What is Section 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in 1998 requires information and communications technology procured, used, maintained, and developed by the Federal Government to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Some vendors make the status of their accessibility compliance publicly available, in the form of a document called a VPAT, which stands for…
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
Section 508 affects a wide variety of systems and services. The list includes…
- PC and mobile software applications and operating systems.
- web-based information and applications.
- self-contained systems such as office equipment and information kiosks, as well as desktop, mobile, and notebook computers.
Based on an agency’s need for a procurement of ICT, purchase officers for government agencies are instructed to follow five steps.
- First, they research available market solutions.
- Second, they determine which product is most compliant.
- Third, they select the product that provides the best value, and weigh it against the product’s level of compliance.
- Fourth, they document the level of compliance found in the research and record their due diligence.
- Finally, they document the unavailability of any systems or services that cannot meet accessibility standards in the commercial marketplace.
One of the standards required for software and operating systems is keyboard accessibility. This is because..
…people with mobility impairments may have difficulty using a mouse.
True or False
Section 508 is subdivided into 4 subparts; subpart B contains the technical standards.
True.
Section 508 is subdivided into 4 subparts; subpart B contains the technical standards.
Which of the following statements are true?
a. Many federal departments including HHS and the Department of Education have required that all content created using federal money be 508 compliant.
b. Some states, such as California, require that content created with state funds comply with Section 508.
c. US Federal government agencies are instructed to purchase the most compliant information and communications technology – also known as ICT – that meets an agency’s business needs, unless a valid exception applies.
d. All of the above.
d. All of the above.
While Section 508 itself does not impose requirements outside of federal agencies, in practice, many federal departments including HHS and the Department of Education have required that all content created using federal money be 508 compliant. In addition, some states, such as California, require that content created with state funds comply with Section 508. US Federal government agencies are instructed to purchase the most compliant information and communications technology - also known as ICT - that meets an agency’s business needs, unless a valid exception applies.
The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in…
- public accommodations
- employment
- transportation
- state and local government services
- telecommunications.
ADA Title I refers to:
private, local, or state employers with more than 15 employees.
ADA Title II refers to:
facilities and services as provided by state and local government.
True or False
ADA Title III covers services on the internet.
True.
ADA Title III refers to public accommodations. This started as private entities who own, lease, lease to, or operate facilities such as - but not limited to - restaurants, movie theaters, banks, convention centers, or doctor’s offices. Recent rulings have broadened this definition to include services on the internet as well.
True or False
While there has been an increase in accessibility lawsuits in recent years, they are actions pursued at the federal level; state government does not take their own action, generally.
False.
There has been an increase in accessibility lawsuits in recent years, and they are not all Federal cases; state agencies and Attorney General Offices have also exerted pressure on businesses to make websites accessible under state non-discrimination statutes.
Which section of the ADA frequently gets applied to the websites of private businesses?
Title III is the section of the ADA that frequently gets applied to the websites of private businesses.
Title IV of the ADA…
- requires common carriers to establish interstate and intrastate TRS 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- dictates that the FCC set minimum standards for TRS services.
- requires closed captioning of Federally funded public service announcements.
The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act…
- focuses on broadband and cellular providers
- focuses on software and equipment manufacturers
- focuses on video programming distributors, and producers of video content.
True or False
Under section 716 of the Communications Act, the FCC is empowered to enforce violations of the CVAA with fines.
True
Under section 716 of the Communications Act, the FCC is empowered to enforce violations of the CVAA with fines of up to $100,000 per day for a violation, up to $1 million dollars per violation, with possible damages against carriers as well.
True or False
[CVAA]
If the third-party solution necessary for accessibility, as identified by the manufacturer or service provider, is no longer available on the market, the manufacturer or service provider must stop supporting the old solution and instead identify a new solution.
False
If the third-party solution necessary for accessibility, as identified by the manufacturer or service provider, is no longer available on the market, then the manufacturer or service provider must identify a new solution and support the old solution for at least two years after that solution has been discontinued.
WCAG stands for…
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were created through the Web Accessibility Initiative at the W3C. The W3C stands for World Wide Web Consortium, an international organization which works with stakeholders including industry and the web community to create web guidelines.
True or False
[WCAG 2.0]
The Robust category has only one guideline: “Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.”
True
The Robust category has only one guideline: “Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.”
