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Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

The purpose of this Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is to assist you in making preliminary assessments regarding Cerenade products and services with features that support accessibility.

In 2010, National Federation of the Blind (www.nfb.org), through coordination with the U.S. Department of State, approved Cerenade Enterprise Server E-Forms solution as an Accessible software. Cerenade Enterprise Server E-Forms software was deployed at the U.S. Department of State in 2005 and has been operational since then. Today, over 55,000 of the employees of the U.S. Department of State use Cerenade Enterprise Server E-Forms software on a daily basis.

The first table of the Template provides a summary view of the section 508 Standards. The subsequent tables provide more detailed views of each subsection. There are three columns in each table. Column one of the Summary Table describes the subsections of subparts B and C of the Standards. In the subsequent tables, the first column contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsections. The second column describes the level of support provided by the product or refers you to the corresponding detailed table, “e.g., See below.” The third column describes how the requirement is implemented in the product and contains any additional remarks.

VPAT Last Update on: December, 2012
Vendor: Cerenade www.cerenade.com
Name of the Products: Cerenade Enterprise Server version 6.0.9.12
Client-side software – an Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Chrome or Opera browser
Contact: Cherif Sarr
Contact Telephone and email: +310-645-0598

Summary Table

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems – See Below
Section 1194.22 Web-based internet information and applications – See 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 Criteria – See Below
Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation, and Support – See Below
Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems – Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems – Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations All system functions and features can be executed from a keyboard keys (ALT, CTRL, keys, etc.). Each function as well as the results of performing each function can be discerned textually.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations The application does not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features. Specifically, the application does not disrupt or disable the accessibility features of standard (i.e., MS Internet Explorer 6.x, Netscape 7.x) web browsers used to access the system. The application does not use application programming interfaces to any operating system components and therefore does not disrupt or disable accessibility features of any operating system.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations The system provides on-screen indicators of screen/function, navigation, and document being worked on. Indicators are available as background color (color can be selected by user) and a highly visible icon pointing to the field in focus. All indicators have text equivalents and are accessible to assistive technologies.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Every non-text element has an alt description. The alt descriptions succinctly describe the purpose of the objects, without being too verbose (for simple objects) or too vague (for complex objects). Alt descriptions for images used as links are descriptive of the link destination. Decorative graphics with no other function have empty alt descriptions (e.g., alt= “”), but they never have missing alt descriptions. Additional information is provided for Drop List, table, checkbox and signature objects.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Bitmap images are only used as a graphical enhancement to text identifiers for controls. Text identifiers, their related bitmap images, and the meaning assigned to them are consistent throughout the application.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Textual information is provided as either HTML code or ASCII text through the web browser or any standard text viewer, or equivalent assistive technology. Text content, text input caret location, and text attributes are available to assistive technologies.

Criteria (g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations The user controls the contrast, color, font, and display size of text and elements in the application work areas. Default contrast, color, font, and display size settings are provided for convenience and ease of use, but can be changed by the user at any time.

Criteria (h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations The application does not employ animation of any kind.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations When color is used to enhance the visibility of important information (e.g., error warnings), an alternative indicator is used, usually text or an asterisk (*), or other symbol.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Color adjustments are permitted. Users can select from an array of 64,000,000 color palette.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations No elements on the page flicker at a rate of 2 to 55 cycles per second, thus reducing the risk of optically-induced seizures.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations All forms are available in PDF. All form controls have text labels adjacent to them. All PDF forms have Accessibility TAG elements, and field help text. Form elements have labels associated with them. Dynamic scripting of the form does not interfere with assistive technologies.

Section 1194.22 Web-based Internet information and applications – Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Criteria (a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via “alt”, “longdesc”, or in element content).
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Every non-text element has a text equivalent via alt description or “longdesc”. Thealt descriptions succinctly describe the purpose of the objects, without being too verbose (for simple objects) or too vague (for complex objects). Alt descriptions for images used as links are descriptive of the link destination. Decorative graphics with no other function have empty alt descriptions (e.g., alt= “”), but they never have missing altdescriptions.

Criteria (b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations The application does not employ multimedia files.

Criteria (c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Every screen is clearly labeled with title, function, and focus (i.e., document being worked on). When color is used to enhance the visibility of important information (e.g., error warnings), an alternative indicator is used, usually text or an asterisk (*), or other symbol.

Criteria (d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. Supporting Features Supported Remarks and explanations Style sheets are used for color, indentation and other presentation effects, but the document is still understandable (though somewhat less visually appealing) when the style sheet is turned off.

Criteria (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
Supporting Features Not Applicable
Remarks and explanations Server-side image maps are not used in the Enterprise Server.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Not Applicable
Remarks and explanations Client-side image maps are not used in the Enterprise Server

Criteria (g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Data tables have the column and row headers appropriately identified (using the thtag). Tables used strictly for layout purposes do not have header rows or columns.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Table cells are associated with the appropriate column and row headers.

Criteria (i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Each frame is given a title that helps the user understand the frame’s purpose.

Criteria (j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations No elements on the page flicker at a rate of 2 to 55 cycles per second, thus reducing the risk of optically-induced seizures.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations All information in the application is conveyed with text, so a text-only page is not required.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations All scripts (e.g., Javascript pop-up menus) are either directly accessible to assistive technologies (keyboard accessibility), or an alternative method of accessing equivalent functionality is provided (typically a standard HTML link).

Criteria (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).
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations The system does not employ an applet. Use of a plug-in is optional for display of forms. A link is provided to a disability-accessible page where the plug-in can be downloaded (e.g., to the Acrobat Reader v5 on the Adobe web site). All scripts and plug-ins (including Acrobat PDF files, etc.) and the content within them are accessible to assistive technologies, or else an alternative means of accessing equivalent content is provided.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations All forms are available in PDF. All form controls have text labels adjacent to them. All PDF forms have Accessibility TAG elements, and field help text. Form elements have labels associated with them. Dynamic scripting of the form does not interfere with assistive technologies.

Criteria (o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Links are provided to skip over lists of navigational menus or other lengthy lists of links.

Criteria (p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations There are no timed responses in the system; however, the system does log the user out automatically after a pre-determined period of inactivity (typically 30 minutes) in order to comply with application security requirements. The user has control over the timing of content changes.

Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria – Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations All information provided by the application is either text or labeled markup. Support for screen readers is provided.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Functionality provided by the web browser as well as by the ZOOM functionality of the electronic forms. Support for screen readers is provided.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations Operation of the Application does not require user hearing.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations The Application does not utilize or employ any audio or audio information.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Not applicable
Remarks and explanations Speech is not required by the forms filling application.

Criteria (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.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations The application can be run with simple keystrokes (e.g., tab, space, alpha keys, ALT) and does not require fine motor controls or simultaneous actions.

Section 1194.41 Functional Performance Criteria – Detail Information, Documentation, and Support

Criteria (a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations Support documentation is available through the application in both HTML and PDF formats at no additional charge.

Criteria (b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations A description of the accessibility and compatibility features in alternate formats will be provided on request, at no additional charge.

Criteria (c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.
Supporting Features Supported
Remarks and explanations CERENADE provides technical support for all of its products through e-mail, voice (telephone), fax, documentation, and on-site training.