Creating section 508 compliant excel spreadsheets u. A written complaint should be filed using the departments section 508 complaint form form 50801. Xml rehabilitation act of 1973 as amended through p. The law applies to all federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Section 508 amendment to the rehabilitation act of 1973 is within the scope of wikiproject disability. Section 504 of the 1973 rehabilitation act was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the united states.
Rehabilitation act of 1973 national association of the deaf. Section 508 is an amendment of the united states rehabilitation act of 1973 that extends protections for individuals with disabilities to websites run by the government and organizations that receive government funding. Electronic and information technology a requirements for federal departments and agencies 1 accessibility a development, procurement, maintenance, or use of electronic and information technology when developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology, each federal department or agency, including the united states postal service, shall ensure. In practice, this means that the content on your websites should be provided in a way that is accessible to all of your visitors, no matter how they access your site.
Rehabilitation act of 1973 united states access board. The purpose of this part is to implement section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended 29 u. Section 508 requires that electronic and information technology. Section 508 requires that electronic and information technology eit acquired by the federal government be accessible by. Section 508 is a part of the rehabilitation act of 1973 which requires that electronic. Section 504 brought the language of the civil rights act of 1964 to the rehabilitation act of 1973. Federal government agencies develop, procure, or maintain, information and communication technology ict, that it is accessible to persons with disabilities. The following questions and answers are intended to assist tcap grantees and project owners to understand and comply with the nondiscrimination requirements established by section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 and promulgated at.
By now, i am sure you are aware of the changes made to the rehabilitation act of 1973 by the obama administration. It requires that we at the irs develop, procure and maintain electronic and information technology eit so that it is accessible to people with disabilities. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act legitimate online. A development, procurement, maintenance, or use of electronic and information technology. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, the individual or group of individuals may file a complaint with the department. The rehabilitation act of 1973 replaces the vocational rehabilitation act of 1973, to extend and revise the authorization of grants to states for vocational rehabilitation services. In 1998 the us congress amended the rehabilitation act to require federal agencies to make. Other sections of the rehabilitation act apply to a. C this article has been rated as cclass on the projects quality scale. The passfail criteria in this document represent an interpretation of section 508 web standards. Section 508 for the federal government, the requirement for accessibility is a law known as section 508 of the rehabilitation act section 508 of the rehabilitation act requires agencies to give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that. In 1998, congress amended the rehabilitation act of 1973 to require all federal agencies to develop, procure, maintain and use information and communication technology ict that is accessible to. The reauthorized rehabilitation act of 1998 included amendments to section 508 of the act. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 definition.
The rehabilitation act of 1973 as amended by wioa pdf. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 section 504 is one of several federal and state laws that protect students with disabilities. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act department of energy. The rehabilitation act authorizes research activities that are administered by the national institute on disability and rehabilitation research and the work of. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act level access. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. In 1998, congress amended the rehabilitation act of 1973 to require federal. This law applies to public elementary and secondary schools, among other entities. Any component or portion of existing ict that complies with an earlier standard issued pursuant to section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended as republished in appendix d, and that has not been altered on or after january 18, 2018, shall not be. This would include the services of web design since the internet was specifically mentioned. Section 503 prohibits employment discrimination based on disability by federal. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act federal communications. Section 508 requires all federal agencies to make their electronic and information technologies accessible to people with disabilities.
Usaid implementation of section 508 of the rehabilitation. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act, as amended in 1998, is a federal mandate that requires that all federal agencies make information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended the act requires that individuals with disabilities, who are federal employees or members of the public seeking information or services from a federal agency, be provided access to and use. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. Dor document accessibility standards are based on the dor office procedures and reference manual standards, the requirements specified in section 508 of the federal rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 29 usc 794d requires that when. In 1998 the us congress amended the rehabilitation act to require federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.
Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 is in place to guarantee that disabled users of a given. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 frequently asked questions the federal acquisition regulation far micropurchase exemption to section 508 of the rehabilitation act will expire on april 1, 2005. The original section 508 amendment was included in the rehabilitation act in 1986, but had to be revised to include enforcement and the changes with occurred as a result of the world wide web. The act of publicly supporting or speaking on behalf of a person, cause, action, legislation, etc. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance, and set the stage for enactment of the americans with disabilities act.
What manual tests can we perform to verify compliance. The doc accessibility and section 508 website focuses on section 508 laws, accessibility standards and guidelines and contains resources for understanding and implementing the requirements of section 508 of the rehabilitation act this site also introduces the new web accessibility content guidelines wcag 2. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 is a national law that protects qualified individuals from. Follow the revised 508 standards to ensure your information and communication technology ict is accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities. Federal register april 2005 section 508 related federal acquisition rules. Later amendments strengthened requirements for access to electronic and information technology in the federal sector section 508. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 definition. Designed to address the barriers associated with employment of individuals with disabilities, section 508 of the rehabilitation act outlines the compliance requirements for federal contractors. In the event that a federal department or agency determines that compliance with the standards issued by the access board under.
It that is developed or purchased by the federal government is accessible by people with disabilities. Section 508 amendment to the rehabilitation act of 1973. Section 504 is part of the rehabilitation act of 1973. Compliance with section 508 of the rehabilitation act of. Acquisition regulation and other federal laws that govern agency buying. Information regarding section 508 of the rehabilitation act. Laws created by administrative agencies, such as the department of health and human services, by statute, congress, or the state legislature. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended, is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Title ivrehabilitation act amendments of 1998, section 508. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 disability. Section 508 standards in 1998, congress decoded amended the rehabilitation act of 1973 to require federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Part 104nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap in.
This checklist is not official section 508 documentation. When developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology, each federal. Section 508 of the workforce rehabilitation act as amended in 1998 and the implementing regulations 36 c. In 1998, congress amended the rehabilitation act to require federal agencies to make their electronic and. Section 504 is a federal civil rights statute prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. In addition to section 508, the rehabilitation act of 1973 has several other sections section 501 and 505 prohibits federal employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities. The process for filing a section 508 complaint will be as follows. Information regarding section 508 of the rehabilitation act page 3 of 4 3 many federal agencies are currently purchasing or upgrading computerbased systems to ensure effective operation after the year 2000 socalled y2k projects. Section 508 electronic and information technology a requirements for federal departments and agencies. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended 29 u. The law also established the access board section 502.
Section 508 of the rehabilitation act this statement describes the compliance of version 4. Although pdfua1 was considered as a standard, it was ultimately not. Ict shall be exempt from compliance with the revised 508 standards to the extent specified by e202. Under the new and updated section 508, agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to digital information that is equal and. It is important to understand section 508 in the context of other laws related to federal disability policy. The standards, which have been in place for over 15 years, promote ict that can be accessed by the public and employees with disabilities. Federal government revised 508 standards transition workgroup and gsa, shows how to integrate the standards into an existing 508 program. Section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 29 usc 794d requires that when u. Because section 508 may significantly affect all of these purchases or upgrades, information on section 508. Strategic plan for improving management of section 508 of the rehabilitation act pdf. Section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 center for. The rehabilitation act of 1973 requires access to programs and activities that are funded by federal agencies and to federal employment.
Review section 508 law and related it accessibility laws and policies. Electronic and information technology a requirements for federal departments and agencies 1 accessibility a development, procurement, maintenance, or use of electronic and information technology. The legislation referred to as section 508 is actually an amendment to the workforce rehabilitation act of 1973. For more information, visit the project page, where you can join the project andor contribute to the discussion.
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