Section 508

Three Flashes or Below Threshold> Three Flashes or Below Threshold # Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds.

Contrast (Minimum)> Contrast (Minimum) # The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, except for the following: Large Text: Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is tasked under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide technical assistance to help federal agencies comply with Section 508 requirements, and ensure that covered ICT is accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities.

Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality. Development Considerations Web pages should be designed to be “responsive” to the size of the display on which they are viewed.

Info and Relationships> Info and Relationships # Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. Content/Design Considerations The border around the grouped fields can be hidden programmatically if it conflicts with the design.

Language of Page> Language of Page # The default human language of each web page can be programmatically determined. Language of Parts> Language of Parts # The human language of each passage or phrase in the content can be programmatically determined except for proper names, technical terms, words of indeterminate language, and words or phrases that have become part of the vernacular of the immediately surrounding text.

If the purpose of non-text content is to confirm the content is being accessed by a person rather than a computer, then text alternatives that identify and describe the purpose of the non-text content are provided, and alternative forms of CAPTCHA using output modes for different types of sensory perception are provided to accommodate different disabilities.

Non-Text Content> Non-Text Content # All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. Content/Design Considerations Avoid using meaningful images as background images.

Requirement 1: Alternate Pages> Requirement 1: Alternate Pages # Development Considerations To meet the requirements of a conforming alternate version, it must: Conform to all Level A and AA criteria, and Provide all of the same information and functionality in the same human language, and Be as up to date as the non-conforming content, and At least one of the following is true: The conforming version can be reached from the non-conforming page via an accessibility-supported mechanism, or The non-conforming version can only be reached from the conforming version, or The non-conforming version can only be reached from a conforming page that also provides a mechanism to reach the conforming version.

Bypass Blocks> Bypass Blocks # A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple web pages. Content/Design Considerations Identify the repetitive content on pages and the location of where a skip mechanism should land.

Timing Adjustable> Timing Adjustable # For each time limit that is set by the content, at least ONE of the following is true: Turn off: The user is allowed to turn off the time limit before encountering it; or Adjust: The user is allowed to adjust the time limit before encountering it over a wide range that is at least ten times the length of the default setting; or Extend: The user is warned before time expires and given at least 20 seconds to extend the time limit with a simple action (for example, “press the space bar”), and the user is allowed to extend the time limit at least ten times; or Real-time Exception: The time limit is a required part of a real-time event (for example, an auction), and no alternative to the time limit is possible; or Essential Exception: The time limit is essential and extending it would invalidate the activity; or 20 Hour Exception: The time limit is longer than 20 hours.

Captions (Prerecorded)> Captions (Prerecorded) # Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such.

Non-Text Content – Meaningful Images> Non-Text Content – Meaningful Images # All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. Content owners are the best resource for text descriptions since they know what information they want the image to convey.

Page Titled> Page Titled # Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose. Content/Design Considerations Provide a descriptive title for each page or screen. If the page is a result of a user action or scripted change of context, the TITLE should describe the result of change of context.

In content implemented using markup languages, elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and any IDs are unique, except where the specifications allow these features.

Name, Role, Value> Name, Role, Value # For all user interface components (including, but not limited to, form elements, links, and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies (Level A).

Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)> Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) # For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media, the following are true, except when the audio or video is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such:

Headings and Labels> Headings and Labels # Headings and labels describe topic or purpose. (Level AA). Refer to WebAIM’s Using Headings for Content Structure. Content/Design Considerations Provide descriptive headings for sections of content for content structure.

Name, Role, Value> Name, Role, Value # For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies.

Info and Relationships> Info and Relationships # Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. Content/Design Considerations Use simple tables instead of complex tables whenever possible Development Considerations