Leveling the Playing Field: Accessibility and Compliance

The two laws that come to mind with thinking of accessibility and compliance as related to Web site or web application development are the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.  This section provides a brief overview

Overview of ADA and 508

What is ADA?

In a nutshell, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a civil rights law. ADA prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. It provides similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal.

What is 508?

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, they shall ensure that this technology allows for two important items:

  • Federal employees with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency, and
  • Individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities.

Accessibility does not equal usability

Although Section 508 addresses the accessibility of information technology by people with disabilities, it is no guarantee of practical usability by them.

Usability issues, are common sense issues, once you learn to think like a user.

Usability Issues

Usability issues can consist of things like:

  • A three line link
  • Content being extremely visual or not clear and concise
  • Over use or improper use of access keys
  • Poor alt tag descriptions
  • Poor descriptive links or links that don’t look like links
  • Poor conceptualization of a form or content read order

Current Challenges

Technology is rapidly moving forward

Anyone can literally set up a blog or web site

Assistive Technology (AT) is often a step behind the rapid technological changes

AT users often can't afford updates, lack training to interact new technology, or constantly face barriers on Web sites or web applications, due to lack of compliance or lack of basic usability techniques on a site.

Meeting Current Challenges

Look at best practices

  • Universal Design (Trace Center)
  • What's happening in Europe, Canada, and other parts of the world due to efforts by the World Wide Web Consortium

Become familiar with how users use AT

Establish written standards to assist every person in the process of developing any electronic format (e.g. email, manual, web site, web application, content owners, business process owners.)

Establish consistent standards for web and web application development including requirements for business process owners.

Develop position descriptions and performance measures that include ensuring equal access for staff that are part of the process

Ensure that any standards developed by your agency for equal access are required by outsourcing agencies

Prepare Now for the Future

508 is being reauthorized.

Reauthorization will require that everyone in the process has a better understanding of both compliance issues and usability issues.