Javon-Demetrius Cogmon's List: accessibility

• some of the 508 standards relate to lower priority checkpoints  from the Web Accessibility Initiative
• Accessibility  Guidelines lists only the priority one checkpoints The Section 508 view  includes priority 2 and 3 checkpoints in the comparison.
• The first table lists the Priority 1 Web Content Accessibility  checkpoints
• followed by a comparison phrase like "the same," and then the relevant Section 508 web accessibility standard or standards.
• The second table is titled, "The  508 View." It lists all the 508 standards, and for each one, the comparison phrase, and  the relevant WCAG checkpoint or checkpoints.
• "Section 508" refers specifically to Section  508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Investment  Act of 1998
• The law requires Federal agencies to purchase electronic  and information technology that is accessible to employees with disabilities,  and to the extent that those agencies provide information technology  to the public, it too shall be accessible by persons with disabilities.
• Section 508 was included in an amendment to the Rehabilitation  Act in 1986
• But the 1986 version  provided no guidance for determining accessibility of information technology  and there were no enforcement procedures
• The 1998 amendment addressed both these issues
• The Access  Board (the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board) was assigned  the task of determining standards for accessible electronic and information  technology
• Although the law applies to the development, procurement,  maintenance, or use of all electronic and information technology, it  is in the procurement where the enforcement lies
• The result of the effort by the Access Board is a set of standards  for accessible electronic and information technology.

• The specific standards address:

   
   
  • Software applications and operating systems (§1194.21)
   
  • Web-based intranet and internet information and applications  (§1194.22)
   
  • Telecommunications products (§1194.23)
   
  • Video or multimedia products (§1194.24)
   
  • Self-contained closed products such as copiers (§1194.25)
   
  • Desktop and portable computers (§1194.26)
• Our interest here is §1194.22,  standards for accessible web-based intranet and internet information  and applications.
• accessibility standards of Section 508 apply to Federal  agencies purchasing electronic and information technology.
• It is hoped  that the market pressure of Federal procurement will have a much broader  effect than just making Federal information technology accessible, though  even that is a
• significant goal
• the requirements of Section 508 do not extend  to recipients of Federal funds or private businesses.
• There is one notable  exception to this exemption
• According to the ATAP site, "states which receive Federal funds under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998  are required by that Act to provide an assurance of compliance with Section  508
• Currently all 50 states and all territories receive Assistive Technology  Act dollars and all have some form of Section 508 assurance."
• This comparison of the WCAG Priority 1 checkpoints and the  Section 508 web accessibility standards is of interest to states because  some have chosen to use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as the  criterion for web accessibility

• The Web Accessibility Initiative Guidelines (WCAG)

   

  The Web  Accessibility Initiative (WAI) was formed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in order to bring accessibility considerations into the technology development  of the Web Consortium and to determine guidelines for accessible technology  including web authoring and user agents (browsers).
• As Tim Berners-Lee,  the inventor of the Web, and the Director of the W3C put it, "The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of  disability is an essential aspect."
• The guidelines are further organized into a checklist.
• The checkpoints are categorized as Priority 1, 2 or 3. Here is the characterization  of those priorities from the Guidelines

• [Priority 1]

   

  A Web content developer must satisfy  this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible  to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint is  a basic requirement for some groups to be able to use Web documents.

• [Priority 2]

   

  A Web content developer should satisfy  this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult  to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will  remove significant barriers to accessing Web documents.

• [Priority 3]

   

  A Web content developer may address  this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat  difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint  will improve access to Web documents.
• This side-by-side comparison looks first at the Priority 1  WCAG checkpoints (The WCAG View) and compares each with with relevant Section 508 web standards.
• On the other  hand, the Section 508 View lists all the 508 web standards and compares these WCAG checkpoints; some checkpoints of Priority 2 and 3 are related to the 508 standards.

• Implementation Resources

   

  The Web  Content Accessibility Guidelines are keyed to a techniques document, Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0, which gives techniques for supporting each checkpoint.

  • This is really important because these resources show a person how to make a site more accessible.
  Add Sticky Note
• In addition there are training resources on the WAI site.

  • How exactly are they funded? What kind of impact does America's current economic crisis have on such a resource? How do they measure the successful "support" of section 508.
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• The Access Board has released an informative guide  to the web standards which is linked to by the Access Board Section 508 site.
• The Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center (ITTATC) was funded to support Section 508.
• http://jimthatcher.com/webcourse1.htm.
• he IBM Web Accessibility Guidelines include documentation on rationale, implementation techniques and testing.

• The WCAG View

   

  NOTE: Four WCAG Priority  1 checkpoints, 1.3, 4.1, 6.2 and 14.1, are listed as "not in 508" in the Comparison column of this table. If a web site is 508-compliant and its  author wants to be Web Accessibility Initiative A-Compliant as well,  these are the only four checkpoints he must address additionally.

37 more annotations...

• procurement |prəˈkyoŏrmənt; prō-|
  noun
  the action of obtaining or procuring something : financial assistance for the procurement of legal advice | the company's procurements from foreign firms.
  • the action or occupation of acquiring military equipment and supplies : defense procurement.
  procure |prəˈkyoŏr; prō-|
  verb [ trans. ]
  1 obtain (something), esp. with care or effort : food procured for the rebels | [with two objs. ] he persuaded a friend to procure him a ticket. See note at get .
  • obtain (someone) as a prostitute for another person : he was charged with procuring a minor.
  2 [ trans. ] Law persuade or cause (someone) to do something : he procured his wife to sign the agreement.
  DERIVATIVES
  procurable adjective
  procurement noun
  ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French procurer, from Latin procurare ‘take care of, manage,’ from pro- ‘on behalf of’ + curare ‘see to.’ - Javon-Demetrius Cogmon on 2009-07-19
• Even though the 1986 Amended tried to procure more rights and tools for accessibility, ultimately the law was not enforced until the 1998 amendment to section 508 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973. - Javon-Demetrius Cogmon on 2009-07-19
• Typically any agency that is receiving 10,000 or more is subject to following this law or they can lose their funding. I wonder why this is so different. - Javon-Demetrius Cogmon on 2009-07-19
• It is my understanding that Web Accessibility Initiative Guidelines (WCAG) actually meet accessibility better than the demands of section 508. - Javon-Demetrius Cogmon on 2009-07-19
• This is really important because these resources show a person how to make a site more accessible. - Javon-Demetrius Cogmon on 2009-07-19
• How exactly are they funded? What kind of impact does America's current economic crisis have on such a resource? How do they measure the successful "support" of section 508. - Javon-Demetrius Cogmon on 2009-07-19