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What Is
Section 508?

Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. The Center for Information Technology Accommodation (CITA), in the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Governmentwide Policy, has been charged with the task of educating Federal employees and building the infrastructure necessary to support Section 508 implementation. Using the Section 508 web site, Federal employees and the public can access resources for understanding and implementing the requirements of Section 508.

Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (1194.22)

The criteria for web-based technology and information are based on access guidelines developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium. Many of these provisions ensure access for people with vision impairments who rely on various assistive products to access computer-based information, such as screen readers, which translate what's on a computer screen into automated audible output, and refreshable Braille displays. Certain conventions, such as descriptive tags or identification of graphics and format devices, like frames, are necessary so that these devices can "read" them for the user in a sensible way. The provisions do not prohibit the use of web site graphics or animation. Instead, they aim to ensure that such information is also available in an accessible format. Generally, this means use of text labels or descriptors for graphics and certain format elements. (HTML code already provides an ALT tag for graphics which can serve as a descriptor for graphics). This section also addresses the usability of web-based multimedia presentations, image maps, style sheets, scripting languages, applets and plug-ins, and electronic forms.

Section 508 applies to Federal web sites but not to private sector web sites (unless a site is provided under contract to a Federal agency, in which case only that web site or portion covered by the contract would have to meet the applicable technical provisions; the contractor's own web site that is not part of the "contract deliverables" would not have to meet the provisions.).

Accessible sites offer significant advantages that go beyond ensuring usability for people with disabilities. Someone without a disability who wants to be able to download a Federal web page faster can turn off graphics and still receive a comprehensible web page. Sites that meet the Access Board's technical provisions can facilitate transmission of web-based data to cell phones and personal digital assistants.

508 Accessibility Tips

Colors

Avoid known color problems. RED and GREEN are the colors most affected by color-vision deficiency.

Nearly everyone can see BLUE and can distinguish it from different colors.

Images

Use alt text to describe images from the user’s point of view. Use alt="" when image conveys no information

Good use of ALT

• alt="Icon: Help"
• alt=""

Bad use of ALT

• alt="banner_v2.gif"
• alt="spacer"

HTML Elements

<FIELDSET>

The FIELDSET element allows authors to group related controls and labels. Grouping related form controls allows authors to divide a form into smaller, more manageable parts. By default a border is placed around FIELDSET.

<LEGEND>

The LEGEND element allows authors to assign a caption to a FIELDSET.

<LABEL>

Some form controls automatically have labels associated with them (press buttons) while most do not (text fields, checkboxes and radio buttons, and menus). The LABEL element is used to specify labels for controls that do not have implicit labels.

By associating labels with form controls, authors give important hints to users of speech browsers while also allowing visual browsers the ability to click on a text label to select a radio button or checkbox.

<TABINDEX>

The TABINDEX value determines the tab order as follows:

1. Positive TABINDEX are selected in increasing order (and in source order to resolve duplicates).
2. TABINDEX of zero are selected in source order.
3. Negative TABINDEX are omitted from the tabbing order.