Testing for 508 Compliance: Creating Doors For Digital Inclusion

Digital inclusion refers to the ecosystem of initiatives to guarantee that all people and communities, particularly people with disabilities, have access to and use the available information and communication technology (ICT).

It consists of five essential components: a cost-effective and reliable broadband Internet connection; connected devices that can be used by a variety of users; access to training in digital literacy; high-quality technical support; and programs and online content that promote independence, participation, and collaboration.

Digital inclusion leads to digital equity, which is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the ICT capacity needed for meaningful involvement in society, including in advancing the economy and democracy. It is necessary for access to basic services, earning a living, participating in civic and cultural activities, and lifelong learning.

How Section 508 supports digital inclusion

Section 508 is part of the 1998 amendment to the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires all federal agencies to develop, procure, maintain, and use ICT that is accessible to and navigable by everyone, including people with disabilities, regardless of whether or not they work for the federal government.

The US Access Board created Section 508 compliance standards that make it easier to apply the law effectively and set the standards for accessibility across a range of ICT products and services.

Besides from the social obligation that comes with digital inclusion, there are a number of other reasons why Section 508's emphasis on digital inclusion is growing popular among many firms. The user experience when utilizing an ICT product or service is improved, and enterprises are helped to comply with the law.

An increasing number of businesses have opted not to simply pursue digital inclusion for the purpose of expanding their market reach but because it is a crucial trait of great ICT products and services. It is for that reason that many businesses are critically conscious of undertaking regular Section 508 testing for their ICT products and services to enable them to improve the quality of the products or services as a strategy for attracting more new customers.

In fact, it is premised on the understanding that if products and services that should enable access to ICT services and opportunities exclude people with disabilities, then a great deal of talent will be cut out of the development landscape, which is why the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) worked in partnership with the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

The VPAT provides vendors of ICT products and services with a checklist to use as they address the broader issue of matching the characteristics of their products to the defined accessibility standards. A checklist created from the Section 508 compliance criteria is used, for instance, in the Section 508 compliance VPAT to document the accessibility of an ICT product or service.

The Section 508 VPAT details how information technology (IT) products and services adhere to the Section 

If the acquisition of a certain technology will place an unreasonable strain on the organization, the Section 508 Accessibility Standards take these conditions into account.

Section 508 VPAT also contains the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requirements for making web content accessible. This means that if you have an ICT product or service consisting of hardware and digital content, you donÕt have to fill out a separate VPAT Section 508 accessibility conformance report (ACR) and a WCAG VPAT ACR. Section 508 VPAT allows you to document the accessibility of your digital content in a single document.

If youÕre supplying or seeking to supply ICT products or services to the US federal government and any of its agencies, a VPAT 

 statement or certification will be mandatory. This is acquired after a VPAT 508 test of your product or service.

Section 508 compliance testing for your ICT products or services

Regardless of whether you are a small and micro enterprise (SME) or a large corporation, your ICT products or services must be VPAT-compliant to participate in the procurement processes of the federal organizations and those of the entities receiving funding from the federal government.

VPAT 508 compliance testing can be achieved using the manual process, the automatic testing tools, or a hybrid of the two. You can perform the testing by yourself or choose to hire a VPAT 508 testing professional to do it for you. Hiring a professional to handle it for you adds impartiality to the entire process and guarantees you high quality work because of the experience the specialists you employ bring to the exercise.

Need help testing your ICT product or service for VPAT 508 compliance?

Learn more about Section 508 VPAT compliance or get assistance in testing the accessibility of your ICT product or service today. Talk to a Section 508 VPAT consultant at (626) 486-2201 to arrange a free consultation and a quick Section 508 VPAT completion quote.

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