Section 508

Resources on Section 508

How to Test Websites for Accessibility —Use both manual and automated testing methods to create accessible websites.
The Section 508 Standards —The Section 508 Standard for Electronic and Information Technology requires that when a federal agency shares information digitally, …
Web Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) —A single shared standard for web content accessibility, developed in the open to meet the needs of individuals, organizations, and governments internationally

Tools and Services

Section508.gov —Guidance for Federal agencies on IT accessibility compliance.

News and Events on Section 508

32 posts

New on Section508.gov: Integrating Accessibility into DEIA Implementation Plans — Accessibility, the “A” in DEIA, is a foundation on which the federal workforce must build diversity, equity and inclusion for people with disabilities. Without accessibility, we cannot truly achieve the others.

The GSA Government-wide IT Accessibility Program has published “Integrating Accessibility into Agency Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Implementation Plans,” a guide designed to support the Accessibility roadmap outlined in the Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce. The guidance contained in this article is a preliminary step before offering broader updates to guidance and best practices materials to meet this objective.

— via Section508.gov

Dec 20, 2021

FAR Updated To Add Revised Section 508 Standards for Information and Communication Technology—On January 18, 2017, the U.S. Access Board issued a final rule (the Revised 508 Standards) that updated accessibility requirements covered by Section 508 for Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Read more about the final FAR rule update and changes effective as of September 10, 2021. — via Section508.gov

Nov 02, 2021

Plain Language

Plain Language: Accessibility for Content

Learn what the plain language and accessibility communities share: opportunities to help people get and understand information. Find out what you can do to help.

Bethany Letalien

Katherine Spivey

Alex Wilson

Mar 10, 2021

How to Test Websites for Accessibility—Use both manual and automated testing methods to create accessible websites. — via Digital.gov

Jul 15, 2020

This Week's IDEA

Spring Cleaning Tips for Web Content

Three tips to tidy up the content on federal websites

Ammie Farraj Feijoo

Apr 07, 2020

456 views

Introducing Accessibility for Teams

A guide to making products more accessible for everyone

Maya Benari

Jul 10, 2018

Learn About the Updated IT Accessibility Standards

Effective January 18, 2018, the revised 508 standards modernize the federal government’s IT accessibility standards and bring us into alignment with governments around the world.

Rachel Flagg

Jan 30, 2018

A Conversation With ITIF About the State of Federal Government Websites

Since it’s been nearly six months since their report was released, we wanted to check in with ITIF and see what they’ve learned, what they’ve heard from agencies and what their future plans are to build on this research.

Andrea Sigritz

Sep 20, 2017

Benefits of Accessible Design

According to the World Bank, approximately one billion people worldwide live with a disability, making up the world’s largest minority. Designing from an accessibility-first standpoint has the potential to benefit all stakeholders, not just people with disabilities, because accessible design typically delivers a better user experience. Currently many websites and digital platforms are inaccessible, which makes them difficult

Phillip Crawford

May 09, 2017

NASA’s Journey With the U.S. Web Design Standards

The U.S. Web Design Standards were created by the government, for the government. They’re currently implemented on hundreds of government sites, with an audience of more than 26 million monthly users. They’ve also been recommended by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for all government agencies to ensure a consistent look and feel of

Julia Elman

Mar 24, 2017

New ITIF Report Inspires a Closer Look at Website Performance and Security—Here Is Where to Begin

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) recently published a report, Benchmarking U.S. Government Websites, that looks at the performance, security, and accessibility of the top 297 government websites. ITIF is a think tank in Washington, D.C. whose mission is to formulate, evaluate, and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovation in technology and public policy.

Digital.gov Team

Mar 24, 2017

Webinar Recap: Snaps and Stripes—Sharing Public Service Stories with Snapchat

What does Snapchat, the disappearing message-and-video platform most used by teenagers, have to do with government outreach and communications programs? Well, Snapchat has quickly become an incredibly effective digital storytelling medium, and content creators across multiple government agencies have adopted it as an important part of their programs. A recent New York Times article described

Lisa Bari

Sep 27, 2016

Celebrating the 18th Anniversary of the Section 508 Rehabilitation Act

August 8, 2016, marks the 18th anniversary of the amendment to the Section 508 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which covers access to information technology in the federal sector. To recognize the importance of IT accessibility, we wanted to highlight some agency initiatives to improve accessibility across the federal landscape. As amended, the Act requires: …access

Alycia Piazza

Aug 15, 2016

Welcome to the New DHS.gov

Today, I am happy to announce the newly optimized DHS.gov website. Over the past year, DHS has worked behind the scenes to update and modernize our flagship website, making it faster and easier to use. Some of the specific differences you’ll see are: Compatibility for both desktop computers and mobile devices (phones and tablets) Cleaner,

J. Todd Breasseale

Jun 09, 2016

Our CX Recipe for Success: Complete with Ingredient List and Substitutions!

If you were to spend any time with me in the kitchen, you would often find me searching out substitutions for ingredients that I don’t have on hand or have to drive 100 miles to find. I don’t want to abandon the recipe, so I substitute instead. I find that in the world of internal

Tanya McIlravy

May 31, 2016

The Data Briefing: Create an App for Employees with Disabilities

Have you worked with an employee with a disability? Are you an employee with a disability? Then, you know the unique challenges of the average workplace that able-bodied colleagues may never experience. Workplace challenges could be overcome with accommodations such as larger computer monitor displays, wheelchair-accessible office furniture or a voice reader. In some cases,

Bill Brantley

Oct 28, 2015

National Customer Service Week Is Over, but Our Work Is Not!

Get your customer personas right, and you will improve the customer experience (CX) for the rest of your audience. That’s advice Rick Parrish from Forrester Research gave in response to an audience question during the September 29 DigitalGov University webinar on the state of CX in the federal government. Your key customers are those that are most important to the organization, and often most

Karen Trebon

Oct 20, 2015