Section 508 Standards and Compliance for Federal Agencies
Supporting federal agencies with Section 508 accessibility requirements
Where Section 508 applies across federal digital systems
Section 508 applies across digital content, procurement, and public-facing digital services:
Accessible Digital Content
Web content, applications, documents, and media must meet Section 508 requirements. Agencies often need structured audits and Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) documentation to demonstrate conformance.
Contract and Vendor Management
All technology acquired by federal agencies must meet accessibility criteria, and all federal contractors and vendors must provide accurate, defensible VPATs.
Public-Facing Digital Services
The public needs independent access to all federal services, including websites, forms, and self-service interactions.
Solutions that support Section 508 alignment and lifecycle management
Assistive Technology integration
JAWS®, ZoomText®, and Fusion® enable employees and citizens who are blind or have low vision to have equitable access to digital systems and information.
Accessibility and Audit Testing
Our Accessibility Managed Service professionals offer detailed conformance assessments for websites, software, and documents to ensure compliance with Section 508 and WCAG standards.
Training and capacity building
We offer customized, hands-on training for accessibility teams, enabling them to build sustainable accessibility practices.
Governance & lifecycle support
Ongoing monitoring, documentation, and support to ensure accessibility remains a continuous process, not a one-time fix.
Understanding VPATs and how they support federal procurement
VPATs are formal documentation used to demonstrate accessibility conformance. For federal contractors and vendors, a VPAT is a key artifact of due diligence and significantly influences contract awards and renewals. Vispero assists federal agencies and contractors in preparing accurate, defensible VPATs, identifying gaps, and training teams to maintain ongoing updates.
Key accessibility requirements for assistive technology compatibility
Making a website compatible with assistive technology like screen readers requires specific design, content, and development considerations. To meet Section 508 conformance, digital content must be structured so assistive technologies can interpret and present information reliably. Key requirements include:
- Clear document structure and meaningful headings
Keyboard-accessible navigation - Correct ARIA labeling
- Accurate language attributes
- Proper alt text
- Captions and transcripts for multimedia
- Adequate color contrast and scalable text
Together, these elements form the foundation of accessible digital design, ensuring compatibility with tools like JAWS®, ZoomText®, and Fusion®.
Section 508 standards and compliance frequently asked questions
Who Must Be Compliant With Section 508?
WCAG, Section 508 and the ADA: What’s the Difference?
Digital accessibility and compliance terms are often used interchangeably: ADA compliance, Section 508 compliance, and WCAG compliance. But there are key differences in these terms and to what they apply.
ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law passed by Congress to ensure all people have equal access to education, buildings, public places, and more. It also applies to digital technology. Local and state governments, non-profit organizations, and businesses must meet their accessibility standards.
Section 508: This federal law applies to digital assets and ICT that are procured, used, and produced by government agencies and those companies that contract with them.
WCAG: As noted above, this is the standard and guidelines for building and maintaining accessible digital technologies. Conformance to WCAG is required for compliance with Section 508.
How does Section 508 differ from WCAG?
Section 508 is a U.S. law governing ICT accessibility for federal agencies. WCAG is an international technical standard defining how to make web content accessible. Section 508 references WCAG for its compliance benchmarks.
Do state and local governments need to follow Section 508?
What is a VPAT, and who needs one?
Can Vispero help create or review a VPAT?
How does shift-left accessibility change the audit process?
Shift-left means moving accessibility checks earlier in design and development. Instead of discovering issues at the end of a project, teams evaluate wireframes, prototypes, components, and early builds—reducing remediation costs and preventing issues from recurring across releases.