Does an LMS need a VPAT for Section 508 and WCAG?
By Bodhih Training Solutions, Bengaluru · UpdatedThe short answer
US public-sector buyers, and many companies, ask LMS vendors for a VPAT, the Accessibility Conformance Report template from the Information Technology Industry Council. The Revised Section 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA by reference, and many buyers now ask for WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA. Bodhih publishes a self-assessed VPAT 2.5 against WCAG 2.2 AA and lists its known gaps.
What is a VPAT?
VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. Vendors fill it in to produce an Accessibility Conformance Report: a criterion-by-criterion statement of whether the product supports, partially supports or does not support each accessibility requirement, with remarks. The template covers the Revised Section 508 Standards, WCAG and the European standard EN 301 549.
What does Section 508 require of software?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to information and communication technology that US federal agencies develop, buy or use. The Revised 508 Standards, published by the US Access Board in January 2017, incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA success criteria by reference for web content and software. Agencies, and contractors selling to them, use a VPAT to show conformance.
Private companies are not bound by Section 508, but many use the same standard in procurement because it is well defined.
How should you read an LMS conformance report?
A VPAT is a claim, not a certificate. Read it critically.
- Check which standard and version it reports against (WCAG 2.0, 2.1 or 2.2; Level A and AA).
- Check the evaluation method: self-assessment, automated tools, or an independent audit.
- Read every "Partially supports" remark and ask when each gap will be fixed.
- Check that the report covers the parts your people use: learner player, admin console, mobile.
- Test the main journeys yourself with a keyboard and a screen reader during a trial.
Where does Bodhih LMS stand?
Bodhih targets WCAG 2.2 Level AA across the learner experience, company administration and public pages, and publishes its accessibility statement and conformance report in the VPAT 2.5 (WCAG edition) format. The report is a self-assessment (keyboard-only walkthroughs, code review and automated checks), not a third-party audit, and it lists where the platform only partially conforms and what is being done. SCORM content you upload is only as accessible as the package itself, so check your own courses too.
Sources
Checked on 2026-11-12. Laws and prices change; confirm on the official page before you rely on a figure.
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Read the conformance report, then test it yourself
The VPAT lists every WCAG 2.2 AA criterion and our known gaps. The free trial lets you test the learner and admin journeys with your own tools.
Questions people ask next
Does Bodhih have a VPAT?
Yes. It is published on the Accessibility page in the VPAT 2.5 WCAG edition format, as a self-assessment against WCAG 2.2 AA.
Has an independent auditor tested Bodhih LMS?
Not yet. The current report is a self-assessment, and an independent audit is on the roadmap.
Does WCAG 2.2 AA cover Section 508?
WCAG 2.2 AA includes the WCAG 2.0 AA success criteria that the Revised 508 Standards reference, plus newer criteria. A full 508 report also covers non-web requirements such as support documentation.
Who is responsible for course content accessibility?
The author of the content. The LMS player and admin console are the vendor's responsibility; captions, alt text and accessible interactions inside SCORM packages are the course author's.
Can we test accessibility before buying?
Yes. Use the free 14-day trial with your own keyboard and screen-reader checks.