Overview

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 508)
 
In 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended, requiring federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (E&IT) accessible to people with disabilities to provide comparable access to data and information to those without disabilities.  Note that this act only affects the federal government and its pages on the world wide web, it does not apply to web pages of private industry.

Relation to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The standards for determining employee discrimination are identical between the Rehabilitation Act and Section I of the the ADA.. The ADA is being updated to include a wider definition of accessible technology. An advanced notice of proposed rulemaking was published on July 26, 2010 to cover:

• Accessibility of Web Information and Services Provided by Entities Covered by the ADA
• Movie Captioning and Video Description
• Accessiblity of Next Generation 9-1-1
• Equipment and Furniture

Contracting under Section 508
 
FedBizOpps (FBO) lists many opportunities for small business to help the federal arena conform to the ADA, but one must often read between the lines for ADA and Section 508-related services, checking for areas such as architectural remodeling, upgrade of audio-visual equipment, specific 508(a) authorizations, and personal services (such as sign language interpreters, braille readers, JAWS implementations or other manufacturer-specific installation contracts such as Adobe). JAWS is the standard screen reader for the blind. Training services for government associations working with the differently-abled are also in high demand.

BuyAccessible Program
 
The BuyAccessible program is part of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) commitment to provide standard processes and tools to support government-wide compliance with Section 508. These tools and processes were developed by industry stakeholders' determination on how to best implement the Section 508 standards. The BuyAccessible Quick Reference Guide details how most purchases (including micro-purchases -- less than $3,000) are covered under the Section 508 statute. Specific exceptions are detailed for national security, incidental purchases, and non-remotely operated monitoring functions. Specific guidelines for software applications, Web-based intranet and Internet infromation and applications, telecommunications products, video and multimedia products, self-contained closed products, desktops and portable computers are also included.

BuyAccessible Product and Services Directory
 
The BuyAccessible Product and Services Directory is where commercial vendors can describe how their E&IT products and services conform to the accessibility standard and government buyers can find products and services that meet their needs. Small businesses are strongly encouraged to register with this program to compile the components of their offerings to the directory of services for the GSA.

Next up: Assistive Device Contracting