Section 508 covers access to federal programs and services in regards to electronic and information technology. This law requires that alternative, accessible information technology be provided to disabled employees and members of the public (meaning, a system that can be operated in a variety of ways and does not rely on a single "sense or ability" of a user). The Section 508 standards are the technical requirements and criteria that are used to measure conformance with the law.
In 1998 the US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. In February 2014 the US Access Board submitted this law for refresh or review with the revisions and terms of enforcement being slated for release by the end of 2015.
When the Access Board makes its decision about refreshing Section 508 to increase its standards be more applicable to the modern Web, accessibility requirements for online Internet content are likely to increase.
It is of key importance to set up a work flow that can easily be expanded to incorporate ADA standards now.
Why should this matter to me?
If you are a part of a federally funded industry, or if your company has adopted these regulations, you must provide equal accessibility to users with disabilities. Many large companies have voluntarily chosen to be 508 Compliant and offer accessibility for their online audience because they realize they are "place of public accommodation".
Making online content accessible to people with disabilities begins with voluntarily making files compliant from your end.
More information accessibility standards can be found on:
But who needs to be compliant now?
All federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding are required to be 508 Compliant.
This includes:
- Government agencies
- Government centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)
- Federally funded non-profits
- Public higher education institutions
- Public K-12 schools
In today's world full of technology if someone has a disability, how do they utilize these technologies on a daily basis like everyone else? Section 508 compliance ensures that accessibility will not be a barrier to your audience.