web page is error free, nor does it provide any other warranties or conditions, whether expressed orally or implied in law, including implied warranties and conditions of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. VisibleThread specifically disclaims any liability with respect to the content on this page, and no contractual obligations are formed either directly or indirectly by the content on this page. VisibleThread makes no further representation concerning the ability of assistive technologies or other products to interoperate with VisibleThread products.

The first table of the VPAT provides a summary view of the Section 508 Standards. The subsequent tables provide more detailed views of each subsection.

Applicable product(s):

VT Docs
VT Writer
VT Insights

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems	Supports with exceptions	See specific exceptions noted below.
Section 1194.22 Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications	Supports with exceptions	See specific exceptions noted below.
Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products	Not applicable
Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products	Not applicable
Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products	Not applicable
Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers	Not applicable
Section 1194.31 Functional Performance criterion	Supports with exceptions	See specific exceptions noted below.
Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support	Supports

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually.	Supports with exceptions	VisibleThread products support a number of keyboard shortcuts to enable the primary functionality of the application but also make extensive use of non-standard and custom controls that are not in the tab order and/ or cannot be operated via keyboard. This includes form controls, navigation menus, sortable table headers, and dialogs.
(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer.	Supports with exceptions	VisibleThread products make extensive use of background images presented via cascading style sheets (CSS). These background images are used for cosmetic purposes and do not restrict control. When viewed in Windows High Contrast Mode, these images disappear, rendering these items of content invisible.
(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes.	Supports with exceptions	In some cases, default focus indication is removed and is not replaced with another visible representation of focus. This includes areas within the Left Hand Nav bar and Global Header.
(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.	Supports with exceptions	While many images are textually tagged or otherwise available to Assistive Technology, VisibleThread products provide some custom controls built using non-semantic markup that react to end-user interactions via JavaScript. These controls do not expose the necessary name, state, role, and value information necessary for Assistive Technology users to understand and interact with the system.
(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.	Supports
(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application’s performance.	Supports
(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.	Supports
(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.	Supports
(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.	Supports	Some JavaScript/CSS animations occur, but are not used in conjunction with functionality and are purely cosmetic.
(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.	Supports
(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided.	Supports with exceptions	In some cases, colors are not customizable, eg: to denote thresholds. VisibleThread is working to ensure that these cases are extended to allow for full color customization in the VisibleThread products
(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.	Supports	No features of VisibleThread products use flashing or blinking greater than 2 Hz or lower than 55Hz.
(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.	Supports with exceptions	We pay careful attention to adherence to standards when marking up forms. However, in some cases labels may not have relevant “for” properties to associated them with their relevant input.

Section 1194.22 Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via ‘alt’, ‘longdesc’, or in element content).	Supports with exceptions	Certain actionable graphics, information images, icons, and status images lack alt attributes or have incomplete, incorrect, or insufficient information in their alt attributes. Background images are used sparsely, and are not tied to any functionality, service a purely cosmetic purpose
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.	Not applicable	VisibleThread products do not present multimedia content as a component of the application
(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.	Supports
(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.	Supports with exceptions	VisibleThread products do not specifically block user style sheets or utilize inline style sheets with the exceptions of certain inline style sheets utilized in reporting features. CSS is used for presentation of numerous controls which disappear and become unusable with style sheets turned off, may disappear when used with custom user styles, and disappear under Windows High Contrast Mode.
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.	Not applicable	VisibleThread products do not use server-side image maps.
(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.	Not applicable	VisibleThread products do not use server-side image maps.
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.	Supports
(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.	Supports	VisibleThread products do not have table structures that have more than 1 level of row or column headers.
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation	Supports
(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.	Supports	No features of VisibleThread products use flashing or blinking greater than 2 Hz or lower than 55 Hz.
(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.	Supports	Text-only pages are not required because the VisibleThread products have a user interface that has been coded to meet applicable standards, to the extent specified. Refer to the following sections for more details regarding exceptions: 1194.21 (a), 1194.21 (c), 1194.21 (i), 1994.22 (a), 1994.22 (c), 1994.22 (g), 1994.22 (i), 1194.22 (n)
(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by Assistive Technology.	Does not support	The use of JavaScript within VisibleThread products to create custom controls does not allow these controls to properly react to the necessary keypress events and does not expose name, state, role, and value information. The use of JavaScript interferes with keyboard interactions critical to Assistive Technology.
(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with 1194.21(a) through (l).	Not applicable	No additional plug-ins are necessary to view or interact with content in VisibleThread products.
(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.	Supports with exceptions	We pay careful attention to adhere to standards when marking up forms. However, in some cases labels may not have relevant “for” properties to associate them with their relevant input.
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.	Does not support	While skip links are provided in the interface, their targets are not placed in locations that would be useful. The lack of semantic markup for many components also prevents users of Assistive Technology from utilizing the features within such software from skipping repetitive navigational sections.
(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.	Not applicable	There are no time-limited features or items of functionality in VisibleThread.

Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) Telecommunications products or systems which provide a function allowing voice communication and which do not themselves provide a TTY functionality shall provide a standard non-acoustic connection point for TTYs. Microphones shall be capable of being turned on and off to allow the user to intermix speech with TTY use.	Not applicable
(b) Telecommunications products which include voice communication functionality shall support all commonly used cross-manufacturer non-proprietary standard TTY signal protocols.	Not applicable
(c) Voice mail, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response telecommunications systems shall be usable by TTY users with their TTYs.	Not applicable
(d) Voice mail, messaging, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response telecommunications systems that require a response from a user within a time interval, shall give an alert when the time interval is about to run out, and shall provide sufficient time for the user to indicate more time is required.	Not applicable
(e) Where provided, caller identification and similar telecommunications functions shall also be available for users of TTYs, and for users who cannot see displays.	Not applicable
(f) For transmitted voice signals, telecommunications products shall provide a gain adjustable up to a minimum of 20 dB. For incremental volume control, at least one intermediate step of 12 dB of gain shall be provided.	Not applicable
(g) If the telecommunications product allows a user to adjust the receive volume, a function shall be provided to automatically reset the volume to the default level after every use.	Not applicable
(h) Where a telecommunications product delivers output by an audio transducer which is normally held up to the ear, a means for effective magnetic wireless coupling to hearing technologies shall be provided.	Not applicable
(i) Interference to hearing technologies (including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive listening devices) shall be reduced to the lowest possible level that allows a user of hearing technologies to utilize the telecommunications product.	Not applicable
(j) Products that transmit or conduct information or communication, shall pass through cross-manufacturer, non-proprietary, industry-standard codes, translation protocols, formats or other information necessary to provide the information or communication in a usable format. Technologies which use encoding, signal compression, format transformation, or similar techniques shall not remove information needed for access or shall restore it upon delivery.	Not applicable
(k)(1) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys shall comply with the following: Controls and Keys shall be tactilely discernible without activating the controls or keys.	Not applicable
(k)(2) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys shall comply with the following: Controls and Keys shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate controls and keys shall be 5 lbs. (22.2N) maximum.	Not applicable
(k)(3) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys shall comply with the following: If key repeat is supported, the delay before repeat shall be adjustable to at least 2 seconds. Key repeat rate shall be adjustable to 2 seconds per character.	Not applicable
(k)(4) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys shall comply with the following: The status of all locking or toggle controls or keys shall be visually discernible, and discernible either through touch or sound.	Not applicable

Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer equipment that includes analog television receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not later than July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television (DTV) displays measuring at least 7.8 inches vertically, DTV sets with conventional displays measuring at least 13 inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners, whether or not they are marketed with display screens, and computer equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals.	Not applicable
(b) Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in computers, shall be equipped with secondary audio program playback circuitry.	Not applicable
(c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency’s mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed captioned.	Not applicable
(d) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency’s mission, regardless of format, that contain visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be audio described.	Not applicable
(e) Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or audio descriptions shall be user-selectable unless permanent.	Not applicable

Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) Self contained products shall be usable by people with disabilities without requiring an end-user to attach Assistive Technology to the product. Personal headsets for private listening are not Assistive Technology.	Not applicable
(b) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.	Not applicable
(c) Where a product utilizes touch screens or contact-sensitive controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).	Not applicable
(d) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.	Not applicable
(e) When products provide auditory output, the audio signal shall be provided at a standard signal level through an industry standard connector that will allow for private listening. The product must provide the ability to interrupt, pause, and restart the audio at anytime.	Not applicable
(f) When products deliver voice output in a public area, incremental volume control shall be provided with output amplification up to a level of at least 65 dB. Where the ambient noise level of the environment is above 45 dB, a volume gain of at least 20 dB above the ambient level shall be user selectable. A function shall be provided to automatically reset the volume to the default level after every use.	Not applicable
(g) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.	Not applicable
(h) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a range of color selections capable of producing a variety of contrast levels shall be provided.	Not applicable
(i) Products shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.	Not applicable
(j)(1) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: The position of any operable control shall be determined with respect to a vertical plane, which is 48 inches in length, centered on the operable control, and at the maximum protrusion of the product within the 48 inch length on products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls.	Not applicable
(j)(2) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: Where any operable control is 10 inches or less behind the reference plane, the height shall be 54 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor.	Not applicable
(j)(3) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: Where any operable control is more than 10 inches and not more than 24 inches behind the reference plane, the height shall be 46 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor.	Not applicable
(j)(4) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: Operable controls shall not be more than 24 inches behind the reference plane.	Not applicable

Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) All mechanically operated controls and keys shall comply with 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).	Not applicable
(b) If a product utilizes touchscreens or touch-operated controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).	Not applicable
(c) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.	Not applicable
(d) Where provided, at least one of each type of expansion slots, ports and connectors shall comply with publicly available industry standards	Not applicable

Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.	Does not support	End-users of text-to-speech Assistive Technologies will struggle to navigate, understand, or use content and controls within VisibleThread products.
(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.	Supports with exceptions	Low Vision end-users who rely on user styles or Windows High Contrast Mode will experience difficulty with content that relies on color or uses background images for visual separation of content. More robust and feature-rich screen magnification software, with color inversion will be necessary through Assistive Technology.
(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided	Supports	VisibleThread products do not contain any features that require user hearing.
(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided.	Supports	VisibleThread products do not contain any features that have an audio component.
(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.	Supports	VisibleThread products do not contain any features that require user speech.
(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.	Supports with exceptions	In most cases, VisibleThread products do not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions. The user interface and controls have large target areas that would not cause problems for people with fine motor control or limited reach and strength. There are some exceptions, such as sortable headers and dropdowns, which might require fine motor control. These would not substantuially affect the core use cases within the solutions for people with disabilities associated with fine motro control.

Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support

Criteria	Level of Support	Remarks and explanations
(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge	Supports	Please contact support@visiblethread.com with any such requests.
(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.	Supports	End-users with disabilities can request product support documentation by opening a new case at our Help Center.
(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.	Supports	Support provided via web and email.