Section 508

The term "Section 508" refers to section 508 checklist of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its subsequent updates in 1998 and 2017, with the goal of improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the United States. It prohibits disability discrimination in federal government and agency programs, as well as in organizations receiving federal funding or employment opportunities.

The phrase gained currency in 1990, with the signing into law of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in areas such as employment, access to federal and local government programs and services, public accommodations, transportation, and communications.

section 508 compliance checker prudently influences the purchasing behavior of the federal government and its agencies by making accessibility a requirement for spending their ICT budgets. While the law primarily targets federal departments and agencies, it also directly or indirectly targets the private sector, which provides ICT products and services to the federal government. The law also binds organizations that receive federal funding and opportunities, and it sets a precedent for the rest of the private sector by demonstrating that mainstreaming it and making it a requirement in institutions’ key budget items can achieve accessibility.

Section 508 has also provided a legal foundation for federal government departments and agencies to establish and operate accessibility programs. This has broadened the accessibility stakeholder base, which is significantly increasing online 508 compliance opportunities while also revolutionizing accessibility certification convenience.

Section 508 Guidelines for Web Access

The US Access Board, an independent federal agency that works on accessibility for people with disabilities, developed the Section 508 Guidelines for Web Access. The guidelines are found in the Code of Federal Regulations as "Title: Appendix D to Part 1194 – Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards," and were first published on December 21, 2000.

Who Needs Section 508 Compliance?

Section 508 may not directly apply to your organization or business if you are not a part of the federal government ecosystem or a contractor or vendor supplying products and services to the federal government, its agencies, and institutions that receive federal funding and other opportunities, such as educational institutions and public-benefit organizations. You should be aware, however, that you may be conducting business with organizations that are required to comply with Section 508 Vpat. If this is the case, it has an impact on how your products and services compare to those of your competitors who offer similar products and services.

If you sell your products and services to organizations that receive federal government funding and other opportunities, you may be required to comply with section 508 compliance testing requirements indirectly.

Even if your organization or business does not have a specific need to comply with Section 508, it is recommended that you do so because improving the accessibility of your products and services promotes equal access to the products and services regardless of a person's disability status. The federal government has already set a precedent in promoting accessibility, and other actors should now follow suit.

You Can Start Your Section 508 Compliance Now

Section 508 compliance is something you can start right away. The Internet is brimming with 508 compliant website templates from which you can learn as you complete your voluntary product accessibility template (VPAT).  These can be used in conjunction with studying Section 508 guidelines for web access and performing online 508 compliance tests on the website using a 508 compliance VPAT online website whose accuracy and confidence can be established based on its owners' history and experience in the field of accessibility.