What are 508 compliance requirements?

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.

Who must comply with Section 508?

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d) requires federal agencies to develop, procure, maintain or use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) that is accessible to people with disabilities – regardless of whether or not they work for the federal government.

What does it mean to be Section 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.

Which four areas must be assessed when converting a site to 508 compliance?

The ADA and Section 508 differ in four main areas: audience, purpose, scope, and penalties.

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.

How do you know if something is 508 compliant?

508 Compliant Technical Requirements

  • Avoid the sole use of device dependent event handlers.
  • Ensure embedded objects are device-independent.
  • Ensure all active elements can receive keyboard focus.
  • Ensure keyboard focus is not provided to inactive elements.
  • Ensure menus can be opened from the keyboard.

Is Section 508 required?

508 compliance is required for government contracts (government agency procurement teams specifically look for accessibility) which means your business could be precluded from lucrative opportunities if your website, product, and/or service isn’t WCAG conformant.

What is the difference between ADA and Section 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 are the revised 508 standards?

The Revised 508 Standards contain scoping and technical requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) to ensure accessibility and usability by individuals with disabilities. Compliance with these standards is mandatory for Federal agencies.

Can a PDF be 508 compliant?

Are PDF documents accessible?

PDFs can be opened and viewed on any computer, operating system or software application that supports it. Almost all software tools that generate digital files support the PDF format and even allow users to create PDF versions of their files from within their software apps.

What is the difference between 504 and 508 compliance?

With the advent of the Internet, an amendment (Section 508) was signed into law in 1998, expanding the Rehabilitation Act to include equal access to electronic and information technology. Section 504 was originally the last line of the Rehabilitation Act, but did not have any implementing rules.

What is 508 compliance vs WCAG?

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.

Is 508 compliance part of ADA?

Section 508 is not part of the ADA. In 1998 the US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.

How do I make a document 508 compliant?

How to make PDFs 508 Compliant

  1. Structure the original source code properly. For example, suppose you are using Microsoft Word to create the document.
  2. Use a PDF writer or PDF converter that supports ISO standards and web accessibility.
  3. Run an Accessibility Check.
  4. Document the properties.
  5. Provide an alternative version.

How do you check if a document is accessible?

Windows. With the document open go to File > Info. Then click Check for Issues button and choose Check Accessibility.

How do I make a PDF 508 compliant?

How do I make sure my PDF is accessible?

Check accessibility of PDFs (Acrobat Pro)

  1. Choose Tools > Accessibility.
  2. In the secondary toolbar, click Full Check/Accessibility Check.
  3. In the Report Options section, select options for how you want to view the results.
  4. Select a page range if you prefer to check individual pages of a document.

What is Section 508 and why is it important?

What is Section 508? Section 508 is part of a 1998 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It requires all Federal electronic content to be accessible. The U.S. Access Board is an independent Federal agency which develops and maintains standards that must be met to achieve 508 compliance.

Is WCAG 2.1 a legal requirement?

WCAG 2.1 is not required by government agencies or under Section 508. At this time WCAG 2.1 is not required by the revised US Federal Section 508 standards. The US Access Board would need to start an official process to update the revised standards to reference the updated WCAG.