508 compliance servcies and why it is crucial

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508 compliance services and why is it crucial
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Introduction
Section 508 outlines the virtual accessibility
requirements for federal agencies. Any
organization that wishes to do business with a
federal agency must prove it meets the laws
standards. Businesses can enable inclusive
digital experiences through professional 508
compliance services for an equitable and
accessible online environment.
What is Section 508?
Section 508 is the sub-section of the U.S.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that requires digital
content produced by the federal government to be
accessible to individuals with disabilities. It
also sets accessibility standards for digital
kiosks, applications, websites, and other digital
communications tools and content, which is known
as ICT (information communication technology).
Section 508 aims to ensure that individuals with
disabilities have equal access to government
services and information through its virtual
content.
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Who Must Be Compliant With Section 508?
Section 508 compliance extends to any electronic
and information technology maintained, used,
purchased, or developed, and it is mandatory for
federal agencies. U.S. government departments
that have applications, websites, and other
digital systems or content developed using
federal funds must comply with Section 508. This
includes establishments such as universities and
colleges and government contractors
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Section 508 Compliance Requirements

• To comply with Section 508, federal agencies must
  ensure that their virtual content can be accessed
  by everybody, irrespective of disability. This
  standard mandates that virtual content conforms
  to the requirements and criteria of WCAG 2.0.
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a
  set of widely recognized rules developed by the
  World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure that
  web content is accessible to people with
  disabilities.
• Section 508 requires virtual content and ICT used
  and produced by the federal government to follow
  WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA Success Criteria
  and Conformance Requirements. This includes
• Websites
• Software Applications
• Telecommunication devices
• Multimedia
• Hardware
• Electronic Documents

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Tips for Ensuring Full 508 Compliance
Here are some ways you can confirm Section 508
accessibility when developing a new application
or redesigning a company website. Start with
coding Using accessible development best
practices and avoiding coding errors helps ensure
assistive technology is compatible with your
website. Keyboard navigation By including
lists, headings, and other elements, you can make
your website easy to navigate with the
keyboard. Make visuals accessible Visuals
should be clear for all consumers, which includes
making them adding alt text and easy to search.
Transcripts and Captions For Section 508
accessibility, make sure captioning is synced
with video content and accurate. Include
transcript elements and audio transcripts with
videos. Accessible files and forms Contact and
lead generation forms are crucial on business
websites. Ensure screen readers can navigate
forms and downloadable PDFs and allow consumers
to fill out each element. Consistent alt text
Add alt text to all graphic and visual elements
and adhere to top practices for both providing
context and describing the image. This includes
illustrations, charts, and diagrams.
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THANK YOU!
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