Section 508 for Beginners

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Section 508 for Beginners

• 2008

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What is Section 508?

• Part of 1973 Rehabilitation Act, as amended in
  1998
• Provides comparable access to those with
  disabilities as to those without
• Includes any Electronic Information Technology
  (EIT) that is developed, procured, maintained or
  used by the Federal Government and the US Postal
  Service
• Law with teethGovernment can be sued

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Why Enforce the Law?

• Obviously, It Is a Law
• It is the right thing to do
• An agency can be sued and systems can be pulled
  out of production
• Supports Federal and State initiatives
• Presidents Management Agenda
• New Freedom Initiative
• You have a vested interest

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Why Enforce the Law?

• Do you have problems with?

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Why Enforce the Law?

• Do you have one or more of the conditions
• listed on the previous slide?
• what about family members?
• or your friends?
• or your co-workers?

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U.S. Census Data 2006

• These numbers are approximate as of the American
  Community Survey, 2006
• 41.3 million people with some type of
  long-lasting condition or disability
• 11.8 million people with sensory disability
• 25.7 million people with some type of physical
  disability
• 15.9 million people with mental disability

http//www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/2006acs.
html
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Dissecting the Law

• Law consists of three subparts
• Subpart B - Technical standards for six
  categories of products
• Subpart C Functional performance criteria
• Subpart D - Information and documentation
  requirements

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Dissecting the Law

• Subpart B consists of standards for
• Software applications/operating systems
• Web-based information and applications
• Telecommunication products
• Video and multimedia products
• Self-contained, closed products
• Desktop and portable computers

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Dissecting the Law

• Subpart C
• Technologies or components for which there is no
  specific requirement under the technical
  standards in Subpart B
• Covers operation, including input and control
  functions, operation of mechanisms, and access to
  visual and audible information

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Dissecting the Law

• Subpart D
• Consists of information, documentation and
  support
• Requires manufacturer upon request, to provide
  compliant electronic text for all documentation
  associated with the product

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Dissecting the Law

• When determining the appropriate standards to
  use
• More than one category of standards may apply
• Not all the standards in a category are
  necessarily applicable

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Dissecting the Law

• Technical Requirements drive the procurement, not
  Section 508
• Legal liability only pertains to the Procurement
  of IT, Services and Maintenance
• Federal Government is liable for non-compliance,
  not the contractor or manufacturer

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An Example of a Best Practice

• US Patent and Trade Office
• Their Process
• Their Program
• Their Training
• Common Requirements
• Hardware and COTS

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USPTO 508 Processes

• USPTO has processes for the following
• Purchase of IT Hardware and COTS Products
• Credit card Purchases of IT Products
• Development and Maintenance of IT Software
  Systems
• Creating or Maintaining Web Products

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USPTOs Section 508 Program

• Staff available to help at any time
• Features include
• Assistance with procurement
• Consultation and testing during all phases of
  product development
• Testing before product deployment
• Training classes
• Evaluation of latest technologies

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USPTO Section 508 Training

• Training classes offered at USPTO include
• Writing accessible documents
• Authoring Section 508 compliant web pages and
  applications
• Developing compliant software
• New and emerging technologies including AJAX and
  Flash

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Common Requirements

• Person buying or creating a product signs a
  checklist certifying compliance
• USPTO interpretation of Section 508 is based on
  the Letter of the Law, not the spirit of the law

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Common Requirements

• Check-and-balance
• Non-compliant products will be pulled from the
  internet/intranet or stopped from going into
  production or returned to the vendor
• Only Section 508 Coordinator can authorize
  exemptions or waivers

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Hardware and COTS

• Includes IT Hardware and COTS products and
  services
• Product Purchaser is responsible for compliance
• Of vendors who meet the functional requirements,
  determine who best meets the applicable Section
  508 standards

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Appendix USPTO Forms

• The following slides contain samples of
• forms used by the USPTOs Section 508
• program.

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EIT Procurement Checklist
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Purchase Card Pre-Purchase Worksheet
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AIS Checklist
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USPTO Accessibility Office Information

• In the USPTO, the Accessibility Office is
  responsible for all EIT 504 and 508-related
  actions plus product evaluation and determining
  compliance
• If you would like more information about the
  USPTO Section 508 Program you can contact
• Joyce Miller
• joyce.miller_at_uspto.gov
• 571-272-5422

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What is Market Research?

• The act of collecting and analyzing information
  about capabilities within the marketplace to
  satisfy agency needs

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Why Conduct Market Research?

• FAR Requirement
• Used to gauge the state of the EIT industry in
  meeting your requirements with products and
  services
• Method for identifying products that meet Section
  508 requirements

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Market Research

• Requiring Officials determine technical
  requirements
• Identify products that meet those
  functional/technical requirements
• Send appropriate 508 checklist to vendors who
  have the products
• Take the stand that only vendors who provide
  completed checklist are eligible for contract
  consideration

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Informal Market Survey

• Vendor Internet site
• Review of similar procurements by other agencies
• Catalogs, product literature
• Scientific journals
• Business publications

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Formal Market Survey Techniques

• Using a published vehicle
• Sources-sought announcements in the Federal
  Business Opportunities (www.FedBizOpps.gov)
• RFI (Requests for Information) for planning
  purposes to gather appropriate technical
  information, approximate cost, and schedule
  information

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What is the Buy Accessible Wizard?

• The Buy Accessible Wizard is a web-based tool
  that
• Guides users through the acquisition process,
  gathering data and providing information about
  electronic and information technology (EIT) and
  Section 508 compliance
• Compiles a running summary documenting the
  process and its results
• The Buy Accessible Products and Services
  Directory
• Access to vendor provided accessibility
  information
• The Buy Accessible System makes compliance with
  the requirements of Section 508 as easy and
  thorough as possible

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Who Should Use the Wizard?

• Micro purchasers (IT) with government purchase
  cards
• Program technical specialists (IT) that determine
  acquisition requirements
• Program requirements officer responsible for
  program requirements documentation development,
  consolidation
• Contract officers that specify (IT) requirements
  on behalf of agency programs

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How Can the Wizard Help Your Agency?

• Standardize the process you use for each
  acquisition.
• Document your procedures to demonstrate due
  diligence
• Maximize market research. Use vendor-supplied
  accessibility information about the commercial
  availability of accessible EIT products and
  services prior to solicitation.
• Tailor your solicitations. Ensure there is
  specific Section 508 language in each
  solicitation that includes EIT.
• Require accessibility information.
• Document accessibility as a factor in source
  selection
• Document accessibility as a factor in inspection
  and acceptance

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Be Our Guest for a Test Drive

• We invite you to test drive the Buy Accessible
  Wizard Release 3
• To access the Buy Accessible Wizard Release 3 go
  to http//www.buyaccessible.gov/ and use the
  Guest User login

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The VPAT and Market Research

• Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
• Completed by the Vendor
• Information on how a product or service conforms
  to the Section 508 Access Board standards
• Optionally, posted on their vendor site and
  linked to Buy Accessible Wizard Tool
• Vendors are not required to complete a VPAT

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• Examples of VPATS

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Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 VPAT

• Date 3/30/2007
• Name of product Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
• http//www.adobe.com/resources/accessibility/tools
  /vpat/dreamweaver_cs3_508.html

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Mozilla Firefox 3.0 VPAT

• Date 06/10/2008
• Name of Product Firefox 3.0
• General Comments Information in this VPAT is
  relevant to Firefox 3.0 running on a Windows
  2000, Server 2003, XP, or Vista operating system.
  Additional developer tools exist in this product
  that are not installed by default. These optional
  tools have not been tested.
• http//www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/vpat-3.html

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Sample Source of VPAT InformationUsed by the
USPTO

• http//www.evengrounds.com/resources/vpat-director
  y
• Contains a concise list of companies with VPATs
• Companies can be added to the list
• Further information on what is needed in a VPAT

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Tips for Selecting a Vendor

• Review vendors checklist
• All standards are equal in importance
• Do NOT accept yes, a checkmark, or meets
  standards
• Need more information to make informed decision
• If unsure, ask vendor for more information
• Since vendor claimed compliance, they should have
  information readily available

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Tips for Selecting a Vendor
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Tips for Selecting a Vendor

• Review Possible exemptions
• Check with the agencys appointed authority
• Exemptions include
• Back Office - Equipment or software which resides
  in a data center or communication closet that
  cannot be readily accessed or accessed remotely
• Fundamental Alteration - altering design and/or
  alteration of the function of the device or
  operation

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Tips for Selecting a Vendor

• Review Possible exemptions
• Commercially non-available at time of buy
• Support Maintenance agreements
• USPTO Position - There is No Such Creature called
  Undue Burden or Deferred

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Tips for Selecting a Vendor

• Complete processing procurement request
• Consider a Sole Source purchase
• Buyer completes checklist and signs it,
  certifying Section 508 compliance

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Tips for Selecting a Vendor

• Complete processing procurement request
• Section 508 Coordinator reviews and initials
  procurement checklist
• Buyer processes request with the checklist and
  supporting documents
• Market Research
• Most Compliant Vendor
• Sole Source Justification

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Micro-Purchase and Section 508Purchase Card
Program

• Effective April 1, 2005 all purchases of
  electronic information technology (EIT) products
  must comply with Section 508 requirements
• This includes (1) GSA schedule purchases, (2)
  open market purchases and (3) buys that cost
  3,000 or less

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Requiring Official's Responsibilities

• Understanding the Section 508 requirements and
  requesting products that are Section 508
  compliant
• If a product does not conform with Section 508,
  it still may be purchased, but the file must be
  documented in accordance with the exceptions
  listings for Section 508 requirements

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Approving Officials Responsibilities

• Ensure that the purchasing cardholders within
  their organization are complying with the Section
  508 requirement
• Review any documentation that has been provided

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Purchase Cardholders Responsibilities

• Ensure all necessary documentation has been
  reviewed and completed before purchasing any EIT
  products

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Developing Software

• Writing the code for a new or revised system,
  makes it difficult to claim any type of exemption
• Retrofitting a system for compliance is extremely
  expensive
• A system should not go into production if it has
  Section 508 deficiencies

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Developing Software

• Most Section 508 standards are simply good old
  coding practices
• Always code to the standards and not the
  accessibility tools (e.g., JAWS, Dragon Naturally
  Speaking)
• Currently, there are no tools designed to
  evaluate software automatically

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Developing Software

• If JAWS can read a program, that is no guarantee
  that it is compliant
• If JAWS cannot read a program, that is no
  guarantee that it has deficiencies
• Few sighted people have sufficient expertise with
  JAWS to use it as an evaluation tool

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Developing Software

• Allow sufficient time to correct 508 deficiencies
  and still meet the schedule for production
• Remember the Contracting Officer is the only
  person who can authorize changes to a contract
• Contractor is responsible for ensuring compliance
  until the Government accepts the system

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Developing Software

• All software task orders should have a section
  that requires the product to be 508 compliant
• Depending on the type of contract, a contractor
  is responsible for correcting any deficiency at
  their cost

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USPTO Process Initial Steps

• Define requirements - They drive the development
  of the system
• SDM (Software Development Manager) signs the
  checklist certifying that the system will be 508
  compliant
• Coordinator reviews the system and initials the
  checklist

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Initial Steps

• Checklist becomes part of the requirement
  documentation
• Developer determines the applicable standards
• Developer provides the applicable standards to
  testing organization
• There should be testing criteria for each
  standard and that is what the testers use for
  determining compliance

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Initial Steps

• Developer provides the applicable standards to
  testing organization
• There should be testing criteria for each
  standard and that is what the testers use for
  determining compliance

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Web Development

• Most visible 508 areaboth internally and with
  customers
• The more complex and fancy a site, the more
  difficult it may be to make compliant
• This does not imply that you have to dummy down
  the site

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Web Development

• Web products must comply not only with Section
  508, but also any other standards and formats
  prescribed by the agencys webmaster
• No matter what the requirements are to post a web
  document, Section 508 has priority since it is a
  law

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Web Development

• Several tools exist for web evaluations, although
  differing tools sometimes yield differing results
• Do not rely on the tools as the final determining
  factor for compliance
• Always use at least two different evaluation
  tools, one of which should be the tool that the
  Webmaster uses

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Web Development Tool Examples

• Wave 4.0
• http//wave.webaim.org/
• Web Developer toolbar for Mozilla Firefox
• https//addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/60
• HiSoftware
• http//www.hisoftware.com/

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Training

• Critical area since many requirements for
  promotion and skills are based on IT training
  media. People get testy when they miss out on
  promotions
• Secondary issue is training site that must
  support assistive technologies

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Training

• Frequent training problems
• PowerPoint slides
• Problems when Informative Animations, Images, and
  Diagrams are used without text equivalents
• Use the Notes section to provide information
• Interactivity - Providing a text version of the
  training is not the same as interactivity

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State policies regarding adoption of Section 508

• Several states have also adopted policies
  modeled after Section 508 regarding
• Accessibility of web sites,
• Application development,
• And IT procurement

http//accessibility.gtri.gatech.edu/sitid/stateLa
wAtGlance.php February, 2006
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States adopting Section 508

• Alabama Maine Oregon
• Arizona Maryland Pennsylvania
• Arkansas Massachusetts Rhode Island
• California Michigan South Carolina
• Colorado Minnesota South Dakota
• Connecticut Mississippi Tennessee
• Delaware Missouri Texas
• Florida Montana Utah
• Georgia Nebraska Vermont
• Hawaii Nevada Virginia
• Idaho New Hampshire Washington
• Illinois New Mexico Washington, DC
• Indiana New York West Virginia
• Iowa North Carolina Wisconsin
• Kentucky North Dakota Wyoming
• Louisiana Oklahoma
•  

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Section 508 Refresh is on the Way!

• Current Section 508 standards published December
  2000
• 2008 - Advisory Committee created to review and
  update Section 508 standards and
  Telecommunication Act guidelines
• First update since 2000 of standards and
  guidelines
• Advisory committee presented report of
  recommendations to the US Access Board on April
  3, 2008

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Section 508 Refresh is on the Way!

• Eight subcommittees were created by the Access
  Board
• General interface requirements and functional
  performance criteria
• Software, Web, and Content
• Telecommunications
• Audio/Video
• Self contained, closed products
• Desktops, portables, peripherals, and other
  computer hardware
• Section 508 Subpart A (Purpose, Application,
  General Exceptions, Definitions, Equivalent
  Facilitation)
• Documentation and technical support
• Information about the refresh can be found at
• http//www.access-board.gov/sec508/update-index.ht
  m

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Further resources

• More information on Section 508 can be
• found at
• http//www.section508.gov
• http//www.access-board.gov/508.htm
• http//www.buyaccessible.gov/

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Section 508 government programs

• Several examples of Section 508 programs at
• http//www.uspto.gov/web/offices/cio/s508/
• http//www.section508.va.gov/
• http//www.ssa.gov/oag/acq/oagacq_508.htm

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Thank you

• Contact Information for Section 508 and the Buy
  Accessible Wizard (BAW)
• Terry Weaver, Director terry.weaver_at_gsa.gov
• Helen Chamberlain, Section 508 Program Director
  helen.chamberlain_at_gsa.gov
• Bill Hetzner, BAW Team bill.hetzner_at_newvectors.net
  
• Jim Kindrick, BAW Team jim.kindrick_at_newvectors.net
  
• Mike Stebbins, BAW Program Manager
• Mike.stebbins_at_aticorp.org