On October 4th 2014 Timothy Creagon presented these materials as part of Virtual Ability's International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference (IDRAC) This presentation discusses the reasoning behind the provisions of Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act as well as the barriers and successful methodologies of implementing accessibility features in technology.

1. Section 508 and Accessibility
2014 International Disability Rights Affirmation
Conference (IDRAC)
October 3-4, 2014
Second Life

2. Today’s speaker:
Timothy Creagan
Senior Accessibility Specialist
U.S. Access Board
AKA
“508man”

3. Today’s topics:
I. Introduction
II. Barriers to Information Technology
III. §508 of the Rehabilitation Act
IV. Complying with Section 508:
A. Testing and policies
B. “Equivalent Facilitation”
V. The “Refresh” of Sections 508 & 255
VI. Q & A

4. I. Introduction: Access Board Programs
• Guidelines and standards development
• Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Telecommunications Act of 1996
• Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998
• Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
• Technical assistance and training ***
• Research
• ABA enforcement

5. II. Barriers to Information
Technology for persons with
disabilities

6. Have you ever struggled to see
the characters on a screen?

7. Seeing:
• Phones
• Illuminated displays
• High contrast controls
• Large buttons
• Computers
• Zoom display
• High contrast display
• Screen reader

8. Hearing:
• Phones
• Hearing aid compatibility
• Text capability
• Vibrating alerts
• Computers
• Video captions
• Visual alerts

9. Holding and manipulating:
• Phones:
• Large buttons
• Lightweight
• Speed dial
• Computers
• Sticky keys
• Keyboard commands
• Voice recognition
= +

10. III. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Overview

11. §508 General Requirements:
• Each Federal department and agency, as well as the
U.S. Postal Service, when procuring, maintaining,
developing or using electronic and information
technology, must ensure that:
• Federal employees with disabilities, and members of the
public with disabilities seeking information or services,
have access to and use of information and data that is
comparable to the access and use by persons who are
not individuals with disabilities, unless…
Standard:
….an “Undue Burden” would be imposed on the agency.

12. Section 508 Standards focus on
product categories of ICT:
• “Software applications and operating
systems” §1194.21
• “Web-based internet and intranet information
and applications” §1194.22
• “Telecommunications products” §1194.23
• “Video and Multimedia products” §1194.24
• “Self contained, closed products” §1194.25
• “Desktop and portable computers” §1194.26

13. Section 508 also focuses on the USER:
*Known as Part C – Functional Performance Criteria
• §1194.31(a) …does not require user vision…support for AT used by
blind or visually impaired
• §1194.31(b) …does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70
shall be provided in audio and enlarged print, or support for AT….
• §1194.31(c) …does not require user hearing…support for AT used
by …deaf or hard of hearing…
• §1194.31(d) …where audio information is important,… enhanced
audio…or support for AT…
• §1194.31(e) …does not require user speech…support AT…
• §1194.31(f) …does not require fine motor control or simultaneous
actions and …is operable /w limited reach

14. What technology is covered by §508?
Includes, but is not limited to…
Computers Telecommunications
Websites
Kiosks
Printers
Software
Office Equipment

15. However, time has passed…
….and technology has changed.
Today, what a product DOES is more
important that what a product is CALLED.
 “Feature”/“Function” versus “Product name”
Question:
How Can we use Section 508 to evaluate
today’s technology?

16. For example, what features are
included in §1194.23
“Telecommunications Products” ?
• 2 way voice communication
• Controls and keys
• Hardware
• Minimize Hearing aid interference
• Text messaging(TTYs)
• IVR (Interactive Voice Response, menus)

17. Today there are many more products
available with many more features :
FOR EXAMPLE, “Telecommunications Products”:
• “Landline” phones, wireless phones, Smart phones: Voice
communication
• TTYs, SMS, Blackberry, iPhone, Sidekick, Twitter: Text
messaging
• SKYPE: Calls/ Video Conferencing
• Zoomtext or other software: Adjust size of text
• Web sites: Contain information about product features

18. Section 508 still applies; analyze the
features of the technology:
• Subpart B Technical Standards - do any apply?
• E.g. §§1194.23, 1194.21, 1194.22
• Subpart C Functional Performance Criteria – do any apply?
• E.g. §1194.31(a) – (f)
• §1194.5 Equivalent Facilitation - the new technology or
design [not necessarily in Section 508] results in substantially
equivalent or greater access to and use of a product for
people with disabilities – DOES THAT APPLY?
• E.g. voiceover for Apple iOS
• §1194.3 General Exceptions: Do any apply?
• E.g. §1194.3 (e ) Fundamental Alteration

19. What about technology that has
features not addressed by §508?
EXAMPLE:
• Mobile Telecommunications
• iPods and Podcasting -
Operate without buttons
• Smart Phones with touch screens
• [Voiceover]
• [Talkback]

20. Making technology accessible:
• Captions
• Alternative formats: text for audio, alt tags
for images
• Use of API (Application Programming
Interface) to address compatibility
between AT and IT software (make
products interoperate)
• “Apps” or “Applications” on Smart phones

21. IV. Complying with Section 508:
A. Policies and testing
B. Equivalent Facilitation

22. Implementing Section 508
• Agencies use the Section 508 technical
standards and Functional Performance
Criteria when they “procure, use, maintain
or develop” Electronic and Information
technology (E&IT)
• Agencies are responsible for developing
their own policies as to how they
implement Section 508 within their own
agencies

23. Complying with Section 508:
A. Sample policies and testing protocols

24. Sample policies and resources:
• HHS Section 508 web standards and
checklists: http://508.hhs.gov/
• VA Section 508 Support:
http://www.section508.va.gov/support/index.
asp
• U.S. Access Board:
• http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/
communications-and-it/about-the-section-
508-standards/guide-to-the-section-508-
standards

25. Free testing tool bars:
Webaim: WAVE: http://wave.webaim.org/
Web Accessibility tool bar:
http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat

26. CIOC Best Practices Webinar
series
SEE:
“How Four Federal Agencies Handle Section
508 Testing: A Case Study”
http://www.adaconferences.org/CIOC/Archiv
es March 25, 2014

27. Complying with Section 508:
B. Equivalent Facilitation

28. 28
§1194.5 Equivalent Facilitation
“Nothing in this part is intended to prevent
the use of designs or technologies as
alternatives to those prescribed in this part
provided they result in substantially
equivalent or greater access to and use of a
product for people with disabilities.”

29. Using Equivalent Facilitation to achieve
access by alternative means:
• Use WCAG 2.0 (Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines)
• What is WCAG 2.0?
• International standard for web documents
and web applications
• W3C Standard (2008)
• ISO Standard (2012): ISO/IEC JTC-1 40500:2012
• W3C/WAI: World Wide Web Consortium /
Web Accessibility Initiative
• Developed through open and inclusive standards
process

30. 30
Why use WCAG 2.0?
• Technology Neutral
• Unlike 508 1194.22, not HTML specific
• Success Criteria: (aka “Requirements”)
• Address existing 508 technical criteria (1194.21
and .22)
• Address 508 functional performance criteria
• Hearing, Sight, Manual Dexterity, Speech
• Partially address Cognition, Language, and
Learning (CLL)
• Are Objectively Testable
 Written to be evaluated as yes/no or true/false statements.

31. 31
Is WCAG 2.0 being used now?
FEDERAL AGENCIES:
• Department of Transportation, Non-Discrimination on the Basis of
Disability in Air Travel: Accessibility of Web Sites and Automated
Kiosks at U.S. Airports, Final rule December 13, 2013
• Department of Justice, Accessibility of Web Information and
Services of State and Local Government Entities and Public
Accommodations, ANPRM July 2010 (Proposed)
INTERNATIONALLY:
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• European Union (EU) (Mandate 376)

32. 32
WCAG 2.0: POUR Concept
The 4 Principles
• Perceivable
Content is made available
to the senses - sight,
hearing, and/or touch
• Operable
Interface forms, controls,
and navigation are operable
• Understandable
Content and interfaces are
understandable
• Robust
Content can be used
reliably by a wide variety of
user agents, including
assistive technologies
POUR’s Overlapping Tenets

33. 33
“How to Meet WCAG 2.0”
“How To Meet WCAG2.0” - daily resource
document for the day-to-day Developer
• is a Database
• Quick Reference:
• http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/
• Customizable
• Searchable
• A way to get to the Techniques and Failures

34. 34
Concluding thoughts about WCAG 2.0 :
• The Success Criteria are the Requirements
• The Techniques are not required but provide
guidance
• WCAG 2.0 can be used – Equivalent Facilitation
(§1194.5)
• Built-in Prioritization Path/Plan
(for Development/Remediation/QA)
• WCAG 2.0 Support Documents are Regularly
Updated

35. 35
W3C Resources:
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0:
URL: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/
• Understanding WCAG 2.0:
Stable URL: http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/
• How to Meet WCAG 2.0:
URL: http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/
• Techniques for WCAG 2.0:
Stable URL: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/
• Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.0 to Non-Web Information
and Communications Technologies (WCAG2ICT)
URL: http://www.w3.org/tr/wcag2ict/

36. IV. The Refresh of Section
508

37. The “Refresh” of Section 508:
The “Refresh” is an update of:
 Section 508 standards for electronic and
information technology (“E&IT”) (procured by
Federal agencies)
 Section 255 guidelines for telecommunications
products

38. Why Refresh?
• Statutory requirement:
• “The Access Board shall periodically review and, as appropriate, amend the
standards to reflect technological advances or changes in electronic and
information technology.” (Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act)
• “The Board shall review and update the Telecommunications Act Accessibility
Guidelines periodically” (Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act)
• Changes in technology
• 13 years since the first Section 508 standards
• 15 years since the first Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines
• Clarify ambiguities in current standards and guidelines
• What products are covered?
• Improve testability

39. ICT Refresh Steps
• TEITAC establishment: July 2006
• TEITAC report: April 2008
• First ANPRM and draft text: March 2010
• Public comments: March-June 2010
• Review comments
• Second ANPRM and draft text: Dec. 8, 2011
• *Harmonization draft published*
• Public Comments: Dec . 2011– March 2012
• Review comments, revise text of proposed rule

40. Final Steps
• Develop proposed rule (NPRM):
Text, preamble & regulatory assessment
• ** Submit to OMB for review **
• Publish NPRM in the Federal Register
• Public comment period – 60 days
• Analyze comments
• Develop final rule & regulatory assessment
• Publish Final Rule in the Federal Register

41. Some trends in updating the 508
standards (2010 and 2011
ANPRM):
1. Organize technical provisions by functions,
rather than product types –
“two way voice communication” NOT
“telephones”
2. Reference external standards –
WCAG 2.0; ANSI C63.19-2011
3. Provide technical assistance within the
document.
4. Define “covered electronic content”

42. 2011 ANPRM
• 508 Chapter 1: Application and Administration
• 508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements
• 255 Chapter 1: Application and Administration
• 255 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements
• Chapter 3: Functional Performance Criteria
• Chapter 4: Hardware
• Chapter 5: Platforms and Applications
• Chapter 6: Documentation and Support
Services

43. To keep track of the “Refresh”
process:
Sign up for progress updates here:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USA
CCESS/subscriber/new?topic_id=USACCE
SS_3

44. Contact us:
Technical assistance:
• 508@access-board.gov
• Creagan@access-board.gov
• (800) 872-2253 (voice)
• (800) 993-2822 (TTY)
Website:
• http://www.access-board.gov

45. V. Questions and Answers

46. Thank you!