Section 508 and how to identify

[netpicker9]

Hi,

What is "Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility for applications"

How to identify 508 enabled websites? any good example?

Thanks

[Dan Schulz]

Hi netpicker9, and welcome to SitePoint!

You can learn all you ever wanted to know about Section 508 at www.section508.gov

The law: http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?...n=Content&ID=3

As for identifying them, some of them typically have a link to the Section 508 site claiming compliance. But it's really not that hard to make a compliant site; in fact, it's downright easy if you're already capable of producing accessible Web sites.

[Mittineague]

Hi netpicker9, welcome to the forums,

Section 508 applies to Federal Agencies. Although the standards could be applied voluntarily by anyone else too. They are similar to the w3c's WAI standards but are not voluntary for Federal Agencies unless they are exempt.

How to identify a site? Is it a Federal Agency's site? If so then there's a good chance it conforms to the law. If you search for "section 508" you will find several online tools that are available for evaluating a site's compliance. AFAIK, it isn't required that they have a compliance "badge" or statement that identifies their compliance.

I don't know of any "model" sites for a good example. But I would be interested in checking one out.

[AutisticCuckoo]

Section 508 applies to Federal Agencies.

Is that really correct? I was under the impression that it applies to any site that has received federal funding.

[AlexDawson]

Is that really correct? I was under the impression that it applies to any site that has received federal funding.

Nope it only applies to government agencies themselves, and though Section 508 compliance only really has to be implemented by such agencies, it is widely considered the most basic form of “accessibility beyond validation” so to the original poster, Just follow the guidelines on the link posted earlier and you can get your site up to scratch (if required).