Accessibility Learning and Support | Oracle

Oracle Accessibility Learning and Support

Oracle University

Accessibility Support

Accessibility FAQs

The Accessibility Puzzle

Oracle University and Oracle University Online Learning

Oracle University (OU) is committed to the delivery of high quality products and services and adheres to federal guidelines for accessibility under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act only applies to the U.S. However, Oracle reviews and considers all accessibility and special needs requests, including those from Canada and other non-U.S. regions. Oracle University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, and other applicable state, local and regional laws in its education programs.

Oracle University online library curriculum is, at times, utilized as reference materials along with the classroom training. These online reference materials are converted for accessibility upon request. Conversions of online reference materials are limited to courseware that directly maps to the originating classroom event.

In the Classroom

Screen Reader and Screen Magnifier Software

JAWS screen reader software is available in eleven locations: Atlanta, Belmont Shores - California, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Iselin - New Jersey, Orlando, Reston - Virginia, San Francisco, and San Jose - California.
ZoomText Xtra Level 1 without voice is the screen magnification software provided. Oracle University also provides screen reader compatible electronic text copies and upsized to 8 1/2 x 11" text paper copies of student materials.
Where Oracle education is provided by a partner facility, the facility may or may not provide assistive technology, such as screen reader and screen magnification software. Please contact us for details about your location.
Lead times of 3-4 weeks are preferred for screen reader and screen magnifier software requests and requests for upsized paper copies of student materials.

Sign Language Interpreters

Oracle University supports sign language interpreters to assist students in class.
Students may arrange for interpreters or request OU to assist in locating an interpreter.
Lead times are critical when contracting with interpreters. We appreciate 3-4 weeks notice. Non-emergency cancellations mean that we cannot give notice to interpreters and remain liable for the costs of services that are not used.
Due to space considerations, we request notice of seven business days to accommodate an extra seat.

Oracle University Online Learning

Oracle University OnLine Library is the online source for Oracle web based training. The Oracle University Online Library is dependent upon the Oracle iLearning application for navigation and delivery of online technology training. Other components include web sites, web links and content source files.

All components of the Oracle University Online Library service are being evaluated and will undergo a continual update process to comply with applicable Section 508 standards.
Oracle University will continue to research new technologies for efficient ways to convert online curriculum.
Oracle University will provide captioned and JAWS screen reader compatible versions of video and multimedia productions upon request.
Lead time of 6-8 weeks is preferred for captions and text transcript requests.

Web Sites

Oracle University web sites are undergoing evaluations for accessibility in all areas of design, content and navigation.

Careful review of all internal and external sites for conformance with the applicable Section 508 standards is standard in OU web development.
Oracle University will also monitor external links to non-Oracle controlled web sites, to evaluate the extent to which these linked vendor products comply with the Section 508 standards.
As necessary, Oracle University will contact third party vendors regarding accessibility issues for which these vendors are responsible.

Questions and suggestions regarding OU web sites can be sent to the email address: accessibility_ww@oracle.com.

Certification

Oracle University's Oracle Certification Program (OCP) is a certification program for Oracle technical professionals in the information technology marketplace.

OCP offers screen reader compatible certification exams and provides a technically proficient person as a reader upon request.
This reader can assist candidates with visual disabilities by deciphering technical programming syntax and code.
The Oracle Certification Program group uses an external source to administer the testing and is working to ensure that all US based testing locations are accessible to people with disabilities.

Global Customer Support Accessibility

The Oracle Global Customer Support (GCS) Accessibility project began in 2002 with the task of assessing Support's accessibility. Since then it has evolved into a comprehensive program encompassing and addressing the two sides of Support: making Support accessible, and enhancing the accessibility of Oracle's products.

The Accessibility Program's primary focus is to recommend strategies to internal developers, based on awareness of Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 standards, for ensuring accessible support. The Program supplements this focus with outreach to organizations such as Lighthouse International, coordinating resources to create specialized training for Support engineers and providing advocates for the blind with opportunities to reach the Oracle Support community.

My Oracle Support

View information about TRS Oracle Support offers a range of services, and all services provide for two types of customer interfaces: My Oracle Support (internet) or telephone support. My Oracle Support offers 24x7 web support services. My Oracle Support has varying degrees of accessibility in both navigation and content in order to provide the most robust service available. Documentation will be made accessible upon request.

Subject Matter Experts

GCS has developed a formal team and internal process addressing issues related to assistive technology. This team works with the assigned Oracle engineer to analyze and help replicate the customer's problem using the appropriate assistive technology. They then make recommendations to the customer, Support and Development to resolve the issue.

Accessibility Awareness Training

Accessibility awareness training is required for all Support employees. The program hosts events around the world highlighting accessibility for more than 13,000 employees, including presentations and training by Freedom Scientific and other vendors, participation by local resources for the blind and visually disabled, and interactive demonstrations of Oracle's products working with various assistive technologies. We estimated that more than 1,000 GCS engineers worldwide have participated directly in these events, gaining valuable hands-on experience with accessibility.

Accessible Oracle Support

Oracle customers have access to electronic support via My Oracle Support or by calling Oracle Support at 1.800.223.1711. Hearing impaired customers in the U.S. who need to speak with an Oracle Support representative may use a telecommunications relay service (TRS). International hearing impaired customers should use the TRS at 1.605.224.1837. Once in contact with Oracle Support an engineer will handle technical issues according to normal service request handling processes.

Focus on Accessible Design

Coding standards

Adobe PDF, etc.

Regulations

Related resources

Technology

Product Status

How do I determine if a product is accessible or not?

Oracle documents the accessibility status of each product or product family using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). These documents are listed at https://www.oracle.com/corporate/accessibility/vpats/.
How does Oracle's Accessibility Program relate to recent acquisitions?

Many acquired companies, such as PeopleSoft and Sun Microsystems, already had programs in place to meet the standards of Section 508. The Accessibility Program Office engages with the strategy and development teams of the acquired companies to align them with Oracle programs and process. Just as with the ‘core’ Oracle products, VPATs for these products will, over time, appear on https://www.oracle.com/corporate/accessibility/vpats/.
Are customer products built with Oracle tools automatically accessible?

No. Oracle tools enable you to build accessible products, but you must follow the guidelines documented for each tool, and you must be aware of accessibility requirements in general. An accessible product requires proper design, coding and testing.
What is the accessibility status of products released prior to 2001?

Section 508 standards went into effect in 2001, so products released prior to the published standards do not incorporate Section 508 requirements. Some Oracle products released prior to 2001 may contain some degree of accessibility, such as keyboard functionality; however older releases were not designed nor tested to meet Section 508 criteria. Only products that have published VPATs are accessible as provided in their VPATs.

Standards and Regulations Compliance

Are Oracle products ADA or DDA compliant?

The U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act, and the U.K. Disability Discrimination Act, require employers to provide ‘reasonable accommodation’ or not put employees at a 'substantial disadvantage' compared to other employees. It is the responsibility of each employer to adhere to their laws, by providing an appropriate work environment, tools, productivity adjustments, etc. Oracle products have accessibility features that assist an employer in achieving compliance with the ADA or DDA, but accessibility of software is just one factor in achieving such compliance.
Are Oracle products WCAG 1.0 Priority 1 compliant?

Some Oracle products are coded to meet the standards of WCAG 1.0 priority 2 (also known as ‘AA’) and some are coded to meet the standards of WCAG 2.0 Level AA. This information is listed in the VPAT; if there is no mention of WCAG 1.0 or the WCAG 2.0 criteria, then the product does not meet those standards, or has not been completely evaluated. Because WCAG 1.0 only pertains to HTML, products which contain no HTML will indicate in their VPAT that WCAG 1.0 does not apply. As WCAG 2.0 has been adjusted by the “Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.0 to Non-Web Information and Communications Technologies (WCAG2ICT)” document, products which contain no HTML and are coded to meet the standards of WCAG 2.0 will make this clear in their VPAT.
Will an HTML checker automate testing?

There are a variety of testing tools on the market, but no single evaluation tool yet provides a totally automated solution. It is also agreed, that when testing for WCAG 2.0 criteria, only 17% of the criteria can automatically tested. Some aspects of testing require a measure of human inspection and judgment. For example, standards require that color cannot be the only means of conveying information, but no automated tool can determine exactly how color on a page is being used. Current testing tools can flag relevant code as an item to be examined, but tools cannot automatically determine if that code meets the standard. Also, automated tools invariably check for specific coding solutions, and upon not finding that specific code, will report an error. That does not necessarily mean that the product being evaluated fails to meet the standard.

Certifications and Configurations

Are Oracle products certified with assistive technology such as JAWS?

Oracle does not certify its products to run with any particular assistive technology or version. Oracle products are coded to standards, and are capable of providing comparable access to individuals with disabilities when they are used in accordance with Oracle's product documentation and provided that assistive technologies and other products used with them properly interoperate with our product.
Are there special steps for using Java-based applications with assistive technology?

If the Oracle application is written in Java, such as JDeveloper or Oracle Forms (runtime), customers must use the Java Access Bridge. The Java Access Bridge provides the integration with screen readers such as JAWS or SuperNova that support Java. As of Java 7 update 6, the Java Access Bridge is included in the Java release, but it must be activated. Please see the Java Accessibility Guide for details on configuring.
What is Oracle’s recommended configuration?

Oracle encourages users to be on the latest version of their operating system, browser, product, and assistive technology for the best experience. The latest assistive technology patches are strongly recommended. While Oracle does not certify any specific assistive technology, there are some minimum versions that are strongly recommended and will be listed in the product's VPAT. Product-specific documentation may contain additional comments about recommended configurations.

Troubleshooting and Support

How should we address potential “bugs”?

Given the complexity of accessibility solutions, unexpected behaviors can occur that are unrelated to what we traditionally identify as “bugs”. Accessibility poses a unique challenge as products can be correctly coded and perform exactly as coded, but anomalies may occur when IT and AT products interact. These anomalies do not fall into the category of traditionally defined “bugs,” and they do not imply that Oracle products do not meet applicable standards.

Large, complex IT applications may place new demands on some AT products and some unexpected behaviors may occur that require product enhancement or feature modifications. Some AT products may have mutual incompatibilities when loaded onto the same machine, or may cause performance problems that could impact an IT product. One of the most common problems we encounter is that machines have insufficient memory or processing power to run both the AT and the application.

Suspected “bugs” need to be associated with the appropriate vendor. Should a bug be identified, it will be addressed in a manner consistent with that vendor's standard business practice. Not all bugs are the same. They vary as to source, type and severity. Annoyance level bugs, unrelated to core product functionality may not even be noticed by most users and pose no concern in terms of product usage. If problems are identified, fixes will be released in accordance with standard industry practices.

How do I interact with Support if I am disabled?

Oracle Support offers a range of services, but all services provide for two types of customer interface: My Oracle Support (internet) or telephone support. My Oracle Support offers 24x7 web support services available on https://support.oracle.com/. My Oracle Support is a system that has varying degrees of accessibility in both navigation and content. The content repository has been accumulated over time and contains files that are both accessible and inaccessible. Legacy documentation on My Oracle Support will be made accessible upon request. In the US, call 1.800.223.1711.

The Accessibility Puzzle

For a complicated enterprise-class application to be used successfully by a person with a disability, many things have to work together 'just right.' We call this the 'Accessibility Puzzle'.

Scripting, Especially the Use of JavaScript

The OS vendor needs to build accessibility services and options into the basic platform. This includes features that make the OS itself accessible, and exposing settings for color, contrast, font type, font size, and focus cursor. The basic widgets provided by the OS (windows, dropdown lists, scrollbars, etc.) must properly interoperate with the keyboard and assistive technology, via standard accessibility Application Program Interfaces (APIs) that are, ideally, available on multiple platforms.

Hardware Vendor

Manufacturers of computers need to ensure that keyboards and other assistive technology hardware devices can properly connect to the system using standard interfaces and protocols. The machines themselves need to adhere to accessibility standards, such as large print and appropriate force needed to operate mechanical controls. Devices such as microphones and headsets should also account for the unique needs of the disabled.

Assistive Technology (AT) Vendor

The AT vendor plays a huge role in the ultimate success of the user. AT has an incredibly difficult task to fulfill - it has to transform a UI which is often painstakingly crafted for rendering on a monitor, into a completely different medium. To accomplish this, AT has to interact completely and accurately with the underlying platform, parse the application, and re-render it in a manner that is optimal for the user, while not making the AT itself the hardest part for the user to learn. While many AT vendors tend to be much smaller than enterprise-class IT vendors, they nevertheless have to adopt some of the same processes such as timely delivery of fixes and prevention of regressions in those fixes. AT also has to be on the 'leading edge' of new technologies, matching the capabilities of the underlying platform as soon as possible.

Browser Vendor

The browser vendor has responsibilities similar to the OS vendor.

Standards

Technical standards play a critical role in the puzzle, as they are the force that focuses the coding practices of the OS, Browser, Application, and AT vendors. Standards must be complete so that an end-to-end solution is well described, yet tolerant of unique solutions. Standards must also be measurable, with minimal subjective evaluation. One significant risk is too many standards; at some point, an IT vendor has to draw the line on what standards it can follow within a particular release cycle. And too many standards often results in conflicting requirements. Further, adherence to standards alone does not necessarily make a product 'accessible'; it is possible to build a product that adheres to all standards, yet it might be unusable by a large class of persons with disabilities because the individual pieces are not usable as a whole.

Application Vendor

The application vendor uses international standards and regulations to develop its own set of standards and best practices, then implements them throughout the product set. This requires training and commitment for a broad variety of roles at the company, including UI designers, developers, QA testers, support engineers, consultants, and even legal and sales. The Application vendor conducts testing with a variety of automated tools, AT, and users. Not all of the software necessary to produce an accessible solution for the user is under the control of the application vendor, but the vendor must make a reasonable attempt to make all of the pieces inter-operate. At the end of the day, the vendor must state to the buyer whether the product meets particular standards, and what the support policy is if issues are encountered.

Consultant/Implementer/IT department

This group of people has the responsibility to configure the product to make it accessible, according to documentation provided by the OS, Browser, Application and AT vendors. They also need to follow appropriate development guidelines when customizing or creating new content; in this respect they need to follow many of the exact same steps as the application vendor itself, from design through testing.

Trainer

Proper training requires knowledge of the product, knowledge of AT, and materials tailored to that specific combination. The trainer also may need to tailor the training to the end-user's specific needs, as the range of ability and proficiency with AT (or IT in general) may vary significantly between users.

Employer

Compliance with discrimination laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act in the US, or the Disability Discrimination Act in the UK, are the responsibility of the employer. Because each employee is unique, this may entail a very broad range of accommodations including:

Installing ergonomic devices, such as keyboards, chairs, desks and lighting
Privacy, especially for those using voice recognition AT
Adjusting policies concerning 'standard' computer hardware if they are insufficient to run AT
Adjusting policies concerning software configuration by end-users, including allowing experimentation with newer releases of AT
Providing additional product training, tailored to specific AT
Adjusting productivity quotas, especially for new or infrequent users

Employee

The end-user of an enterprise-class application needs to attend training on both the application and the AT. Many AT modules are quite complex - perhaps the most complex software that the average computer user will ever encounter. But complicated enterprise-class applications require a high proficiency level with these modules, and the user must take the time to learn them.

Helpdesk

The Helpdesk at a company must be sensitive to the unique needs of a disabled user. An issue which may be a minor annoyance to one user may be a complete show-stopper to a disabled user. Helpdesk personnel need training on AT so they can assist a disabled user, and more often than not may need to meet one-on-one to fully understand and reproduce a problem. Of course, a disabled user must be able to access the Helpdesk in the first place, with an accessible interface.

Application Vendor Support

The application vendor must have a Support organization that is capable of handling issues related to a disabled user. Just like the employee's company Helpdesk, this requires that Support personnel be trained in AT, and that the Support tools themselves are accessible (web applications, phone lines, and TTY lines).

Contact us

Email us

accessible_ww@oracle.com