The work of AccessiBe is based on artificial intelligence and machine learning which helps to automatically improve the accessibility of a website, ensuring that users with disabilities can fully use the web content. With the adoption of 508 Compliance AccessiBe, websites trying to achieve the strict guidelines that are specified in section 508, aim to create an online environment that is accessible to everyone-disregarding their abilities or disabilities.
The government’s treatment to deal with disabled people was the biggest concern of this law. Different government departments like Health, Education, and welfare were assigned tasks to harmonize people with disabilities. Different grant authorizations for states like vocational rehabilitation services, and established federal responsibility for research and training are expanded under this law.
What is 508 Compliance AccessiBe?
As a consequence, the term 508 Compliance AccessiBe is a combination of the Section 508 compliance and Accessibe – an automatic web accessibility platform. Section 508 requires that all the electronic and information technology used by federal agencies is accessible to people with disabilities. Unlike AccessiBe, Section 508 is one of the accessibility standards that the tool is designed to make compliant.
What is Section 508 Compliance?
Section 508 Compliance is a term used to describe a set of accessibility standards and guidelines specified in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a United States federal law. This section uniquely discusses the availability of the EIT employed by federal agencies. Section 508 aims to provide equal access to and utilize of information and data to persons with disabilities and without.
Basically, Section 508 Compliance requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology available to disabled individuals. These include without limitation, websites, software, hardware and other digital materials. Section 508 standards address many types of disabilities including visual, auditory, cognitive and motor disabilities.
Latest Revision of Section 508: 2017
U.S. Access Board published its final update on section 508 accessibility requirements in March 2017 for information and communication technology (ICT). There are many important reasons for the update. One of them is to focus on the definition of “accessibility” while the other one is the radically new technology of the 21st century to bring the requirements in line.
- The contents on general websites should be accessible for different disabilities like hearing difficulties, visual impairments, deafness, cognitive, language, or learning problems.
- To aid people with disabilities the operating system at the root level of technological designs must be compatible with assistive technology.
Lawmakers work on 508 compliance accessibility to create a larger market of accessibility solutions by US government policy.
Importance of Accessibility
Worldwide
- 285 million people with visual impairment
- 275million people with hearing impairment
- Different people with many other disabilities like speech, physical, cognitive, neurological, or understanding of any particular language
508 compliance accessibility serves to protect the rights of these people suffering from any of these disabilities. Their purpose is to make their life normal regardless of their disabilities. It is not easy but the efforts of 508 Compliance accessibility are quite fruitful.
Assistive Technology(AT)
Any item, equipment, system, or solution used to aid people with disabilities. At lies under 508 compliance accessible.
Technical Examples
- Speech-to-text converter
- Screen magnifiers
- On-screen boards
- Text-to-speech converters
Section 508 Compliance Accessibility
Section 508 is not only a set of rules for government agencies, but the fun fact is any organization taking federal funds falls under 508 compliance accessible.
It means most of the government institutes like universities, museums, medical centers, and programs run but the funds provided by the federal government abide by 508 compliance accessible. This condition was put up back in 2015 by the lawsuit against Harvard University and MIT.
Not only government institutes but also contractors and third-party organizations that receive federal funds also lie under 508 compliance accessible. So if we simply put all of this any personnel related to federal funds eventually abide by 508 compliance accessible at the end.
This is an important point to be considered especially by small businesses if they wish to progress or get a grant from federal agencies at some stage.
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Section 508 Compliance and Business Navigation
The U.S. Access Board offers clear rules for firms that should follow the WCAG 2.0 standards as laid out in the beginning of the year 2018. Compliance does not only entail a legal requirement but also allow easier access to federal grants as well as a step towards creating progress.
Assistive technology seems to be a very important concept since it encompasses such items like speech-to-text converters, screen magnifiers, on-screen boards, as well as text-to-speech converters. The tools are intended to promote a more inclusive digital platform.
US Access Board, the federal agency devoted to accessibility issues provides clearer guidelines to companies for web accessibility not laid out by section 508.
The accessibility standard for section 508 was the WCAG 2.0 set by lawmakers in early 2018. All federal and federally funded agencies must meet 508 compliance accessibility.
To check section 508 Compliance, there are several online tools available to question it for you. AccessScan and accessibility are good examples. To comply with WCAG 2 you need a holistic overview of accessibility errors. These scans provide you with detailed information within seconds with just a few clicks.
Section 508 Lawsuit
In the real world, several lawsuits have been brought over the period of last decade. These lawsuits reveal about 508 compliance accessibility.
Future of Section 508
The guidelines provided by the access board are on the way to being updated with this ever-evolving web world. The Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG 2.0) will also be embraced by reference.
The existing standards and guidelines of 508 compliance accessible are all up to requirements. But with the advancement and evolution, it is required to consider WCAG 2.0. HHS already requires some WCAG requirements that are not referenced currently. HHS has several designers, authors, and developers to comply with section 508 Compliance Accessible.
Conclusion
The 508 Compliance Accessible works with federal government agencies and all federally funded entities to ensure the free availability of information to people with any disability. Their main purpose is to help them live a better life by making the digital world available to them.
Many interventions for people with disabilities also help normal people. They are incorporated into life in such a way that they are no longer discriminated against as just disabled people. The subtitles are the biggest example. Their idea was introduced so that people with some hearing impairment could enjoy the program as well. In today’s world, they are commonly used by all the people around us.
