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Section 508 Checklist for Accessibility

If you’re looking to ensure your digital content conforms to Section 508, congratulations! Taking the initiative towards greater accessibility will improve your user experience, lower your risk for legal action against your organization, and make it easier for the 20% of individuals who have a disability to patronize your business.

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What Is Section 508?

Section 508 is an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, most recently updated in 2017.
The Section 508 regulation includes specific accessibility standards for computer hardware, mobile phones, software, electronic content including documents, websites and multimedia, phone systems, copiers, and more. The standards provide a framework to ensure that ICT products and services can be accessible and interoperate with assistive technology solutions such as voice control, screen readers, and screen magnifiers used by persons with disabilities.
Whenever the US federal government develops, procures, maintains, or uses information and communications technology (ICT), Section 508 requires the government to provide comparable access to persons with or without disabilities.
For electronic content to be considered conformant with the Section 508 standards, it must meet Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), version 2.0. Additional Section 508 criteria apply to hardware, software, content creation tools, and their related documentation and support services.
Outside of the federal government, US entities who mandate Section 508 include state and local governments, schools and universities, organizations receiving federal funding, and technology providers for all of these.

Why Is Section 508 Important?

As much as 20% of the world population are people who have disabilities.
For people with disabilities inaccessible information and communication technology creates often insurmountable barriers to everyday life activities such as shopping, employment, education, participation in government services, and more.
Litigation based on inaccessibility can be expensive and not being selected for purchase by Federal and other customers can be opportunities missed.

What Should I Do?

If you design, develop, integrate, sell, or maintain information and communications technology (ICT) you have a part to play in ensuring accessibility and Section 508 conformance.

The following are steps you can take:

Make accessibility a priority within your organization.
Identify content and technologies you develop, integrate, or sell, that you would like to make available for a wide range of US buyers and organizations.
Audit your electronic content and ICT for Section 508 conformance.
Use the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) to document your level of Section 508 conformance.
Get training on how to create accessible Section 508 conforming ICT.
Integrate accessibility into all phases of your ICT processes.
Prioritize remediation of accessibility gaps and iteratively improve your ICT to become Section 508 conforming.
Regularly measure your organization’s accessibility maturity and prioritize efforts as needed.

Benefits of Section 508 Standards

Increased customer satisfaction
Increased sales to federal and other US customers
Doing the right thing