The Rise of 508 Compliance: What You Need to Know
Federal employees, government contractors, and other individuals connected to the DC region are seeing two words popping up with greater and greater frequency: 508 compliance.
What Is 508 Compliance?
508 compliance originates from a Congressional amendment passed in 1998 that requires “individuals with disabilities who are Federal employees to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable (emphasis our own) to the access to and use of the information and data by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities.” In other words, “when the Federal government develops, procures, maintains, or uses electronic and communications technology it must ensure that persons with disabilities are provided comparable access to and use of that which is provided to persons without disabilities.” Some of the most common sector applications for 508 compliance include:
Software applications and operating systems
Web-based intranet and internet information and applications
Video and multimedia products
While 508 compliance covers many digital products the Federal government produces, private contracting entities are increasingly requested to demonstrate expertise in this area. After all, these stipulations are just as relevant to accessibility and equitability outside of the public sector.
The Importance of 508 Compliance
According to HHS.gov, over 500 million people worldwide possess either visual impairment or “moderate-to-profound" hearing impairment. That figure does not even include individuals with tactile or mobility requirements, a group that particularly benefits from accessibility features like navigational keys that do not require the dynamic movements of a mouse or trackpad.
Without 508 compliant design, a dizzying array of online work, learning, and leisure resources would remain out of reach for these populations. In a world that has increasingly embraced digital technologies, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring more equitable access to digital resources has become a top priority for the Federal government.
New Emphasis
Yet the Federal government’s renewed 508 compliance emphasis is not due to COVID-19 alone.
Under the current administration, 508 compliance and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA (an even higher standard for web accessibility) have received particular attention. As just one example, one of the administration’s first actions in office was to redesign the Whitehouse.gov website, which now features several accessibility upgrades. While the White House aims to expand equitability on the web to the state and local levels of government, the Department of Justice has also stepped up its web accessibility enforcement.
Toward "Comparable” Compliance in the Private Sector
Lost in the shuffle can be just how much progress has been made in 25 years. While most digital tools today boast a wide array of capabilities and features, earlier digital products were once almost comically one-dimensional. As Allen Hoffman, a prominent accessibility specialist, notes, at the start of 508 efforts:
“ . . . faxes were still in heavy use, DSL was the hot networking connection, Google was still growing, Microsoft IE was ruling the internet, online stores were really, really new, touchscreens were only used on kiosks, audio-description was sometimes made available as a special release of a movie, Windows 98 was it, self-driving cars and artificial intelligence were sci-fi, and computers were so much less capable as compared to now as to boggle the mind.”
In the spirit of these drastic improvements, providing 508 compliant content for your organization is not an impossible task. It can be a significant undertaking, however. While government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have provided handy checklists to verify comparability in 508 compliance, adherence to these regulations goes beyond simple once-overs.
Digital.gov suggests that “designing for accessibility from the beginning is way easier.” Consulting people with disabilities when designing digital features from the beginning enables web developers, communications professionals, and other experts to seamlessly mirror accessibility features with other desired functions in a digital product.
But most importantly, no product is ever free from accessibility flaws. None. Thankfully, the Federal government understands that closing accessibility gaps are a process that will not be completed overnight. What matters is putting in a good-faith effort, one that is cognizant of the accessibility challenges faced by your customers, clients, and other users around the globe. These GSA digital tools and general website development tips are great places to start.