By:
Grace Williamson 
In the present technological and digitized era, businesses rely heavily upon digital platforms to provide products or services, engage with customers, and conduct transactions. At this point now, Section 508 compliance testing becomes necessary.
This article will discuss Section 508 remediation that businesses need to know about and how they can benefit by employing 508 remediation services. But, for that, we first need to understand what Section 508 is all about.
So, let's begin! Here, you will learn its importance, purpose, and need for it. By fully understanding Section 508 compliance and remediation, organizations can guarantee inclusivity, prevent legal problems, and provide an excellent user experience for all users.
According to the latest reports of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with disabilities form a significant portion of the American population. According to reports, around 61 million adults in the US live with some form of disability. And it forms about 26% of the total adult population of the US.
Now, that's huge! When the disability stats first came to light in the 1970s, the government attempted to provide an inclusive lifestyle to people with disabilities in every sphere of life. And this effort led to the rise of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Later in 1998, it was amended to add section 508 to it.
Let’s discuss some important questions to start with 508 compliance and remediation.
Definition: Section 508 is a law that mandates all federal agencies to create electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to users with disabilities.
It outlines specific technical standards, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. These guidelines provide criteria for making digital content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Compliance with these standards ensures that individuals with disabilities can access and navigate digital content effectively.
Section 508 includes websites and other digital content, software, hardware, and other forms of technology. It ensures that physically impaired people have access to the same information accessible to everyone else. The section focuses on digital information and IT resources.
By Section 508, all the federal agencies or the agencies that work along with the federal agencies must comply with this section. Accordingly, whatever digital information they develop, procure, or maintain must be accessible to the maximum users and those with physical disabilities. Hence, section 508 remediation ensures that even people with disabilities can use federal agencies' websites, digital documents, and digital services.
Officially, section 508 of the rehabilitation act applies only to federal agencies. But, indirectly, it does apply to many other businesses and agencies. Wondering how? Let's answer your query.
Any federal agency that does not follow Section 508 has to face serious consequences. So, whenever a federal agency looks to collaborate with any business company for any purpose, they choose only those companies that can provide 508-compliant services. And if their websites do not comply with section 508, it forms a negative image of the business to the agencies.
Hence, all businesses working with federal agencies or willing to work with them soon need to comply with section 508.
Section 508 Remediation refers to identifying and addressing accessibility issues in digital content to comply with Section 508 standards.
Objective: This section aims to ensure that people with impairments or disabilities can access digital content and interact with it effectively, including understanding, navigating, and interacting with it.
It focuses on digital information and IT resources. By Section 508, all the federal agencies or the agencies that work along with the federal agencies must comply with this section. Accordingly, whatever digital information they develop, procure, or maintain must be accessible to everyone, including those with impairments.
Hence, section 508 remediation ensures that even people with disabilities can use federal agencies' websites, digital documents, and digital services. It includes ensuring all websites, digital services, and digital documents are accessible to users with disabilities.
Section 508 remediation also requires that any advancing technology developed or procured by federal agencies is accessible to people with physical disabilities. For instance, a website must have functional alt-text for images, and a document must be available in an accessible format such as HTML or PDF.
Read Also: Web Accessibility Testing Checklist- 6 Ultimate Guidelines
Businesses often can't figure out how to make their websites section 508 compliant. And hence, they seek professional expertise in section 508 compliance. It is where section 508 compliance services can help them.
These service providers follow the following processes to comply with the website section 508.?
In this way, the professional section 508 compliance services help the companies to make their websites accessible.
Section 508 consists of a list of features that make a website accessible. Businesses need to add these features to their website. Some major features are listed below:
The compliance testing ensures that websites, applications, and other digital tools are accessible to all, including those with disabilities. It includes ensuring that the content is readable by screen readers, that the controls are operable using only a keyboard, and that the content is compatible with assistive technologies such as Braille displays.
Ensure your website complies with Section 508; it's important to review and adhere to the checklist provided:
Businesses must rectify their Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) to comply with Section 508, and there are multiple reasons why this is necessary.
Businesses can get multiple benefits if they comply with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. We have listed 3 benefits below:
The new website features not only improve the user experience for people with disabilities but also benefit those without disabilities. Hence, companies can improve the overall performance of their websites. It helps them in getting a better search engine ranking as well.
In the beginning, we discussed that many Americans have some disability. So, if the companies make the website accessible, it will help them to gain people with disabilities as their new consumers. And, it is not at all a small number.
If your business wants to collaborate with any federal organization, you must make your website 508 compliant. But, it is not only about the federal agencies. If your business wants to collaborate with any federal organization, you must make your website 508 compliant. But, it is not only about the federal agencies. Globally, there are different accessibility codes in other countries.
Now you must be wondering, do most businesses follow the web content accessibility guidelines and Section 508 standards? We have an answer for you.
It was found that companies and agencies who were not complying with Section 508 faced legal suits. And in the coming days, the number and intensity of businesses opting for accessibility audit services will increase even further. So, companies not complying with accessibility guidelines will face legal and financial charges.
And the losses faced are also huge. Recently, some reputed MNCs had to give away millions of dollars for not complying with accessibility guidelines. So, to avoid such consequences, the companies better comply with section 508.
Interesting Read: Accessibility Testing Services: Ways How It Can Benefit Your Company
Section 508 remediation is an important process for businesses that want to comply with the law and provide better customer service to people with disabilities. By taking the steps outlined above, businesses can ensure that their EIT is accessible to people with disabilities and avoid non-compliance with legal and financial risks.
We now understand that most US companies must comply with Section 508, directly or indirectly. And it brings in loads of benefits for the companies in the form of enhanced consumer outreach, improved site features, and increased chances of collaboration.
But, we have seen that some companies may also need assistance for Section 508 remediation. The common requirement was how to do 508 compliance testing. If your company is one of them, then Acadecraft can help you.
We offer the best-in-industry 508 remediation services. We cover all the bases, including audit, remediation, and testing of the features, along with the most demanded pdf accessibility services. Everything is at a very affordable price. Hence, Acadecraft is your one-stop solution for all your section 508 remediation needs.
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