Reviewing Third-Party ACR

Before using any technology within a Pearson product, it is important to obtain information about the accessibility of the product. Many organizations offer Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) for products on their websites. When procuring technology for use within Pearson applications or to license for use by Pearson employees or clients, search for available ACR or other voluntary product accessibility documentation.

When reviewing ACR documentation, do so with a critical eye. Confirm the ACR reflects the current release version. Verify the ACR documentation was produced using the most current version of the VPAT from the Information Technology Industry Council. Contact the vendor and ask them for an accessible PDF of their most up-to-date ACR. Once you receive the file, ask the Accessibility Team for Assessments to check that the ACR document is accessible to screen readers. The documentation you get from the vendor will tell you a lot about what they know about accessibility. If they cannot provide an accessible PDF of their ACR, it is unlikely that their product will be accessible.

Review the ACR and the conformance levels associated with each criteria. If a product has a high number of criteria documented as “Partially Supports” or “Does Not Support,” this product will not work well for users with disabilities.

If possible, request that the vendor do a live demonstration via web conferencing to show how their product works with screen reading technologies such as Job Access With Speech (JAWS), NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA), or VoiceOver.