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Most of you are here for this course because you want to know what you must do to make your Web presence accessible according to the standards that have been put in place for Section 508. In this introductory section we will discuss the nature of the important "Section 508" legislation that brings us together and what it means for information technology to be accessible. What is Section 508?

The legislation referred to as "Section 508" is actually an amendment to the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The amendment was signed into law by President Clinton on August 7, 1998. Section 508 requires that electronic and information technology that is developed or purchased by the Federal Government is accessible by people with disabilities.

The 1986 version of Section 508 established non-binding guidelines for technology accessibility while the 1998 version created binding, enforceable standards that will be incorporated into the Federal Procurement procedures.

In addition to providing for enforceable standards, the amended Section 508 establishes a complaint procedure and reporting requirements, which further strengthen the law.

Section 508 does not apply to the private sector or to agencies or establishments using federal funds. But because of the magnitude of federal purchasing power, it is believed that Section 508 will promote competition in the technology industry by clarifying the Federal market's requirement for accessibility in products intended for general use.

Federal agencies must purchase electronic and information technology that is accessible to employees and the members of the public who are disabled - providing that it is not an undue burden on the agency. This means that if two companies are bidding a government contract and one is offering accessible solutions, then the accessible technology is likely to win the contract.

What Does it Mean to be "Accessible?"

Basically, technology is accessible if it can be used as effectively by people with disabilities as by those without. How can that "definition" of "accessible" help a Web developer or a hardware designer know what to do to make his or her products comply with Section 508 so as to compete for federal bids? The answer is it doesn't help very much. Companies don't have the resources to have all their products tested by people with all disabilities; it is good to do some of that testing, but hopeless to do all of it.

Instead, Section 508 required that the Access Board establish standards for accessibility. To do that the Board empanelled the Electronic and Information Technology Access Advisory Committee (EITAAC) in October of 1998.

The EITAAC was composed of representatives from industry, academics, government and disability advocacy organizations. The group proposed standards for accessible electronic and information technology. This was the basis of a "proposed rule" issued by the Access Board on March 31, 2000. After a public comment period a final rule was issued on December 21, 2000. This final rule contains the standards for accessible electronic and information technology that will be the heart of the Section 508 enforcement beginning in June of 2001,

Standards Make the Job Easier

The final Section 508 rule includes so-called functional standards that require, for example, that there be a way for a person who is mobility impaired or blind to use your product or Web site. In addition, and more importantly, the Section 508 standards say your Web site has to satisfy sixteen specific items for Web accessibility. These are specific things you must do during Web site development to ensure that a person who is mobility impaired or blind, for example, can use your site. These standards are the basis of the subject matter for this course.

For example, the standards say you must use alternative text for images and use client side image maps instead of server side maps. These are fairly simple and clear requirements.

In addition to the Web, the Section 508 final rule includes specific standards for software, hardware, and telecommunications equipment.

There have been a number of different efforts establishing guidelines for Web accessibility. These include IBM and Microsoft from industry. All of them, and the 508 standards as well, draw on the work of the Web Accessibility Initiative that has crafted a set of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

The WAI guidelines are grouped by priority; the thirteen priority 1 guidelines or checkpoints are very similar to those in the final Section 508 rule. In fact, eleven of the sixteen 508 Standards are drawn directly from the WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), in some cases using language more consistent with enforceable regulatory language. Five of the 508 standards do not appear in the WAI checkpoints and require a higher level of access or give more specific requirements. On the other hand, there are four priority 1 WAI checkpoints that were not adopted by the Access Board. The differences between The WAI and Section 508 are discussed in the Access Board document and here in a Side-by-side comparsion of WCAG and Section 508.

Other Forces for Accessibility

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which became law in 1990 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. The ADA generally requires employers, state and local governments and places of public accommodation to offer reasonable services or tools to insure that people are not discriminated against on the basis of disability.

The whole issue of the applicability of the ADA to the Web is whether or not the Web can be considered a "place of public accommodation." The Department of Justice has ruled that it considers the Web just such a place.

The National Federation of the Blind sued AOL in part based on the interpretation of the Web as a place of public accommodation and therefore subject to ADA. That suit was settled out of court with AOL agreeing to make its Web browsing technology accessible. Because of that settlement, there has not yet been a court ruling supporting or denying the concept that the Web, like a store or sidewalk or bus, is a place where discrimination against people with disabilities would not be permitted.

It is easy to argue that it makes sense to make your Web site accessible. Almost all Web technology can be made accessible with no impact on the visual appearance. And, as we shall see, the process is fairly simple.

Doing so increases your market. The number of people who have disabilities worldwide is significant. In America alone, it is estimated that 54 million people have a disability. You may be

Young people in their early 20's with perfect vision and tactile acuity (mouse professionals) are so often the Web site designers. But with advances in medicine and science, and with an aging population, more and more people who have disabilities, even minor disabilities, are using the computer and going to the Web. If your Web presence is not accessible, those millions will go elsewhere.

Basic web page

Web Accessibility for Section 508