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The "VPAT/ACR" is a method used in the United States to demonstrate web accessibility compliance. How is it different from the inspections and reports used in Japan?

We will explain the characteristics and differences of each from a practical perspective.

What is a VPAT/ACR?

VPATs were developed as a federal procurement requirement under Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act, and currently a version that directly complies with the international standard WCAG is also available, making it a global standard for accessibility evaluation. In the U.S., as lawsuits against private companies have increased under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), more and more private companies are voluntarily issuing and disclosing VPATs/ACRs.

Relationship between VPAT and ACR

• VPAT（Voluntary Product Accessibility Template）= Accessibility evaluation forms and templates
• ACR（Accessibility Conformance Report）= Actual report generated using the VPAT template

In other words, the ACR is created using a format called a VPAT. Recently, the term "ACR" has become mainstream.

Culture in the United States: Why we avoid certificates

In the United States, there is a tendency to avoid posting an accessibility "certificate." This is because declaring "conformity" increases the risk of being held legally liable if a defect is found. Therefore, it is common in the United States to provide only an "Accessibility Report (ACR)."

VPAT is a self-assessment

VPATs are generally self-assessed. Even if a third party verifies it, it is issued in the name of the site owner (product provider).

Transparency is the core of VPAT

A VPAT is not simply a judgment result of "compliance or non-compliance." It is an "information disclosure" document that details which product features are accessible and where there are limitations. By accurately disclosing current issues, the aim is to demonstrate an honest attitude to adopting companies and users and build trust.

How to prepare a VPAT/ACR

Created by product

VPAT integrates the evaluation results of inspected pages and ultimately evaluates the entire website as a single "product." For a single website, a single report (ACR) is created.

Product Scope Concept

• Even if it's the same domain, if it's a separate system (e.g., public site and admin panel), it may be reported separately.
• Conversely, multiple domains may be combined into one report if they are the same product.
• Landing pages (LPs) are often treated as separate products

Evaluation method

VPAT evaluation is not just about checking whether the standards are met. The most important point is transparency, which reveals everything, including current issues.

Evaluate each item on the following four-point scale and provide a detailed description of your response.

• Supports (Suitable)
• Partially Supports (One suitable)
• Not Supported (Not Suitable)
• Not Applicable

Providing an ACR that honestly discloses any shortcomings without concealing them is a sign that a company's attitude will be highly evaluated in today's global procurement environment.

Page selection method (sampling based on WCAG-EM)

VPAT selects pages based on WCAG-EM (Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology).

Estimated number of pages:

• Minimum 5 pagesHowever, it is not recommended due to its low reliability (except for very small sites).
• In practicePages 10-15is the standard
• Even on large sitesApproximately 20 pagesis often sufficient

Approximately 10 to 20 pages of "templates" that make up the site, such as the top page, article details, forms, and search results, are selected as a "Structured Sample," and to prevent any oversights, they are randomly selected as a "Random Sample," which is then thoroughly checked by experts.

① Structured Sample

A set of pages that are "purposefully selected" to cover the functionality and types of the site. This is the main focus.

② Random Sample

A set of pages that are "randomly selected" to prevent oversight. A rough guideline is to select about 10% of the total number of pages.

What to do if you find a problem on a random page

For example, if a randomly selected article page is found to have an image that does not have an alt cap,

• Systemic flaws(Example: CMS specifications that do not output alt attributes)

  → Evaluate the VPAT as "Does Not Support" and describe it as a technical issue

• In case of operational error(Example: The editor simply forgot to enter the alt.)

  → Evaluate the VPAT as "Partially Supported" and write something like "The CMS provides an alternative text function, but some content is missing."

Selection examples by scale

Very small (1 LP, less than 10 pages):

• For one LP: Evaluate that page as a single product
• Sites with fewer than 10 pages: We recommend evaluating all pages, or a structured sample of 5-8 pages + a random sample of 1 page.

Small to medium scale (static corporate website, 10-100 pages):

• Structured sample: pages 8-12
• Random sample: 1-2 pages

Medium to large scale (dynamic sites, e-commerce sites, media sites, etc.):

• Structured sample: pages 15-18
• Random sample: 2 pages

Inspection methods and reports in Japan

In Japan, JIS X 8341-3:2016 (equivalent to WCAG 2.0) has traditionally been the standard. However, in today's web environment, browsing on smartphones has become commonplace, and there are an increasing number of issues that WCAG 2.0 cannot address.

Ministry of Internal Affairs and CommunicationsEveryone's Public Site Operation Guidelines (2024 Edition)However, it is clearly stated that "with an eye to the upcoming JIS revisions, we will build the site based as much as possible on the WCAG2.2 achievement criteria."

Liberogic Accessibility Diagnostic Service

At Liberogic, we use the latest WCAG 2.1/2.2 standards, and our report format is based on a page-by-page evaluation method that is familiar to Japanese companies.

How to select pages

Like VPAT/ACR, pages are selected based on WCAG-EM. By combining representative templates with random pages, the quality of the entire site can be evaluated efficiently and accurately.

Evaluation Process

Each page is inspected individually and evaluated for each success criterion.

• Each achievement criterion is evaluated on a four-point scale, the same as the VPAT.
• If any of the following conditions are not met, the page is considered "non-compliant."
• "Compliant" if all success criteria are met
• On the appropriate selection page, the results for all pages determine whether the entire site is compliant or partially compliant.

This evaluation method allows you to see at a glance which pages have issues with which criteria.

Deliverables: Test result list + certificate

In Japan, there is a culture that places importance on "objective evaluation by a third party." Liberogic issues an inspection certificate as proof that the inspection was conducted by a third-party inspection organization.

Standard deliverables

1. List of pages tested (compliance/non-compliance status of each page)
2. Evaluation report for each page and each success criterion
3. Inspection certificate as a third-party inspection organization

Option: Japanese VPAT/ACR for added value

In addition to the above deliveries,VPAT/ACR in JapaneseYou can also create additional ones.

Benefits of adding VPAT/ACR

1. Improving trust through "transparency"

   Rather than a binary view of "compatible or incompatible," we will disclose in detail which product functions are compatible and where there are limitations. Our honest attitude of accurately disclosing current issues without hiding them will lead to deep trust from adopting companies and end users.

2. Use as a strategic sales and bidding tool

   It can be used as part of product specifications, in introductory materials for your company's services, and in responses to RFPs (requests for proposals).

   • In addition to a page-by-page pass/fail list, having a global standard assessment that shows the compliance status of the entire product allows for more comprehensive quality certification.
   • When you are asked to provide "accessibility status" in a bidding process, etc., this will be a very appealing piece of concrete evidence.
3. Immediate response and preparation for global standards

   For foreign companies and companies considering global expansion, the international standard ACR is a "common language."

   • We can respond immediately when requested to submit documents by our parent company, overseas bases, or overseas clients.
   • By evaluating according to international standards from the start, the cost and effort of re-inspecting products when expanding overseas in the future can be significantly reduced.

When JIS compliance is required for administrative matters

We can also handle cases where compliance with JIS X 8341-3:2016 is required, such as procurement projects for government agencies.

In that case, WAICJIS X 8341-3:2016 Test Implementation GuidelinesPages to be tested are selected based on the following:

Page selection for JIS compliance

Typical configuration example:

• Representative web pages: 20-30 pages (covering all templates)
• Random pages: 10-20 pages
• Total: 40+ pages

Why 40 pages?

The main purpose is to create evidence to "publicly declare compliance with the standard (conformance declaration)." Ideally, all pages would be inspected, but this is not realistic for large-scale sites, so the WAIC testing guidelines also suggest a sampling method using "representative pages + random pages," which is considered the de facto standard. In this case, to ensure statistical reliability, a certain number of pages (approximately 40 or more) is required.

On the other hand, WCAG-EM (approximately 10 to 20 pages) focuses on understanding trends across the entire site and efficiently improving quality (quality control).

Unless there is a requirement that clearly requires compliance with JIS (such as a public institution tender),Efficient testing based on WCAG-EM standardsWe recommend the following.

Comparison of each method

summary

There are two approaches to web accessibility evaluation in Japan: "VPAT/ACR" based on US business practices, and an evaluation method based on JIS.

• Transactions with global companies and foreign-affiliated companies:VPAT/ACR required
• Domestic public institutions and general companies:A page-by-page pass/fail list (exam result report) is common

Liberogic's web accessibility assessment service can flexibly accommodate either format to suit your needs.

VPATs/ACRs, which detail which functions are supported and where limitations exist, are extremely useful as specifications for your company's services and as explanatory materials for potential customers. By combining VPATs/ACRs with regular test result lists, you can also publish more transparent and detailed evaluations.

Also, even if your site is for domestic use, if you want to manage and publish it in a global standard format from the beginning,It is also possible to issue only VPATs/ACRs in Japanese.is.

We will propose the optimal output format to suit your operational policy and business development. If you have any concerns about how to evaluate and report accessibility, please feel free to contact us!