Section 508

What does Section 508 mean?

Section 508 is a federal law that requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. Section 508 was enacted as part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and was amended in 2018 by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA).

Section 508 sets forth specific accessibility standards for EIT, including websites, software, electronic documents, and multimedia. These standards are based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, which are developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Section 508 applies to all federal agencies, including executive departments, independent agencies, and military departments. It also applies to contractors and subcontractors who develop, procure, maintain, or use EIT for federal agencies.

Section 508 is an important law that ensures that people with disabilities have equal access to information and technology. It helps to break down barriers and create a more inclusive society.

Applications

Section 508 has a wide range of applications in technology today. It is used to ensure that:

• Websites are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes people who are blind, deaf, or have cognitive disabilities.
• Software is accessible to people with disabilities. This includes people who use assistive technology, such as screen readers or voice recognition software.
• Electronic documents are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes people who use screen readers or other assistive technology to read documents.
• Multimedia is accessible to people with disabilities. This includes people who are deaf or blind.

Section 508 is important in technology today because it ensures that people with disabilities have equal access to information and technology. It helps to break down barriers and create a more inclusive society.

History

Section 508 was enacted in 1973 as part of the Rehabilitation Act. The law was originally designed to ensure that people with disabilities had equal access to education and employment. In 1998, Section 508 was amended to include electronic and information technology.

In 2018, Section 508 was again amended by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA). The CVAA expanded the scope of Section 508 to include telecommunications and video Programming.

Section 508 has a Long history of helping to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to information and technology. The law has been instrumental in breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive society.