EAE exception packets
When a product grades C, D, or F, TheAccessibleReportCard can generate an EAE (Electronic and Information Resources) exception packet under Texas Government Code § 2054.460 — the documentation an institution files to procure a product that isn't fully accessible. The packet has five parts, (A)–(E); the tool pre-fills what it can from your report, and you complete the parts that require institutional judgment.
What triggers an exception
Grades A or B don't need an exception. Grades C, D, or F do, and open the Exception Documentation panel on the evaluation screen with the sections below.
What's generated vs. what you write
| Section | Pre-filled from your report | You complete |
|---|---|---|
| (A) Issues & impact | The full issue table — every non-conforming criterion, severity, vendor remark, and estimated impact | Review for accuracy; adjust estimates if you have local data |
| (B) Duration | The approval term implied by the grade (C = 2-year term; D/F = EIRAC-determined) | The actual requested expiration date or duration |
| (C) Alternate means of access | One prompt per affected disability group | How users will get equally effective access while the exception is in effect |
| (D) Justification | Annual cost, open-issue counts, risk level | Technical barriers, remediation cost estimate, fiscal impact, other risks |
| (E) Alternatives considered | The table/prompt structure | Alternatives evaluated, resources considered, and why this product was chosen |
Section (A) — how the issue list is built
The packet includes every criterion whose conformance is anything other than "Supports" or "Not Applicable," across WCAG 2.1/2.2 (A & AA) and the relevant Section 508 chapters. Each row carries the criterion and conformance level (reflecting any overrides you made), a severity rating, the vendor's verbatim remark, and an anticipated impact — ordered by remediation priority.
Impact estimates multiply each disability group's US population base rate by the total user count you entered in Resource Details, rounded to at least one user. If you didn't enter a user count, the population percentage is shown instead. Read these as planning figures, not head counts — groups overlap, base rates are national averages, and an affected user isn't necessarily blocked. Base rates are adjustable in Settings.
Section (C) — alternate means of access
This is the heart of the packet and can't be generated for you. For each affected disability group, describe how people will get equally effective access while the exception is in effect — accommodation procedures, staff assistance, alternate formats, or substitute workflows.
Section (D) — justification
State the technical barriers to compliance, the estimated cost of remediation (vendor quotes are the strongest evidence), the fiscal impact of funding compliance now, and any other risks.
Section (E) — alternatives considered
Document the alternatives you evaluated and why this product was selected. If you graded competing products in TheAccessibleReportCard, attach those report cards as supporting evidence.
Saving and exporting
Your answers save with the report on TheAccessible.org servers, so reopening the report restores them. Export the packet as:
- PDF — ready to route for signature and filing; unanswered sections appear as neutral form fields.
- Editable HTML draft — carries a "DRAFT — institution review required" banner and highlights unanswered sections. Edits to the downloaded file don't sync back — the panel on the evaluation page is the source of truth.
Pre-filing checklist
- Confirm product name, version, ACR date, annual cost, and user counts in Resource Details.
- Review section (A) against the vendor's actual ACR; correct any conformance levels or remarks.
- State the requested duration in section (B).
- Write an alternate-access plan for every listed group in section (C).
- Complete the four justification items in section (D), with remediation-cost evidence.
- Document alternatives and resources in section (E).
- Export the PDF, route it through your institution's approval process, and retain the approved record.