508 compliance documentation for site
TRANSCRIPT
508 compliance documentation for site
Browsers Aim
Unit Testing
EIT products must be tested by the developers to verify that the system requirements are met and that persons with disabilities can access the functionality of the product.
Independent Testing
EIT products are tested by independent entities, groups, or organizations to validate the product works as intended and that it meets Section 508 Standards. In many government agencies, an IV&V (Independent Verification and Validation) organization exists to verify system requirements are met. If this option is available at your agency, work with this organization to verify that Section 508 Standards are part of their testing.
Section 508 Office Validation
EIT products and services may be tested by a Section 508-specific organization to validate they align with Section 508 best practices and standards. This organization can often provide guidance to developers on best practices for Section 508 conformance and meeting specific standards. The Section 508 Coordinator can provide more information on the types of testing supported by a specific agency.
External Testing
IT managers can explore options for external Section 508 testing during the planning phases of the project. Sometimes agencies work with other agencies or organizations to test EIT for Section 508 conformance. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have worked together to verify and validate Section 508 Standards for several EIT products.
Be sure to include Section 508 Standards in contracts for EIT.Most federal government contracts have standard language that says EIT goods and services must be Section 508 conformant. The more specific the Section 508 Standards are in the contract, the easier it is for the vendor and you to determine if the product or service is Section 508 conformant. Make sure the language in the contract is specific to the product you are
buying. Standardized contract language that states the product must be Section 508 conformant is not sufficient. When buying EIT goods or services, work with your Section 508 Coordinator and Contracting Officer to confirm the contract and supporting documents clearly identify applicable Section 508 standards. The product owner, also known as a producer, should include Section 508 standards in the planning stages and timeline for development. This includes planning the resources needed to deliver conformant products. The product owner must make sure Section 508 testing and remediation stages are included in the schedule during product development. Product owners can speed the delivery of EIT by including Section 508 in the planning stages, and verifying that standards are considered throughout all other life cycle stages. These activities avoid costly rework and remediation activities for the project team.
When working with software developers, content providers should provide EIT content that is Section 508 conformant, such as tagging images with alternative text for screen readers. By including Section 508 in the content development process, development time may increase, but testing and remediation time decreases. This shortens the time to delivery and makes sure recipients are able to access the information.
Designers should include Section 508 standards such as color contrast ratios, the design and use of tables, and tagging graphics in EIT products and services. They also verify that buttons, features, and functions are placed in a way that can be accessed by assistive technology (AT). This role is key, and makes sure that Section 508 standards are included during the design stages prior to development. By including Section 508 standards in the design process, designers can determine new and novel ways of delivering accessible products that reach a larger audience.
Developers include software developers, programmers, instructional designers, and technical teams responsible for building a product from a set of standards. Developers are responsible for including Section 508 standards in EIT products and services. Developers also verify that business, technical, and accessibility standards are in the design of the EIT before independent testing. Developers can avoid delays, costly rework, and revisions to products by including Section 508 in their development planning efforts.
Testers should validate that Section 508 conformance standards are met before EIT can be released for use. They follow processes and guidance from the Section 508 Coordinator to verify products meet accessibility needs. Testing time is dramatically decreased when including Section 508 standards through the product development lifecycle. This decreases costs to the program and improves the quality of EIT products.
Accessibility Feature
An accessibility feature is a built-in feature of an operating system, media player, browser or other product that is (1) labeled as such and (2) documented according to relevant industry documentation standards.
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Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA)
A technology to make Web content and Web applications more accessible to persons with disabilities. It especially helps with dynamic content and advanced user interface controls developed with Ajax, HTML, JavaScript, and related technologies.
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Accessible
When referring to online content, information and functionality, accessibility describes how easily—or how successfully—a person with a disability can locate, get to, and understand information they want or need, as well as how well they can interact with functionality.
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Alt Attribute / Text
An alt attribute, also called alt text, is a textual alternative to non-text content in software applications or on web pages.
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Alternative Access
Alternative access provides users with disabilities with content that is similar or identical to that provided to users without disabilities, but in a format that produces a different user experience.
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Alternative Input Device
Alternative input devices include hardware or software solutions that allow users with mobility impairments to interact with a computer without using a standard mouse or keyboard. Examples include speech recognition software, on-screen keyboards, word prediction software, scanners and switches, and other technologies that allow users to control computers with their head, eyes, breath, or feet.
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Assistive Technology (AT)
Assistive technology (AT) is a device or software used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. It is sometimes referred to as adaptive technology.Examples of AT include voice input, screen readers (voice output), telecommunications devices for the deaf, alternative keyboards, screen magnification software and switch-based input.
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Audio Description / Video Description
Audio description, also called video description, refers to audio provided to describe the visual aspects of a video or other multimedia presentation to someone unable to see them. It may be explicit, with a narrator providing description during breaks in the main sound track, or implicit, provided by the speaker(s) in the main sound track. Audio description is a type of audio equivalent that is synchronized with the main sound track and visuals.
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Audio Equivalent
An audio equivalent is a sound track describing visual content in a multimedia presentation, including animations and slide shows, or visual elements without sound. It provides an experience equal in information and functionality to the visual experience it replaces. It is generally called audio description when synchronized with the main sound track.
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CCaption
Explanatory text about a graphic element on a page. This can include tables, pictures, video, and other elements that may need labeling or description.
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Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
Style sheets designed primarily to enable the separation of document content (written in HTML or a similar markup language) from document presentation, including elements such as the layout, colors, and fonts.
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Contrast
A degree of difference between the lightest and darkest parts of a picture and/or words against a background.
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DDynamic Content
Web content that varies based on parameters provided by a user or a computer program. Changes in content may be in response to mouse or keyboard actions, or at specified timing events. Changes may also be initiated by the web server without any action taken by the user.
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EElement
An element refers to a discrete portion of an HTML document. Examples are tables, headings, paragraphs, images, hypertext links, lists, embedded media and a variety of other structures. When coded properly, these elements can be used for efficient navigation in the HTML environment.
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Equivalent Access
Equivalent access provides users with disabilities with content that is similar or identical to that provided to users without disabilities, in a form that produces a similar user experience.
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FFlashing
When an object appears and disappears repeatedly.
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Focus Rectangle
The focus rectangle is the solid or dotted border drawn around the control that has keyboard focus. It serves as a visual onscreen indicator of the element that will respond to the next user action.
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Focus
Focus refers to the place in an application where user interaction takes place. Properly maintained focus allows users to know where they are in an application and what the next keystroke will do.
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Functional Performance Criteria
Section 508 standards that ensure that, from the perspective of a person with a disability, all interactions are consistent and accessible, regardless of the class of technology.
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HHTML
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is a commonly used language for developing web materials. HTML files can be produced using a simple text editor. Their file extension is often .htm or .html.
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HTML5
The fifth revision of the HTML standard; a potential candidate for cross-platform mobile applications. Many features of HTML5 have been built with the consideration of being able to run on low-powered devices such as smartphones and tablets.
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Hearing Disability
A hearing disability is a lack of or reduction in the ability to hear clearly. Hearing disabilities include:
Deafness or complete inability to hear Being hard of hearing Inability to hear high- and/or low-frequency sounds
People with hearing disabilities may use captions, transcripts or amplification of audio content. They may rely on alternatives to voice input in order to use live voice mail or to participate in online chats.
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IInformation and Communication Technology (ICT)
Often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications, computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.
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Internet Explorer (IE)
Internet Explorer (IE) is Microsoft's internet browser.
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KKeyboard Accessibility
Keyboard accessible products provide full functionality without the use of a mouse; allowing all controls to be accessed and used from the keyboard. Keyboard accessibility is important to users with mobility impairments as well as to screen reader users.
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Keyboard Focus
Keyboard focus refers to the ability to access and appropriately interact with elements on the screen from the keyboard. See also focus, visual focus and programmatic focus.
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MMotor Disability
Motor disabilities include a broad range of physical impairments, from minor conditions to profound disabilities that restrict voluntary movement. Conditions that may cause motor disabilities include:
Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) Arthritis Stroke Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Spinal Cord injury Loss of limbs or digits Short-term disability, such as a broken arm
People with motor disabilities may use the keyboard, an on-screen keyboard, voice recognition software or another alternative input device rather than a mouse for all interactions with software and web pages.
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Multimedia
Software and applications that combine text, high-quality sound, two- and three-dimensional graphics, animation, photo images, and full-motion video.
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NNon-text Element
A non-text element is any element in a software application or web page that is not presented in electronically readable text and that conveys meaning that is required for comprehension of content or to facilitate navigation.Examples of non-text elements are images, images of text, graphics and audio clips.
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RRequirement
In this training, requirement refers to the specific subsection of Section 508 being discussed.
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SScreen Magnification
Screen magnification software enlarges the text on screen and can provide users with options to adjust color contrast. Examples of screen magnification software are ZoomText and Magic.
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Screen Reader
A screen reader is text-to-speech software that interprets the content of a screen and relays the information to the user. This software "reads" what is displayed on the screen, including email, documents and spreadsheets. Examples of screen reader software are JAWS and Window-Eyes.
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Section 508
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that electronic and information technology (EI&T) developed, procured, maintained or used by the Federal government be accessible to persons with disabilities.To provide maximum accessibility to all users, the Section 508 guidelines specify functional performance criteria that essentially define the spirit of the law. These criteria require that all E&IT products and services be fully operational to all users, including those with vision, hearing, speech or motor control impairments, or that they be designed to work compatibly with the assistive technology used by persons with disabilities.
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Speech Recognition Software
Speech recognition software allows users, primarily those with mobility impairments, to input text and control the computer by voice.An example of speech recognition software is Dragon NaturallySpeaking.
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Synchronized
The coordination of events to operate a system in unison. When synchronized captions are used with multimedia, users are able to follow the dialog and action in the multimedia file as it occurs.
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TTab Order
Tab order is the sequence the Tab key follows when a user accesses an application via the keyboard.
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Text Equivalent
Text equivalent refers to electronically-readable text added to a software application or web page to represent the purpose of a non-text element.
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Textual Information
Textual information is any information presented using words and characters.
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UUser Agent
A user agent is a program or device that enables an end user to interact with web-based content and applications.Examples of user agents include email clients, web browsers, screen readers and media players.
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User Interface (UI)
The way a person interacts with a computer or electronic device. The screen menus and icons, keyboard shortcuts, mouse and gesture movements, command language and online help, as well as physical buttons, dials and levers, game controllers, pointing devices, etc.
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VVideo Description / Audio Description
Audio description, also called video description, refers to audio provided to describe the visual aspects of a video or other multimedia presentation to someone unable to see them. It may be explicit, with a narrator providing description during breaks in the main sound track, or implicit, provided by the speaker(s) in the main sound track. Audio description is a type of audio equivalent that is synchronized with the main sound track and visuals.
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Visual Disability
A visual disability is a lack of or reduction in the ability to see. Visual disabilities include:
Total blindness Visual impairment: having restricted central and/or peripheral vision Color blindness: inability to see or recognize certain colors or combinations of colors
People with visual disabilities may use screen magnification software or screen readers. They may rely on information conveyed by a means other than color. Screen reader users may interact with software and web pages using a keyboard rather than a mouse.
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Visual Focus
Visual focus refers to a visual cue (such as a yellow focus rectangle or cursor) that indicates where the next user interaction will take place. See also focus, keyboard focus and programmatic focus.