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Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)


Date: October, 2008

Name of Product: accessaphone™

Manufacturer: Tenacity Operating LLC

Contact for more Information: Tenacity Operating LLC, Inc., 2020 West Pinhook Road, Suite 100, Lafayette, LA 70508 USA, 1-877-362-2489, or compliance@tenacitycorp.com

This document compares the attributes of accessaphone™ with the Standard for Electronic and Information Technology as issued by the U.S. Access Board in reference to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Subpart B – Technical Standards
  • Software Applications and Operating Systems (1194.21)
  • Telecommunications Products (1194.23)
Subpart C – Functional Performance Criteria (1194.31)

Subpart D – Information, Documentation, and Support (1194.41)


Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems



Criteria accessaphone™ 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. Fully Supports All features and functions of accessaphone™ have text equivalents.

accessaphone™ uses standard Windows® access keys and utilizes both single keystrokes and keystroke combinations.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ by its presence and its use does not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features.

But users of accessaphone™ have the option of adjusting or configuring screen reader programs so that they do not read accessaphone™ generated information. This can be done because accessaphone™ has its own built in text to speech capability. By the same token, the text to speech feature of accessaphone™ may be turned off in favor of using a screen reader program.
(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. Fully Supports All accessaphone™ interactive elements have a well defined on-screen indication of the current focus, and this indication changes with focus changes. All changes in accessaphone™ interactive elements can be tracked by Assistive Technology.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ interface elements including all features, functions, and forms are described with text. In some cases, graphical icons are included along with the text descriptions.
(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. Fully Supports Each image used within accessaphone™ is used to represent only one feature or function.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ uses the standard protocol of the user’s operating system and all textual information entered into accessaphone™ may be interpreted by the user’s operating system.
(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. Fully Supports accessaphone™ does not override or prevent user selected contrasts, colors, or other display options.
(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user. Fully Supports accessaphone™ does not use animation.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ does not color code, but it uses color to provide a highlighting affect of the current focus on certain important visual elements. In all cases, text labels are combined with the highlighting affect and are not hidden by the highlighting affect. Additionally, each event and piece of information is accompanied by an audible message.
(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of colors shall be provided. Fully Supports accessaphone™ does not have its own color and contrast settings that are provided for the user.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ itself does not provide nor require flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements.
(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. Fully Supports All accessaphone™ electronic forms and fields can be accessed via keyboard navigation, specifically by using single keystrokes – Tab key, directional arrow keys, and the enter key. All electronic forms have text labels in close proximity to the field that is to be completed.


Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products


Introduction to this Section: accessaphone™ is not a stand alone telecommunications device that provides dial tone and voice functionality. It is instead a software program that monitors for and reports telephone events to the user via an interface and through audio announcements. It also enables user input to be made into the telephone through alternative input methods such as keyboard strokes or voice input. accessaphone™ supports all accessibility features provided by the user’s telephone or the user’s telephone system.

Criteria accessaphone™ 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 TTY’s. Microphones shall be capable of being turned on and off to allow the user to intermix speech with TTY use. Fully Supports accessaphone™ supports TTY functionality and speech intermixing provided by the user’s telephone, digital-analog adapter, and/or by the user’s telephone system.
(b) Telecommunications products which include voice communication functionality shall support all commonly used cross-manufacturer non-proprietary standard TTY signals. Fully Supports accessaphone™ supports cross-manufacturer non-proprietary standard TTY signals.
(c) Voice mail, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response telecommunications systems shall be usable by TTY users with their TTY’s. Not Applicable accessaphone™ does not interfere with TTY use of voice mail, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response telecommunications systems.
(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 accessaphone™ does not affect the timeouts of any voice mail, auto-attendant, or interactive voice response telecommunications systems.
(e) Where provided, caller identification and similar telecommunications functions shall also be available for users of TTY’s and for users who cannot see displays. Fully Supports Where provided by the end user’s telephone unit, accessaphone™ monitors for and communicates information from caller ID and similar telecommunications functions textually. This information is made audible directly or through a separate screen reader program.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ supports all of the audio output characteristics and capabilities of the user’s telephone system.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ supports all of the audio output characteristics and capabilities of the user’s telephone system.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ supports all of the audio output characteristics and capabilities of the user’s telephone system.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ supports all of the audio output characteristics and capabilities of the user’s telephone system.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ monitors and controls a telephony device through the exchange of information with the telephony device. It does not use or support any non-standard protocols or methods, nor does it alter information or communication at any time.
(k) (1) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys shall comply with the following: Controls and keys shall be tactilely discernable without activating the controls or keys. Not Applicable accessaphone™ is software, not hardware, and as such it does not provide a dedicated input device. But accessaphone can be operated by using various input devices obtained and employed independently by the user.
(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 5lbs. (22.2N) maximum. Not Applicable accessaphone™ is software, not hardware, and as such it does not provide a dedicated input device.
(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 accessaphone™ is software, not hardware, and as such it does not provide a dedicated input device.
(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 discernable, and discernible either through touch or sound. Not Applicable accessaphone™ is software, not hardware, and as such it does not provide a dedicated input device.


Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria



Criteria accessaphone™ 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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ offers alternative ways to operate the product fully and retrieve information completely, without the requirement of user sight, by providing or supporting keyboard only control, voice activation control, verbal prompts, verbal confirmation, and talking data entry. accessaphone™ software also supports other Assistive Technology such as screen readers and Braille displays.
(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. Fully Supports As a software product, accessaphone™ software can be operated without minimum user visual acuity requirements, through the use of provided or supported tools such as keyboard only control, voice activation control, verbal prompts, verbal confirmation, and talking data entry. Complete information output is provided in both audio format and through large text that is low vision accessible. accessaphone™ also supports other Assistive Technology such as screen readers and screen magnifiers.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ does not interface with nor provide support for assistive technology used by people who are deaf, such as a TTY device. The user’s telephone may provide that functionality. accessaphone™ does provide support for users who are hard of hearing since it allows for amplification of audible announcements like Audio Caller ID and other telephone events, which can be achieved by turning up the volume of the computer speakers.
(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. Fully Supports Audio information generated by accessaphone™ can be enhanced through volume control settings on the PC speakers or the user’s telephone.
(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. Fully Supports accessaphone™ software can be operated completely and complete information can be retrieved from it without the requirement of end user speech, via using the keyboard or the mouse.
(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. Fully Supports All accessaphone™ functions and features can be executed through the keyboard, the alternative input settings in the PC operating system, or through alternative input products such as alternative keyboards and voice input.


Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support



Criteria accessaphone™ Remarks and Explanations
(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge. Fully Supports Comprehensive accessaphone™ product support documentation is provided within the software application in text (HTML) format and can be read by a screen reader program. Copies of this information printed in Braille are available upon request at no additional charge.
(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. Fully Supports Text (HTML) descriptions of accessaphone™ features are available within the application. This information can be read by the built in text to speech feature of accessaphone™ or by screen reader programs. Copies of this information printed in Braille are available at no charge. Specific questions concerning compatibility will be answered upon request.
(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities. Fully Supports Users with disabilities have several available communication avenues for obtaining product support – via telephone (voice and TTY), email and website, all in accessible formats.


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