This guide highlights the changes you need to make to your agency’s 508 Program, to transition to the Revised 508 Standards. Federal agencies are required to comply with the revised standards as of January 18, 2018.

Major Changes

• Provides guidance based on features and functionality.
• Harmonizes accessibility requirements with international standards such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
• Clarifies how guidelines apply to public facing and non-public facing websites, web applications, multimedia, software, electronic documents and operating systems.
• Clarifies how software and operating systems need to work with assistive technology.
• Addresses access for people with cognitive, language, and learning disabilities.
• Provides accessibility requirements for modern hardware, software, and authoring tools.
• Clarifies guidance on allowed exceptions.

See the Revised 508 Standards Roadmap to learn more.

Task 1 - Update Agency Policies

Update your agency policies to address the the Revised 508 Standards

What’s Changing?

Compliance with the standards is required as of January 18, 2018, except where information and communication technology (ICT) is subject to safe harbor provisions. When agencies procure, develop, maintain or use ICT, they must

• Identify needs of people with disabilities when beginning ICT efforts. (NEW)
• Ensure authoring tools support the creation of accessible content. (NEW)
• Ensure categories of internal facing electronic content are accessible. (NEW)
• Address new technical standards for electronic content, including WCAG 2.0. (Updated)
• Meet revised criteria and address new requirements when claiming exceptions. (Updated)
• Provide an alternative means of access for people with disabilities when claiming exceptions for undue burden, fundamental alteration, and best meets. (Updated)
• Address new functional performance criteria (Updated)

Tools & Technical Assistance

• How to Update Agency Accessibility Policies - Learn which policy documents need to be updated (NEW)
• How to Identify User Needs - Learn how to identify user needs for ICT (NEW)
• Build Organizational Support for Accessible Electronic Content - Ensure your agency staff have the tools and training they need to produce accessible electronic content
• Accessibility Requirements Tool - Automates the Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist; generates an accessibility reporting requirements template and customizable accessibility solicitation language. (NEW)
• Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist (MS-Word, April 2018) - Use this checklist to document your accessibility requirements for ICT items
• Determine 508 Standards and Exceptions - Step-by-step guidance on how to complete the Standards Applicability Checklist

Task 2 - Define Accessibility Requirements

Prepare accessibility requirements for in-house procurement of customized and off-the-shelf ICT items.

What’s Changing?

• All the existing 508 requirements have been revised. (Updated)
• There are new standards for electronic content, software, hardware and support services (aligned with WCAG 2.0). (Updated)
• The exceptions have been revised, as have the functional performance criteria. (Updated)

Tools & Technical Assistance

• Cross Reference Tables - Compares the original and revised standards related to electronic content, software, and hardware. (NEW)
  • WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA Success Criteria
• How to Request Accessibility Information from Vendors and Contractors (NEW) - Learn how to communicate accessibility requirements and contract provisions to vendors (NEW); includes guidance on the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template 2.1 (MS Word), which is used by vendors to create Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) (Updated)
• How to Define Accessibility, Clauses, and Acceptance Criteria (NEW) - Learn how to prepare solicitations, statements of work, or other procurement documents (NEW)
• Accessibility Requirements Tool - Automates the Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist; generates an accessibility reporting requirements template and customizable accessibility solicitation language. (NEW)
• Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist (MS-Word, April 2018) - Use this checklist to document your accessibility requirements for ICT items
• Determine 508 Standards and Exceptions - Step-by-step guidance on how to complete the Standards Applicability Checklist

Online Training

• Accessibility of ICT: An Overview for Government Executives - A brief, high-level overview of the Revised 508 Standards, including roles and responsibilities of key Federal agency officials
• Micro-Purchases and Section 508 Requirements - How to make micro-purchases that conform with the Revised 508 Standards
• Procuring Section 508 Conformant ICT Products and Services – Basic overview of the Federal acquisition process with regard to procuring ICT products and services that are Section 508 conformant

Task 3 - Update Solicitation Language

Validate that accessibility requirements and contract language are developed based on the Revised 508 Standards, for inclusion in Statements of Work and other solicitation documents.

What’s Changing?

• Accessibility requirements definitions and related contract language must be updated to reflect the new standards. (Updated)

Tools & Technical Assistance

• Accessibility Requirements Tool - Automates the Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist; generates an accessibility reporting requirements template and customizable accessibility solicitation language. (NEW)
• Revised 508 Standards Applicability Checklist (MS-Word, April 2018) - Use this checklist to document your accessibility requirements for ICT items
• Determine 508 Standards and Exceptions - Step-by-step guidance on how to complete the Standards Applicability Checklist
• How to Request Accessibility Information from Vendors and Contractors - Learn how to communicate accessibility requirements and contract provisions to vendors (NEW); includes guidance on the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template 2.1 (MS Word), which is used by vendors to create Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) (Updated)
• How to Define Accessibility Provisions, Clauses, and Acceptance Criteria - Learn how to prepare solicitations, statements of work, or other procurement documents (NEW)

Training

• Micro-Purchases and Section 508 Requirements - How to make micro-purchases that conform with the Revised 508 Standards
• Procuring Section 508 Conformant ICT Products and Services – Basic overview of the Federal acquisition process with regard to procuring ICT products and services that are Section 508 conformant

Task 4 - Develop & Test for Conformance

Incorporate the standards into agency life-cycle development activities for electronic content (including websites, software, multimedia, and electronic documents); address how your agency:

• Designs accessible electronic content;
• Authors accessible content; and
• Tests and validates content for conformance to the standards.

What’s Changing?

• Developers and testers must conform to new technical provisions. (Updated)
• Because more types of electronic content are now covered, the universe of content creators who need to be trained on their responsibilities under the Revised 508 Standards has increased. (Updated)
• US Government 508 Testing Methodologies (Updated)

Tools & Technical Assistance

• Accessibility Resources for Developers and Authors - Technical guidance and training resources for developers and content authors
• 508 Trusted Tester Methodology V5.0 (Updated - coming in Spring 2018)
• Revised DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester Certification Exam top support Version 5.0 (Updated - coming in Spring 2018)
• Accessibility Testing for Electronic Content - Tools to test for conformance with the revised standards (Updated)
• Build Organizational Support for Accessible Electronic Content - Ensure your agency staff have the tools and training they need to produce accessible electronic content
• GSA’s Pulse Accessibility Module (.gov only) (Updated)

Training

• Section 508: What Is It and Why Is It Important? - Introduction to Section 508 and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• How to Author and Validate Microsoft Word and PDF Documents for Accessibility - AED ACOP Training Video (Updated)

Questions? Email us at section.508@gsa.gov.

Page Reviewed/Updated: October 2024