Accessibility: What section 508 means to you
In 1973, the Rehabilitation Act was passed into law prohibiting the federal government (and recipients of federal financial assistance) from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. Its spectrum includes â but is not limited to â education, employment and housing. In 2000 the act was amended, under section 508, defining technological standards for all types of electronic and information technology in the Federal sector.
That was a mouthful.
Since its inception, the Rehabilitation Act has become not only a rulebook for the government it has become a guide for businesses and organizations across the nation. Its influence can be seen in the form of ramps and elevators, ethnic and cultural diversity in hiring practices, multilingual employees… the list goes on. These measures ensure resources are made available to the widest possible audience. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act simply ensures that electronic information is made available to the widest possible audience.
Take a moment to look around your organization. Can you see signs of accessibility? Yes? Excellent! Now take a look at your companyâs website. Was it developed with accessibility in mind? How can you tell? See if you can answer the following:
- Was your website developed with web standards?
- Do you know what web standards are?
- Have you tried to access your website through a screen reader or other assistive device?
- Have you tried to access your website on a handheld device (PDA, mobile phone, etc.) or through any means other than a web browser on a PC?
If you answered ânoâ? or âI donât knowâ? to any of these questions you may have some catching up to do on the accessibility front. Donât worry. If you operate in the private sector you are not breaking any laws. But you are running the risk of cutting off a portion of your audience.
In no other industry is accessibility more important than healthcare. So over the next few months, weâll cover the basics of web accessibility to help you communicate its importance to your IT staff â or the professionals you contract to work on your online communications. Have no fear. You wonât need to become a techno geek to grasp the essentials â although pocket protectors are coming back into style.
Feel free to post questions and comments. It will help us shape future accessibility articles we post on geigerbevolo.com.