Section 508 sets accessibility requirements for information and communication technology
used by US federal agencies.
It helps make sure federal employees and members of the public with disabilities can access digital information, services and technology.
For technology providers, Section 508 is also an important part of federal procurement.
It requires US federal agencies to make the information and communication technology they develop, buy, maintain or use accessible to people with disabilities.
This can include:
Section 508 aims to give federal employees with disabilities access to information and technology that is comparable to the access available to other employees.
It also covers members of the public with disabilities who access information or services from federal agencies.
Digital technology
For digital technology, this can mean making sure websites, software, documents and other electronic content work for people using different ways to access information, including assistive technology.
WCAG 2.0
WCAG 2.0 Level AA forms an important part of the current Section 508 technical requirements. However, Section 508 also includes requirements beyond WCAG for certain types of ICT.
Accessibility needs to be considered when federal agencies buy technology, as well as when they develop it themselves.
Agencies need to work out which Section 508 requirements apply to the ICT they plan to buy and include relevant accessibility requirements in the procurement process.
Technology vendors can provide accessibility documentation to help buyers understand how their products perform against these requirements.
One of the most common ways to do this is through an Accessibility Conformance Report, or ACR.
A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or VPAT, is a standard template for documenting the accessibility of information and communication technology.
A vendor completes the relevant VPAT to create an Accessibility Conformance Report, or ACR.
The ACR explains how the product or service supports specific accessibility requirements and where accessibility limitations may exist.
This gives procurement teams more information to assess accessibility when comparing or buying technology.
A VPAT or ACR isn't a certification that a product is fully accessible. Buyers should consider the information in the report alongside their own accessibility requirements and evaluation process.
Section 508 is a federal law and directly applies to US federal agencies. It doesn't automatically apply to every state, local government or school district.
However, schools and other public organizations may have separate accessibility obligations under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. State or local procurement policies may also include accessibility requirements or ask vendors for documentation such as a VPAT or ACR.
This means education procurement teams may still see Section 508 documentation when assessing digital products, even when Section 508 itself isn't the law directly governing their organization.
Everway creates technology that helps remove barriers to understanding and supports different ways of learning, working and communicating.
We build accessibility into our products and provide documentation to help organizations understand the accessibility of the technology they're considering.
Everway for Work brings Read&Write, MindView and Tasks together to support different ways of reading, writing, planning and working.
Organizations can make these tools available across their workforce, giving employees access to technology that can help remove barriers and support more accessible ways of working.
Accessibility documentation for Everway products can also help procurement and IT teams understand how the technology performs against recognized accessibility standards when assessing solutions for their workforce.
Our education software supports different ways of reading, writing, learning and communicating.
Products including Read&Write, OrbitNote and Equatio give learners different ways to access digital learning and express what they know.
Accessibility documentation for many of our products can also help education and IT teams understand how the technology performs against recognised accessibility standards when making procurement decisions.
Our approach to compliance also covers data protection and information security.
Visit the Everway Trust Centre to find certifications, product data security packs and data protection documentation, including information about ISO/IEC 27001, FERPA, COPPA, GDPR and SOPPA.
Accessibility is part of how we design our products, website and content.
Everway.com is independently audited to WCAG 2.2 Level AA. We also work directly with disabled people through our Research Network to help make our products more accessible and inclusive.
Read our accessibility commitment
Read our accessibility statement
Explore our accessibility solutions
Accessibility requirements can overlap depending on the organization and technology involved.
Section 508 is part of the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
It requires federal agencies to make the information and communication technology they develop, buy, maintain or use accessible to people with disabilities.
The current Section 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA requirements for relevant web content, electronic content and software.
A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or VPAT, is a standard template used to document how a digital product or service supports accessibility standards.
When a vendor completes a VPAT, the resulting document is called an Accessibility Conformance Report, or ACR.
An ACR helps procurement teams understand a product's accessibility, including where it supports relevant requirements and where limitations may remain.
No. A VPAT is a template, and the completed ACR documents how a vendor says its product or service supports relevant accessibility requirements.
It isn't an accessibility certification or a guarantee that a product will meet every requirement in a particular organization's use case.
Procurement teams should review the ACR alongside their own accessibility requirements and, where appropriate, carry out further evaluation or testing.
Not automatically. Section 508 directly applies to US federal agencies.
Schools and school districts may have separate accessibility responsibilities under other federal, state or local requirements. Their procurement processes may also ask technology vendors for Section 508 accessibility information, including an ACR or VPAT.
The current Section 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA Success Criteria for relevant web content, electronic content and software.
Section 508 also contains requirements for other aspects of information and communication technology, so meeting WCAG alone doesn't necessarily address every applicable Section 508 requirement.
Everway provides Accessibility Conformance Reports based on the VPAT for many of our products.
These reports document how individual products support relevant accessibility standards and can help procurement and IT teams assess accessibility during an RFP or purchasing process.
Visit the Everway Trust Centre to find available product accessibility documentation or contact the Everway team for support with a specific procurement process.
Accessible technology gives more people the opportunity to access information, learn and work in ways that meet their needs.
Explore Everway products to help you make informed technology decisions.
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