Overview of Section 508 and CA Govt. Code 11135

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Overview of Section 508 and CA Govt. Code 11135
Summit on Accessible Technology in California
Government and Higher Education Feb. 24,
2009 Deborah Kaplan
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People with Disabilities and Technology

• Today, technology is used to do almost everything
• Good news/Bad news
• Technology can make things easier and even open
  up new possibilities
• But its often inaccessible
• And, with ever changing versions and releases,
  you cant even assume something will remain
  accessible

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Whats at stake

• Jobs
• Getting an education
• Receiving timely information
• Shopping
• Etc.
• How ironic! The same media that provides amazing
  opportunities can take it all away.

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The role of Government

• Government has always played an important role
  for people with disabilities
• Establishing and implementing public policy
• A very significant employer, often on the cutting
  edge
• Provider of services and information

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Section 508

• Mid-1980s disability advocates wanted access
  to technology
• Mandates?
• Market power as a magnet
• 1986 1st version of 508
• 1998 2nd version, strengthened
• 2001 Standards developed by U.S. Access Board

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Section 508

• requires Federal agencies to develop, procure,
  maintain or use electronic and information
  technology so that Federal employees and members
  of the public with disabilities would have access
  to and use of information and data comparable to
  that of employees and members of the public
  without disabilities.

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States with 508 requirements

• About 1/3 of the states have enacted laws with
  508 requirements in procurement
• Several others have required websites to be
  accessible

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CA Gov. Code 11135(d)(2)

• requires state government entities, including the
  CSU, to comply with the accessibility
  requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
  Act of 1973 as amended, and to also apply the US
  Access Board accessibility standards to the
  electronic and information technology products
  and services that it buys, creates, uses and
  maintains.