How does Section 508 apply to me?
- All government agencies are required to comply with Section 508
- All content purchased or used by the Federal government for the creation, conversion, or duplication of information must meet the Section 508 standards
Who is responsible for 508 compliance?
The Air Force 508 Compliance official has overall responsibility for addressing the Section 508 challenge; to ensure the Air Force Section 508 project addresses ICT accessibility issues before they adversely affect the mission and mission support functions.
What is Section 508 and who needs to be compliant?
Section 508 is an amendment to the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This federal law mandates that all electronic and information technology “developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government” must be accessible to people with disabilities.
What does Section 508 compliance mean?
Section 508, an amendment to the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is a federal law mandating that all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities. 508 Compliance, therefore, involves developing a website that can be used by people with limited vision or blindness, deafness, seizure disorders, and other disabilities.
How to test 508 compliance?
There are several ways to validate conformance to the Revised 508 Standards:
- Automated - High volume 508 conformance testing tools automatically scan and test electronic content;
- Manual - Manual testing uses a documented, consistent, repeatable process;
- Hybrid - A combination of automated and manual testing.
Does Section 508 apply to all websites?
Since Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 only applies to federal agencies, the short answer is no. However, other laws do apply, and the bottom line is that your website is likely required to be accessible.
Is 508 compliance required?
The Revised Section 508 Standards contain scoping and technical requirements for ICT to ensure accessibility and usability by individuals with disabilities. Compliance with these standards is mandatory for federal agencies.
Does 508 compliance apply to software?
Section E205 of the Revised 508 Standards specifies which electronic content, including web, software, multimedia and electronic documents, must conform to the technical requirements.
What does it mean to be 508 compliant?
508 Compliance is shorthand for a law that requires federal government websites to be safe and accessible for people with disabilities. This law covers a range of issues related to assisting people with different kinds of disabilities.
What is the difference between ADA and 508?
Ultimately, ADA protects the civil rights of persons with disabilities participating in interstate commerce; whereas Section 508 is a set of regulations related to access to Government ICT. 508 compliance provides accessibility for digitally published material within government agencies and entities.
What happens if you are not 508 compliant?
Settlements and Penalties There are fines in place for Section 504/Section 508. But, for those who have received a demand letter for settlement or have been sued under the ADA Title III, the costs extend to court fees, attorney fees and settlements and the requirement of making their website accessible.
How do I know if my document is 508 compliant?
To run the Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Check on a PDF, select the Accessibility Tool in the Tools panel. Select Accessibility Check in the Accessibility Tool panel on the right. The Accessibility Checker panel on the left lists the 508 compliance issues.
Are zoom recordings 508 compliant?
Zoom applications and web pages are compliant with both Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 AA recommendations, with a few exceptions. Full details about how each product complies with each WCAG guideline can be found in the products' respective VPAT documents can be found at www.zoom.us/accessibility.
Is 508 compliance the same as WCAG?
The most common include WCAG, 508, and ADA. While each standard aims to make all information (whether digital or print) accessible to people with disabilities, they are all different. WCAG, for example, is a set of website accessibility guidelines while 508 compliance refers to a federal law and ADA a civil rights law.
How is Section 508 enforced?
How is Section 508 enforced? When the federal government develops, procures, maintains, or uses information and communication technology, Section 508 ensures comparable access to people with disabilities as is provided to others.
What is the difference between 504 and 508 compliance?
Conformance with Section 508 standards does not require or guarantee that all of an individual's accessibility needs will be met. Section 504 is one way to address these situations.
Is 508 compliance the same as WCAG?
The most common include WCAG, 508, and ADA. While each standard aims to make all information (whether digital or print) accessible to people with disabilities, they are all different. WCAG, for example, is a set of website accessibility guidelines while 508 compliance refers to a federal law and ADA a civil rights law.
What is the difference between 504 and 508 compliance?
Conformance with Section 508 standards does not require or guarantee that all of an individual's accessibility needs will be met. Section 504 is one way to address these situations.
What does Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require?
Overview. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d) requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public.
How much does 508 compliance cost?
Before you invest in ADA web design, you need a breakdown of ADA compliance pricing to know what to expect when you make your website 508 compliant. On average, ADA compliance services cost $1500 to $5000 to make your website compliant.
What If I Can’t Make A PDF 508 Compliant?
In very specific circumstances the minimum requirements cannot be met; for example, if a document’s accessibility errors are too technical. In rare cases like this, the PDF should include contact information for users in need of accommodation.
When to turn on accessibility checker?
It is best to turn on the Accessibility Checker as soon as you start a new Word document or PowerPoint presentation. The accessibility checker will alert you to accessibility issues that need to be addressed before a document is turned into a PDF.
What is 508 compliance?
The “508” in “508 compliance” refers to Section 508, an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 made in 1998. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by federal agencies and the programs they run.
Who does Section 508 apply to?
This includes many legal and financial organizations, health care providers, and private contractors.
Which states have accessibility standards?
States that require compliance with Section 508 or regulations like it include: Alabama. Arizona. Arkansas. California. Colorado. Connecticut.
Is it easier to audit a website for accessibility?
Auditing and monitoring a site for accessibility compliance is much easier than it sounds. There are dedicated website accessibility software solutions that can actively monitor a website. Free tools are also available that allow users to enter web pages via URL, HTML markup, or HTML file upload and provide feedback on problem areas.
Is Section 508 difficult?
Complying with Section 508 isn’t as difficult as it might seem.
Is compliance required by both pieces of legislation similar?
Thankfully, the compliance standards required by both pieces of legislation are similar, so the information ahead is useful even for workers in private industry.
Is Section 508 required by the federal government?
While Section 508 compliance is required on the federal level, it varies at the state level. Some states have adopted regulations similar to Section 508 (dubbed “little 508s”) or they outright require 508 compliance at the state level. This means, depending on the state, entities interested in working with either state or local government have ...
What is Section 508 and 501?
Section 508 requires that the federal government procure, create, use and maintain ICT that is accessible to people with disabilities, regardless of whether or not they work for the federal government .
What is 501 a 501?
Section 501 covers Reasonable Accommodation for an individual with a disability who is either an applicant for a federal government job or already works for the federal government. Section 501 covers more than just ICT for people with disabilities.
What is Section 504?
Section 504 prohibits discrimination based on disability by federal agencies and recipients of federal assistance. In this instance, accessibility applies to facilities, and communications such as websites. So, if your organization receives federal funding or assistance, your website is required to be accessible.
Is a non-federal website required to comply with the 508 standards?
December 12, 2017 - You may wonder if non-federal websites are required to comply with the Revised 508 Standards. Since Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 only applies to federal agencies, the short answer is no. However, other laws do apply, and the bottom line is that your website is likely required to be accessible.
Does Section 508 apply to a website?
Section 508 may not apply to your website, but other laws likely do, so your website should be accessible. Most accessibility standards are moving toward WCAG 2.0 standards to best meet the needs of people with disabilities.
What is 508 compliant?
Any and all digital communications that a company under Section 508 jurisdiction creates must be 508 compliant. This includes website content, emails, computer software, gaming systems, apps, and PDF versions of traditionally printed assets.
What is Section 508?
Its purpose is to “…require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities.”
What are the 508 and 255 guidelines?
It also updated guidelines for telecommunications and reorganized Section 508 and Section 255 guidelines to better align with and reflect recent communication technology innovations. The guidelines affect all federal agencies and vendors, contractors and partners of those agencies operating in the United States or abroad.
What are the laws related to Section 508?
There are several laws related to Section 508, including laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. When talking about communications, the three most relevant related laws are: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
Does Section 508 apply to federal agencies?
Section 508 doesn’t apply to federal agencies only. It also impacts any company that does business with a federal agency. This includes private contractors, the financial industry, healthcare, many legal organizations, and others. If you’re not sure if you need to be 508 compliant, it’s best to ask an expert.
Is Section 508 compliant?
Achieving complete 508 compliance can be a complicated process to try and undertake on your own. Many people within an organization are responsible for documents and communications that fall under Section 508, as well as hiring or conducting business with contractors which must also be compliant. There are online assessment tools, but these are shortcut solutions.
What is 508 compliance?
It is also a federal requirement that follows guidance through various official US government portals. The best way to do that is to start digesting the criteria and optimizing your web pages, apps, or software in simple steps.
How to achieve 508 compliance?
To achieve 508 compliance, use text and page background colors that have a significant level of brightness and contrast.
What Are The Main Section 508 Compliance Requirements?
Essentially, Section 508 requires that all Federal information that is electronically accessible needs to also be accessible for people with disabilities. This includes a number of technical standards that need to be met so that Section 508 compliance is met.
What is Section 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a document that ensures that every web page, software, or app, is accessible to all people with disabilities. Inside, there is a checklist that helps simplify the federal information that consists of within the Act.
When was Section 508 added to the Rehabilitation Act?
Section 508, on the other hand, was added as an amendment to the original version in 1986 .
How to meet accessibility criteria?
In order to meet the accessibility criteria, one must first test their website, app, or software and see if the requirements are met. When testing, you will notice different recommendations such as alt text alternatives on your images, accessibility in PDF files, etc.
What is Section 508?
In the first chapter we’ll learn what is Section 508, its history and its relation to the Rehabilitation act.
Why does Section 508 matter for my business?
Section 508 is crucial to people with disabilities, as, without it, they would not be able to navigate, comprehend, or have access to critical online information.
Other Laws That Apply to Website Accessibility
- Even when Section 508 doesn’t apply, many non-federal websites are still required to be accessible under other laws, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or state or local laws. Section 504 prohibits discrimination based on disability by federal agencies and recipients of federal assistance. In this instance, accessibility applies to facilities, and communi…
What About The Americans with Disabilities Act?
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also comes into play here, and applies more broadly. The Department of Justice (DOJ) says that ADA requires any person, business, or organization covered under the Act to communicate effectively about their programs, services, and activities. This includes information provided through your website. In its Supplemental Advance Notice o…
The Bottom Line
- Section 508 may not apply to your website, but other laws likely do, so your website should be accessible. Most accessibility standards are moving toward WCAG 2.0 standards to best meet the needs of people with disabilities. Regardless of whether or not federal regulations apply to your website, designing for all users is a best practice, and will ...