How to Make a Website 508 Compliant

Section 508 compliance applies to federal information technology.

Section 508 refers to a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It mandates that federal agencies make their information technology usable by people with disabilities. For example, a visually impaired person may need a screen reader to navigate a government website. The website must accommodate that user to be section 508 compliant. Section 508 only applies to federal agencies, although many state governments, public institutions and private companies abide by the standard.

Things You'll Need

• Website

Instructions

Media

1. Add the "ALT" text attribute to all images to make a website 508 compliant.

2. Append captions to all images.

3. Provide meaningful captions or descriptions for video and audio clips.

4. Include transcripts of all video and audio clips available on the site.

5. Use the "Noscript" tag to provide alternatives for people who don't use Flash or similar browser-based multimedia players.

6. Remove any flashing or blinking elements. These may cause epileptic seizures.

Text

1. Use contrasting colors for text. Black text on a white background works best in most situations.

2. Optimize all tables for screen readers. Use the HTML tags "TH" and "Scope" to better define the contents of the table.

3. Edit all captions, descriptions and headers for simplicity and descriptiveness. Avoid word play and witty headlines

4. Use the "Title" tag to accurately describe the content of each page.

Other Concerns

1. Accommodate color blindness by not relying on color to communicate.

2. Standardize and simplify all site navigation elements. Make navigation the same on all pages of the site.

3. Use the "Label" attribute for every form field. Screen readers may encounter problems with unlabeled fields.

4. Provide a method to skip long lists of links. This simplifies the navigation for people with mobility issues who have problems using a mouse.

Tips & Warnings

• A text-only version of the website can be used as a last resort to become 508 compliant.

References

• U.S. Department of Justice: A Guide to Disability Rights Laws
• W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
• Penn State University: Accessibility Guide