Voluntary Product Accessibility Template(VPAT)
Novell, Inc.
Date:
December 4, 2007
Name of Product: Identity Manager
Version: 3.5.1
Product Web Site: http://www.novell.com/products/identitymanager/
Those with questions concerning the accessibility of Novell
Identity Manager should contact the Novell office in their region. For a list
of worldwide offices, please
visit
http://www.novell.com/company/contact.html
About this Document:
The statements in
this VPAT apply to core functionality of Identity Manager
only. Support
for
accessibility
functionality
is
enhanced
by using screen readers such as JAWS for Windows or screen magnifiers
such as MAGic, which are third party products available directly from their
manufacturers.**
Summary Table: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) |
||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems | See section 1194.21 below. | |
| Section 1194.22 Web-based internet information and applications | See section 1194.22 below. | |
| Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products | N/A | Identity Manager is not considered a telecommunications product. |
| Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products | N/A |
Identity Manager does not use multimedia except as covered in section 1194.21. |
| Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products | N/A | Identity Manager is not a self-contained product. |
| Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers | N/A | Identity Manager is software as defined under section 1194.21. |
| Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria | See section 1194.31 below. |
|
| Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support | See section 1194.41 below. |
|
| Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems - Detail | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Supporting Features | 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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. | Supported | |
| (h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user. | Not Applicable | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided. | Not Applicable | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported with minor exceptions* | Some form controls may require the use of a mouse. |
| Section 1194.22 Web-based Internet information and applications - Detail | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| (a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). | Supported with exceptions | On the following screens, some images lack text equivalents: - Role-Based Entitlements plug-in (iManager) |
| (b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. | Not applicable | |
| (c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. | Supported | |
| (d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. | Supported with exceptions | The following screens may require the use of style sheet for readability: |
| (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. | Not applicable | |
| (f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. | Not applicable | |
| (g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. | Not Supported | Row and column headers in iManager are not identified in tables, and there is no workaround for this limitation. Data tables are used only in a small subset of administrative and tracking features. |
| (h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers. | Not Supported | Data cells and header cells in iManagaer are not marked, and there is no workaround. However, they are used only in a small subset of the overall product. |
| (i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation | Supported | Underscores may be included in descriptive names, and titles of hidden frames may be read by screen readers (iManager). |
| (j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. | Supported | |
| (k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes. | Not Applicable | |
| (l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by Assistive Technology. | Supported with minor exceptions* | While clearly indicating function, associated text may
in some cases be ambiguous in iManager. NOSCRIPT elements are used to explain the actions or behavior of each SCRIPT, but in some cases, the descriptions may be ambiguous in User Application Portal. |
| (m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with 1194.21(a) through (l). | Not Applicable | |
| (n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, 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. | Supported with exceptions | In some cases, input controls may not be clearly associated
with labels and other textual cues in iManager. Use FIELDSET/LEGEND elements where appropriate and match all form labels with corresponding controls using LABEL elements. In some cases, labels that have more than one corresponding control (i.e. multivalued controls) may not be clearly associated in User Application Portal. |
| (o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. | Supported | In iManager, frames are used to isolate navigation from content elements. |
| (p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. | Supported | |
Note to 1194.22: The U.S Access Board interprets paragraphs
(a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority
1 Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative
of the World Wide Web Consortium: Paragraph (a) - 1.1, (b) - 1.4, (c) -
2.1,
(d) - 6.1, (e) - 1.2, (f) - 9.1, (g) - 5.1, (h) - 5.2, (i) - 12.1, (j) - 7.1,
(k) - 11.4.
Return to the top of
the page.
| Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products Identity Manager is not considered a telecommunication product. |
|---|
| Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products Identity Manager does not use multimedia except as covered in section 1194.21. |
|---|
| Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products Identity Manager is not considered a self-contained product. |
|---|
| Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers Identity Manager is software as defined under section 1194.21. |
|---|
| Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria - Detail | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Supporting Features | 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. | Supported with minor exceptions (via compatibility with operating system accessibility features and third-party screen reader utilities)* | Identity Manager is compatible with commonly used assistive technologies. Users of assistive technology should contact their assistive technology vendor to assess the compatibility of specific assistive technology with Novell products and to learn how to adjust their settings to optimize interoperability.** |
| (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. | Supported with minor exceptions (via compatibility with operating system accessibility features and third-party screen reader utilities)* | |
| (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 | Supported Identity Manager does not require user hearing for access to any application functionality. |
|
| (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. | Supported Identity Manager does not require user hearing for access to any application functionality. |
|
| (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. | Supported Identity Manager does not require speech recognition. |
|
| (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. | Supported with minor exceptions (via compatibility with operating system accessibility features and third-party screen reader utilities)* | |
| Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support - Detail | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| (a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge. | Supported | Novell makes its documentation available in variety of formats at http://www.novell.com/documentation Documentation is provided in HTML, and can be converted to other formats as needed. |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities. | Supported | Novell’s support services accommodates voice communications and email communications, both of which are operable by persons with disabilities. Support personnel are familiar with such features as keyboard access and other options important to people with disabilities. |
*Novell testing indicates that the exceptions are not significantly disruptive to product functionality. In some cases, functionality described is accessible through alternative or equivalent means, via the keyboard utilizing standard menu options.
**There is a lag between Novell's software release date and the time it takes for some Assistive Technology manufacturers to upgrade their software and device drivers to support these new releases. The manufacturer’s porting timeframe may be a factor in determining when you decide to upgrade.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Novell,
Inc. makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents or
use of this document, and specifically disclaims any express or implied
warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Novell
does not warrant that this document is error-free. Further, Novell
reserves the right to revise this document and make changes to its content,
at any time, without obligation to notify any person or entity of such revision
or changes. No contractual obligations or commitments are formed either
directly or indirectly by this document. Novell periodically provides
new information about the accessibility of products as that information becomes
available.
Designer 2.1 for Novell Identity Manager
Accessibility Information
Note: Designer 2.1 for Novell Identity Manager is bundled with Identity Manager 3.5.1.
The purpose of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or 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. It is assumed and recommended that offerers will provide additional contact information to facilitate more detailed inquiries.
The first table of the Template provides a summary view of the section 508 Standards. The subsequent tables provide more detailed views of each subsection. There are three columns in each table. Column one of the Summary Table describes the subsections of subparts B and C of the Standards. The second column describes the supporting features of the product or refers you to the corresponding detailed table, "e.g., equivalent facilitation." The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations regarding the product. In the subsequent tables, the first column contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsections. The second column describes the supporting features of the product with regard to that paragraph. The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations regarding the product.
* Changes: added Section 1194.41
Date: October 9, 2006
Name of Product: Designer 2.1 for Novell Identity Manager
| Summary Table Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems | Supported with exceptions | d, g, h |
| Section 1194.22 Web-based Internet Information and Applications | Supported with exceptions | a, o |
| Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products | Not Applicable | |
| Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products | Not Applicable | |
| Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products | Supported | |
| Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers | Supported | |
| Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria | Supported | |
| Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support | Supported | |
| Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported with exceptions | Certain elements contained in SWT widgets for Designer are not individually available to assistive technologies such as pallette containers and items in modeler editors |
| (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. | Not Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. | Supported with minor exceptions | Designer requires minimum resolution of 1024 x 768 to install and run. |
| (h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user. | Not supported | Tutorials are animated but not available in any other formats |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| Section 1194.22 Web-based Internet information and applications - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| (a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). | Not Supported | |
| (b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. | Supported | |
| (c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. | Supported | |
| (d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. | Supported | |
| (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. | Supported | |
| (f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. | Supported | |
| (g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. | Supported | |
| (h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers. | Supported | |
| (i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation | Supported | |
| (j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. | Supported | |
| (k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes. | Supported | |
| (l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by Assistive Technology. | Supported | |
| (m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with 1194.21(a) through (l). | Supported | |
| (n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, 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. | Supported | |
| (o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. | Not Supported | |
| (p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. | Supported | |
Note to 1194.22: The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1 Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium: Paragraph (a) - 1.1, (b) - 1.4, (c) - 2.1, (d) - 6.1, (e) - 1.2, (f) - 9.1, (g) - 5.1, (h) - 5.2, (i) - 12.1, (j) - 7.1, (k) - 11.4.
| Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer equipment that includes analog television receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not later than July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television (DTV) displays measuring at least 7.8 inches vertically, DTV sets with conventional displays measuring at least 13 inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners, whether or not they are marketed with display screens, and computer equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals. | N/A | |
| (b) Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in computers, shall be equipped with secondary audio program playback circuitry. | N/A | |
| (c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed captioned. | N/A | |
| (d) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be audio described. | N/A | |
| (e) Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or audio descriptions shall be user-selectable unless permanent. | N/A | |
| Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| (a) Self contained products shall be usable by people with disabilities without requiring an end-user to attach Assistive Technology to the product. Personal headsets for private listening are not Assistive Technology. | Supported | |
| (b) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. | Supported | |
| (c) Where a product utilizes touchscreens or contact-sensitive controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4). | Not Applicable | |
| (d) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided. | Supported | |
| (e) When products provide auditory output, the audio signal shall be provided at a standard signal level through an industry standard connector that will allow for private listening. The product must provide the ability to interrupt, pause, and restart the audio at anytime. | Supported | |
| (f) When products deliver voice output in a public area, incremental volume control shall be provided with output amplification up to a level of at least 65 dB. Where the ambient noise level of the environment is above 45 dB, a volume gain of at least 20 dB above the ambient level shall be user selectable. A function shall be provided to automatically reset the volume to the default level after every use. | Supported | |
| (g) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. | Supported | |
| (h) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a range of color selections capable of producing a variety of contrast levels shall be provided. | Supported | |
| (i) Products shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. | Supported | |
| (j) (1) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: The position of any operable control shall be determined with respect to a vertical plane, which is 48 inches in length, centered on the operable control, and at the maximum protrusion of the product within the 48 inch length on products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls. | Supported | |
| (j)(2) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: Where any operable control is 10 inches or less behind the reference plane, the height shall be 54 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor. | Supported | |
| (j)(3) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: Where any operable control is more than 10 inches and not more than 24 inches behind the reference plane, the height shall be 46 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor. | Supported | |
| (j)(4) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with the following: Operable controls shall not be more than 24 inches behind the reference plane. | Supported | |
| Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| (a) All mechanically operated controls and keys shall comply with 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4). | Supported | |
| (b) If a product utilizes touchscreens or touch-operated controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with 1194.23 (k) (1) through (4). | Supported | |
| (c) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided. | Supported | |
| (d) Where provided, at least one of each type of expansion slots, ports and connectors shall comply with publicly available industry standards | Supported | |
| Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | 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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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 | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template | ||
| Criteria | Supporting Features | Remarks and explanations |
| (a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge | Supported | |
| (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. | Supported | |
| (c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities. | Supported | |
*Novell testing indicates that the exceptions are not significantly disruptive to product functionality. In some cases, functionality described is accessible through alternative or equivalent means, via the keyboard utilizing standard menu options.
**There is a lag between Novell's software release date and the time it takes for some Assistive Technology manufacturers to upgrade their software and device drivers to support these new releases. The manufacturer's porting timeframe may be a factor in determining when you decide to upgrade.