Golden Software Accessibility Conformance Report
Template (VPAT) Version 2.5
The purpose of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT™) is to assist Federal contracting officials and other buyers in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial "Electronic and Information Technology" products and services with features that support accessibility. More information on the specific standards used can be found here: https://www.access-board.gov/ict/#501-general and https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/
Name of Product: Surfer
Date: 1 April 2025
Product Description: Golden Software's Surfer software is a full-function 3D visualization, data interpolation, and surface modeling package that runs under Microsoft Windows. Surfer is used extensively for terrain modeling, landscape visualization, surface analysis, contour mapping, 3D surface mapping, gridding, volumetrics, and more.
Contact Information: sales@goldensoftware.com or 1-303-279-1021
The following three tables follow the VPAT™ template to provide a summary of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and Section 508 Standards that pertain to software products.
Important Notes
Golden Software's Surfer application is a data and mapping visualization tool. Many aspects of how users interact with the application are through dialogs that set parameters and define properties. These have a high degree of accessibility, and users can build simple to complex maps using the settings in these dialogs. The maps that are built in Surfer are user-dependent, meaning that a user can add any number of objects to a map, such as points, legends, layers, scales, etc. Most objects that can be added to a map do not have a high degree of accessibility. For example, you cannot tab through objects in a map. You can access each object from a list of map objects in a contents window that holds and allows users to manage objects in a map. The refinement of the objects in the map, for example, their placement or sizing, does not have a high degree of accessibility.
Evaluation Methods Used: Both manual and functional testing of Surfer was performed using readily available screen reader technology and exclusive use of the keyboard to navigate the program.
Applicable Standards/Guidelines:
This report covers the degree of conformance for the following accessibility standard/guidelines:
| Standard/Guideline | Included in Report |
| Web Content Accessibility Guidelines | Level A Level AA (Yes) Level AAA (No) |
| Section 508 Chapter 5: Software | (Yes) |
| Section 508 Chapter 6: Support | (Yes) |
Terms:
• Supports: The functionality of the product has at least one method that meets the criterion without known defects or meets with equivalent facilitation.
• Partially Supports: Some functionality of the product does not meet the criterion.
• Does Not Support: The majority of product functionality does not meet the criterion.
• Not Applicable: The criterion is not relevant to the product.
WCAG 2.0 Report |
||
|
Criteria |
Conformance Level |
Remarks and Explanations |
|
1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) |
Does not support |
Surfer contains three sets of help documentation, and one of them, the online HTML help, does not contain alt text for most images. Many images, such as buttons, |
|
1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
1.2.4 Captions (Live) (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) |
Does not support |
Component labels for another component are frequently not discernible using assistive technology. |
|
1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A) |
Partially supports |
When meaning is affected by the sequence of elements in context, Surfer usually presents a sequentially meaningful context; however, some information sequences are dependent on a functional complexity that programmatic approaches may not be able to predict. |
|
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
1.3.4 Orientation (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A) |
Partially supports |
The vast majority of times that color references are used, other methods, such as the text name of the color, are used. However, there are some features in Surfer as a data visualization and mapping tool that use colors as colors, without text references or other accessibility options. |
|
1.4.2 Audio Control (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) |
Partially supports |
Surfer uses standard Windows API controls for our input from users that work with Windows assistive technology by default. |
|
1.4.4 Resize text (Level AA) |
Partially supports |
Surfer uses standard Windows API controls for our input from users that work with Windows assistive technology by default. |
|
1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA) |
Supports |
The application does not use images of text. |
|
2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide |
Supports |
|
|
2.2.1 Timing Adjustable (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)(Level A) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA) |
Supports |
|
|
3.1.1 Language of Page (Level A) |
Not applicable |
The only human language in Surfer's user interface and web-based information is English. |
|
3.1.2 Language of Parts (Level AA) |
Not applicable | The only human language in Surfer's user interface and web-based information is English. |
|
3.2.1 On Focus (Level A) |
Supports | |
|
3.2.2 On Input (Level A) |
Supports | |
|
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (Level AA) |
Does not support | |
|
3.2.4 Consistent Identification (Level AA) |
Supports | |
|
3.3.1 Error Identification (Level A) |
Supports | |
|
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A) |
Supports | |
|
3.3.3 Error Suggestion (Level AA) |
Supports | |
|
3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)(Level AA) |
Supports | Surfer has no financial transactions or opportunities to enter into legal agreements. Potential Surfer upgrades and changes in licensing occur in a different application. |
|
4.1.1 Parsing (Level A) |
Supports | |
|
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A) |
Partially supports | Surfer's web-based help supports this requirement. Most of Surfer's user interface elements' information is available programmatically through assistive technology. Some object's states or other information are not discernible programmatically, such as the object type. |
Section 508 Chapter 5: Software |
||
|
Criteria |
Conformance Level |
Remarks and explanations |
|
502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology |
See WCAG 2.0 section |
See the WCAG section for web-related components of this software. |
|
502.2.1 User Control of Accessibility Features |
Supports |
The user has full control over all accessibility features. |
|
502.2.2 No Disruption of Accessibility Features |
Supports |
There is no disruption of accessibility features. |
|
502.3 Accessibility Services |
|
|
|
502.3.1 Object Information |
Partially supports |
Most user interface elements' information is available programmatically thru assistive technology. Some object's states or other information is not discernible programmatically, such as the object type. |
|
502.3.2 Modification of Object Information |
Partially supports |
Users can set the values of and engage in the manipulation of most user interface elements. Some user interface elements cannot be set programmatically. |
|
502.3.3 Row, Column, and Headers |
Does not support |
|
|
502.3.4 Values |
Partially supports |
Values for objects can be determined programmatically, but not all objects' value ranges can be determined programmatically. |
|
502.3.5 Modification of Values |
Partially supports |
The values of most user interface elements can be set programmatically. |
|
502.3.6 Label Relationships |
Does not support |
Component labels for another component are frequently not discernible using assistive technology. |
|
502.3.7 Hierarchical Relationships |
Partially supports |
Most hierarchical relationships can be determined using assistive technology. |
|
502.3.8 Text |
Partially supports |
Most text objects contents and locations are accessible information. |
|
502.3.9 Modification of Text |
Partially supports |
Most text values that can be set can be set using assistive technology. |
|
502.3.10 List of Actions |
Does not support |
Lists of actions that can be performed on an object are often not programmatically determinable, and the object type (e.g. button, checkbox) may not be available to assistive technology. |
|
502.3.11 Actions on Objects |
Partially supports |
Most actions that can be taken on objects can be done using assistive technology. However, some objects' actions cannot be accessed via assistive technology. |
|
502.3.12 Focus Cursor |
Partially supports |
Where, applicable, cursor location shows a visual focus and a name focus if using assistive technology. However, the object type (e.g. button, checkbox) may not be available to assistive technology. |
|
502.3.13 Modification of Focus Cursor |
Partially supports |
For most applicable cursor locations, Surfer shows a visual focus and a name focus if using assistive technology. |
|
502.3.14 Event Notification |
Partially supports |
For events that are notification worthy, assistive technology can assess those events. Not all events, such as updating a value in a dialog, have notifications. A user could use assistive technology to verify these types of events. |
|
502.4 Platform Accessibility Features |
Not applicable |
Surfer is not platform software. |
|
503 Applications |
|
|
|
503.2 User Preferences |
Partially supports |
Surfer uses standard Windows API controls for our input from users that work with Windows assistive technology by default. |
|
503.3 Alternative User Interfaces |
Not applicable |
No alternative user interface provided. |
|
503.4 User Controls for Captions and Audio Description |
Not applicable |
No audio is included in the software. |
|
504 Authoring Tools |
Not applicable |
Surfer is not an authoring application. |
Section 508 Chapter 6: Support |
||
|
Criteria |
Supporting Features |
Remarks and explanations |
|
601.1 Scope |
||
|
602 Support Documentation |
Supports |
Digital documentation is available within Surfer. This documentation is also available through the Golden Software website |
|
602.2 Accessibility and Compatibility Features |
See WCAG 2.0 section |
A help topic describing accessibility features is available in the program help. |
|
602.3 Electronic Support Documentation |
Partially supports |
Some web-based and self-service support, such as HTML-based help, does not have fully accessible alternative text for images or other objects when using read-out-loud assistive tools. |
|
602.4 Alternate Formats for Non-Electronic Support Documentation |
Supports |
Provided by calling technical support. |
|
603 Support Services |
|
|
|
603.2 Information on Accessibility and Compatibility Features |
Supports |
A help topic describing accessibility features is available in the program help |
|
603.3 Accommodation of Communication Needs |
Supports |
Support services are provided directly to the user over the telephone or via email. |
Comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.