At Pressbooks, accessibility has long been central to how we design and build our publishing platform. Our platform has been designed to support the creation of content that is born accessible, empowering faculty, staff, and students to publish content that is usable by all learners.
We know that true accessibility requires ongoing effort. That’s why we conduct regular audits of our platform and themes using both automated and manual testing methods, including screen reader navigation and other assistive technologies. When clients report accessibility problems, we make issue resolution a priority and try to make improvements that will benefit everyone using our platform. Our goal is to ensure that every Pressbooks user can create, share, and consume content that meets high accessibility standards.
One of the key tools we use to measure and communicate our progress is the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)—a document that outlines how our platform conforms to current accessibility guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2AA.
We’re pleased to announce that we’ve just released our updated VPAT reports, created in partnership with the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University. We maintain two separate VPATs at Pressbooks—one for our reader interface and one for our authoring interface.
This latest version reflects:
- The most recent improvements in our platform and content themes
- New testing methods introduced to keep pace with accessibility best practices
- Pressbooks’ readiness for new accessibility legislation coming into effect in the United States
If you’re using Pressbooks, you can feel confident that the tools you’re using are designed from the ground up to support accessible publishing.
We invite you to read more about our accessibility practices or view our updated VPAT here.
Accessibility is not a destination—it’s a continuous process of learning, adapting, and improving. Thank you for being part of a community that values inclusive, open education. For more information on VPATs and their role in education, you can read our previous blogs: