SAM Labs is committed to creating an inclusive, accessible learning experience for all students and educators.
As we continue to expand and refine our curriculum and digital tools, accessibility remains a central priority guiding our content development, design decisions, and long-term roadmap, ensuring we meet and maintain substantial conformance.
To date, SAM Labs has completed an initial accessibility review of our Google Slides and Google Docs resources used within our published curriculum. These files have undergone first-pass updates to address foundational accessibility needs, including image alt-text, readability, and color contrast adjustments where applicable. In addition to these materials, similar accessibility improvements have been made to PDFs used in our Interactive Lessons, with a focus on ensuring that these documents meet WCAG-aligned expectations for tagging, readability, and navigability.
Our Interactive Lessons, which are considered digital resources and included within this VPAT, are designed with accessibility in mind and currently include:
Additional color-contrast enhancements within Interactive Lessons are ongoing to ensure conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
As part of this effort, all resources within the SAM Labs Content Hub have been organized into two clear categories, Printed Resources and Digital Resources, to help teachers and administrators understand how each resource type is intended to be used. Whenever possible, printed resources have been formatted using accessibility-aligned practices (such as clear labels, high-contrast design, and image alt-text), while preserving the intended functionality of hands-on classroom activities.
SAM Labs also offers Nearpod-adapted digital lessons, which benefit from the accessibility features available within the Nearpod platform. Educators should consult Nearpod's official VPAT and Accessibility Conformance Report for the most current and comprehensive details regarding Nearpod platform compliance.
Periodically, SAM Labs includes third-party links within our curriculum as optional supplemental resources. While these links are intended to enrich instruction, SAM Labs cannot guarantee their compliance with WCAG standards.
As our content and platform continue to evolve, SAM Labs will maintain and regularly update this Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) to reflect progress, ongoing remediation efforts, and new accessibility enhancements. Our goal is to provide transparent documentation that supports districts, educators, and administrators in making informed decisions to meet the needs of all learners.
| Name of Product | SAM Labs Curriculum |
| Report Date | November 2025 |
| Product Description | The SAM Labs Curriculum is an instructional resource library combining digital Interactive Lessons, printable materials, and coding-based activities to support comprehensive STEAM learning. |
| Contact Information | support@samlabs.com |
Notes: This evaluation applies only to digital student-facing resources within the SAM Labs Curriculum. Printed student and teacher materials are not included in this report.
Evaluation Methods Used: Accessibility conformance was evaluated using a combination of AI-assisted testing, classical computing tools, and third-party accessibility checkers to review alignment with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.
| Standard/Guideline | Included in Report |
|---|---|
| WCAG 2.0 | Level A (Yes) · Level AA (Yes) · Level AAA (No) |
| WCAG 2.1 | Level A (Yes) · Level AA (Yes) · Level AAA (No) |
| Criteria | Conformance | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A) | Supports | All digital student resources have text alternatives provided. |
| 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (A) | Supports | No prerecorded audio-only or video-only media. All media includes accompanying text or audio. |
| 1.2.2 Captions Prerecorded (A) | Supports | All video instruction hosted on YouTube with captions or transcripts available. |
| 1.2.3 Audio Description (A) | Partially Supports | Some prerecorded videos include narration but do not describe all on-screen visual information. |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) | Supports | All student PDFs have been updated to ensure adequate structure. |
| 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (A) | Supports | A logical reading order is defined for all digital curriculum. |
| 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics (A) | Supports | Instructions do not rely solely on sensory characteristics such as color, shape, or visual location. |
| 1.4.1 Use of Color (A) | Supports | Digital resources do not rely on color as the sole method of conveying information. |
| 1.4.2 Audio Control (A) | Supports | No audio plays automatically. All audio and video content requires user initiation. |
| 2.1.1 Keyboard (A) | Supports | All content is operable using standard keyboard navigation. |
| 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap (A) | Supports | Content does not contain keyboard traps. |
| 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts (A 2.1) | Supports | No single-key or character-based shortcuts used. |
| 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable (A) | Supports | No time limits or auto-advancing content. |
| 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (A) | Partially Supports | Some GIFs within Google Slides cannot be paused. |
| 2.3.1 Three Flashes (A) | Supports | No flashing content or strobe-like effects. |
| 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (A) | Supports | No repeated navigational blocks. |
| 2.4.2 Page Titled (A) | Supports | Clear and descriptive titles on all digital curriculum files. |
| 2.4.3 Focus Order (A) | Supports | Most digital materials follow a logical focus order. |
| 2.4.4 Link Purpose (A) | Supports | Links use descriptive context which conveys purpose and destination. |
| 2.5.1 Pointer Gestures (A 2.1) | Supports | No complex pointer gestures required. |
| 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation (A 2.1) | Supports | Standard platform controls used for all interactions. |
| 2.5.3 Label in Name (A 2.1) | Supports | Visible labels match accessible names announced by assistive technologies. |
| 2.5.4 Motion Actuation (A 2.1) | Supports | No motion-based controls required. |
| 3.1.1 Language of Page (A) | Supports | English-language materials correctly identify primary language. |
| 3.2.1 On Focus (A) | Supports | No changes in context triggered on focus. |
| 3.2.2 On Input (A) | Supports | No auto-triggered navigation or unexpected behavior on input. |
| 3.3.1 Error Identification (A) | Supports | No form-based interactions requiring error identification. |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A) | Supports | Clear labels, prompts, and instructions provided for all user input. |
| 4.1.1 Parsing (A) | Supports | Content generated using platforms that produce valid underlying markup. |
| 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A) | Partially Supports | Some Interactive Lessons require additional ARIA labeling (in progress). |
| Criteria | Conformance | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2.4 Captions Live (AA) | Not Applicable | No live audio or synchronized media included. |
| 1.2.5 Audio Description (AA) | Partially Supports | Most videos include narration. Some third-party videos lack audio description. |
| 1.3.4 Orientation (AA 2.1) | Supports | Content viewable in multiple orientations except slide-based materials. |
| 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (AA 2.1) | Supports | No form fields collecting user information. |
| 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum (AA) | Supports | Materials meet minimum contrast ratios for text and images of text. |
| 1.4.4 Resize Text (AA) | Supports | Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content. |
| 1.4.5 Images of Text (AA) | Supports | Generally uses real text. Limited images of text include alt text. |
| 1.4.10 Reflow (AA 2.1) | Supports | Content viewable without loss at narrow viewport widths. |
| 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (AA 2.1) | Supports | Most visual elements meet 3:1 contrast ratio. |
| 1.4.12 Text Spacing (AA 2.1) | Supports | No restrictions on text spacing adjustments. |
| 1.4.13 Content on Hover/Focus (AA 2.1) | Supports | No custom hover- or focus-triggered content. |
| 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (AA) | Not Applicable | Standalone instructional documents, not navigable web pages. |
| 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA) | Supports | Clear and descriptive headings and labels used. |
| 2.4.7 Focus Visible (AA) | Partially Supports | Platform-standard controls provide visible keyboard focus indicators. |
| 3.1.2 Language of Parts (AA) | Supports | English content correctly tagged. Spanish resources being updated. |
| 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (AA) | Not Applicable | No repeated navigational mechanisms. |
| 3.2.4 Consistent Identification (AA) | Not Applicable | No repeated web components. |
| 3.3.3 Error Suggestion (AA) | Not Applicable | No form fields or data-entry interactions. |
| 3.3.4 Error Prevention (AA) | Not Applicable | No legal, financial, or permanent data modifications. |
| 4.1.3 Status Messages (AA 2.1) | Not Applicable | No dynamic alerts or notifications. |
The information provided in this document is a good-faith review of the SAM Labs digital curriculum resources at the time of evaluation and is subject to change without notice. This document was created using a combination of internal review processes and third-party accessibility tools and platforms (including but not limited to AI-based accessibility checks, Adobe Acrobat tagging tools, and Grackle). Due to the volume of materials in the SAM Labs content library, some instances of accessibility issues may not have been identified during this review. SAM Labs is committed to continuous improvement and will make necessary adjustments as issues are discovered. Please contact SAM Labs to report any accessibility feedback or concerns.