Appendix A to Part 1194 - Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: Application and Scoping Requirements
36:3.0.9.1.10.0.5.3.16 : Appendix A
Appendix A to Part 1194 - Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act:
Application and Scoping Requirements Table of Contents 508 Chapter
1: Application and Administration E101 General E102 Referenced
Standards E103 Definitions 508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements E201
Application E202 General Exceptions E203 Access to Functionality
E204 Functional Performance Criteria E205 Electric Content E206
Hardware E207 Software E208 Support Documentation and Services 508
Chapter 1: Application and Administration E101 General
E101.1 Purpose.These Revised 508 Standards, which consist
of 508 Chapters 1 and 2 (Appendix A), along with Chapters 3 through
7 (Appendix C), contain scoping and technical requirements for
information and communication technology (ICT) to ensure
accessibility and usability by individuals with disabilities.
Compliance with these standards is mandatory for Federal agencies
subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended (29 U.S.C. 794d).
E101.2 Equivalent Facilitation. The use of an alternative
design or technology that results in substantially equivalent or
greater accessibility and usability by individuals with
disabilities than would be provided by conformance to one or more
of the requirements in Chapters 4 and 5 of the Revised 508
Standards is permitted. The functional performance criteria in
Chapter 3 shall be used to determine whether substantially
equivalent or greater accessibility and usability is provided to
individuals with disabilities.
E101.3 Conventional Industry Tolerances. Dimensions are
subject to conventional industry tolerances except where dimensions
are stated as a range with specific minimum or maximum end
points.
E101.4 Units of Measurement. Measurements are stated in
metric and U.S. customary units. The values stated in each system
(metric and U.S. customary units) may not be exact equivalents, and
each system shall be used independently of the other.
E102 Referenced Standards
E102.1 Application. The specific editions of the
standards listed in Chapter 7 are incorporated by reference into
508 Chapter 2 (Scoping Requirements) and Chapters 3 through 6 to
the prescribed extent of each such reference. Where conflicts occur
between the Revised 508 Standards and the referenced standards,
these Revised 508 Standards apply.
E103 Definitions
E103.1 Terms Defined in Referenced Standards. Terms
defined in referenced standards and not defined in E103.4 shall
have the meaning as defined in the referenced standards.
E103.2 Undefined Terms. Any term not defined in E103.4 or
in referenced standards shall be given its ordinarily accepted
meaning in the sense that the context implies.
E103.3 Interchangeability. Words, terms, and phrases used
in the singular include the plural and those used in the plural
include the singular.
E103.4 Defined Terms. For the purpose of the Revised 508
Standards, the terms defined in E103.4 have the indicated
meaning.
Agency. Any agency or department of the United States as
defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502, and the United States Postal
Service.
Alteration. A change to existing ICT that affects
interoperability, the user interface, or access to information or
data.
Application. Software designed to perform, or to help the
user to perform, a specific task or tasks.
Assistive Technology (AT). Any item, piece of equipment,
or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or
customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve
functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Audio Description. Narration added to the soundtrack to
describe important visual details that cannot be understood from
the main soundtrack alone. Audio description is a means to inform
individuals who are blind or who have low vision about visual
content essential for comprehension. Audio description of video
provides information about actions, characters, scene changes,
on-screen text, and other visual content. Audio description
supplements the regular audio track of a program. Audio description
is usually added during existing pauses in dialogue. Audio
description is also called “video description” and “descriptive
narration”.
Authoring Tool. Any software, or collection of software
components, that can be used by authors, alone or collaboratively,
to create or modify content for use by others, including other
authors.
Closed Functionality. Characteristics that limit
functionality or prevent a user from attaching or installing
assistive technology. Examples of ICT with closed functionality are
self-service machines, information kiosks, set-top boxes, fax
machines, calculators, and computers that are locked down so that
users may not adjust settings due to a policy such as Desktop Core
Configuration.
Content. Electronic information and data, as well as the
encoding that defines its structure, presentation, and
interactions.
Document. Logically distinct assembly of content (such as
a file, set of files, or streamed media) that: Functions as a
single entity rather than a collection; is not part of software;
and does not include its own software to retrieve and present
content for users. Examples of documents include, but are not
limited to, letters, email messages, spreadsheets, presentations,
podcasts, images, and movies.
Existing ICT. ICT that has been procured, maintained or
used on or before January 18, 2018.
Hardware. A tangible device, equipment, or physical
component of ICT, such as telephones, computers, multifunction copy
machines, and keyboards.
Information Technology. Shall have the same meaning as
the term “information technology” set forth in 40 U.S.C.
11101(6).
Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Information technology and other equipment, systems, technologies,
or processes, for which the principal function is the creation,
manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or transmission of
electronic data and information, as well as any associated content.
Examples of ICT include, but are not limited to: Computers and
peripheral equipment; information kiosks and transaction machines;
telecommunications equipment; customer premises equipment;
multifunction office machines; software; applications; Web sites;
videos; and, electronic documents.
Keyboard. A set of systematically arranged alphanumeric
keys or a control that generates alphanumeric input by which a
machine or device is operated. A keyboard includes tactilely
discernible keys used in conjunction with the alphanumeric keys if
their function maps to keys on the keyboard interfaces.
Label. Text, or a component with a text alternative, that
is presented to a user to identify content. A label is presented to
all users, whereas a name may be hidden and only exposed by
assistive technology. In many cases, the name and the label are the
same.
Menu. A set of selectable options.
Name. Text by which software can identify a component to
the user. A name may be hidden and only exposed by assistive
technology, whereas a label is presented to all users. In many
cases, the label and the name are the same. Name is unrelated to
the name attribute in HTML.
Non-Web Document. A document that is not: A Web page,
embedded in a Web page, or used in the rendering or functioning of
Web pages.
Non-Web Software. Software that is not: A Web page, not
embedded in a Web page, and not used in the rendering or
functioning of Web pages.
Operable Part. Hardware-based user controls for
activating, deactivating, or adjusting ICT.
Platform Accessibility Services. Services provided by a
platform enabling interoperability with assistive technology.
Examples are Application Programming Interfaces (API) and the
Document Object Model (DOM).
Platform Software. Software that interacts with hardware
or provides services for other software. Platform software may run
or host other software, and may isolate them from underlying
software or hardware layers. A single software component may have
both platform and non-platform aspects. Examples of platforms are:
Desktop operating systems; embedded operating systems, including
mobile systems; Web browsers; plug-ins to Web browsers that render
a particular media or format; and sets of components that allow
other applications to execute, such as applications which support
macros or scripting.
Programmatically Determinable. Ability to be determined
by software from author-supplied data that is provided in a way
that different user agents, including assistive technologies, can
extract and present the information to users in different
modalities.
Public Facing. Content made available by an agency to
members of the general public. Examples include, but are not
limited to, an agency Web site, blog post, or social media
pages.
Real-Time Text (RTT). Communications using the
transmission of text by which characters are transmitted by a
terminal as they are typed. Real-time text is used for
conversational purposes. Real-time text also may be used in
voicemail, interactive voice response systems, and other similar
application.
Revised 508 Standards. The standards for ICT developed,
procured, maintained, or used by agencies subject to Section 508 of
the Rehabilitation Act as set forth in 508 Chapters 1 and 2 (36 CFR
part 1194, Appendix A), and Chapters 3 through 7 (36 CFR part 1194,
Appendix C).
Software. Programs, procedures, rules, and related data
and documentation that direct the use and operation of ICT and
instruct it to perform a given task or function. Software includes,
but is not limited to, applications, non-Web software, and platform
software.
Software Tools. Software for which the primary function
is the development of other software. Software tools usually come
in the form of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and are
a suite of related products and utilities. Examples of IDEs include
Microsoft® Visual Studio®, Apple® Xcode®, and Eclipse Foundation
Eclipse®.
Telecommunications. The signal transmission, between or
among points specified by the user, of information of the user's
choosing, without change in the form or content of the information
as sent and received.
Terminal. Device or software with which the end user
directly interacts and that provides the user interface. For some
systems, the software that provides the user interface may reside
on more than one device such as a telephone and a server.
Text. A sequence of characters that can be
programmatically determined and that expresses something in human
language.
TTY. Equipment that enables interactive text based
communications through the transmission of frequency-shift-keying
audio tones across the public switched telephone network. TTYs
include devices for real-time text communications and voice and
text intermixed communications. Examples of intermixed
communications are voice carry over and hearing carry over. One
example of a TTY is a computer with TTY emulating software and
modem.
Variable Message Signs (VMS). Non-interactive electronic
signs with scrolling, streaming, or paging-down capability. An
example of a VMS is an electronic message board at a transit
station that displays the gate and time information associated with
the next train arrival.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). A technology that
provides real-time voice communications. VoIP requires a broadband
connection from the user's location and customer premises equipment
compatible with Internet protocol.
Web page. A non-embedded resource obtained from a single
Universal Resource Identifier (URI) using HyperText Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) plus any other resources that are provided for the
rendering, retrieval, and presentation of content.
508 Chapter 2: Scoping Requirements E201 Application
E201.1 Scope. ICT that is procured, developed,
maintained, or used by agencies shall conform to the Revised 508
Standards.
E202 General Exceptions
E202.1 General. ICT shall be exempt from compliance with
the Revised 508 Standards to the extent specified by E202.
E202.2 Legacy ICT. 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 required to be modified to
conform to the Revised 508 Standards.
E202.3 National Security Systems. The Revised 508
Standards do not apply to ICT operated by agencies as part of a
national security system, as defined by 40 U.S.C. 11103(a).
E202.4 Federal Contracts. ICT acquired by a contractor
incidental to a contract shall not be required to conform to the
Revised 508 Standards.
E202.5 ICT Functions Located in Maintenance or Monitoring
Spaces. Where status indicators and operable parts for ICT
functions are located in spaces that are frequented only by service
personnel for maintenance, repair, or occasional monitoring of
equipment, such status indicators and operable parts shall not be
required to conform to the Revised 508 Standards.
E202.6 Undue Burden or Fundamental Alteration. Where an
agency determines in accordance with E202.6 that conformance to
requirements in the Revised 508 Standards would impose an undue
burden or would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of
the ICT, conformance shall be required only to the extent that it
does not impose an undue burden, or result in a fundamental
alteration in the nature of the ICT.
E202.6.1 Basis for a Determination of Undue Burden. In
determining whether conformance to requirements in the Revised 508
Standards would impose an undue burden on the agency, the agency
shall consider the extent to which conformance would impose
significant difficulty or expense considering the agency resources
available to the program or component for which the ICT is to be
procured, developed, maintained, or used.
E202.6.2 Required Documentation. The responsible agency
official shall document in writing the basis for determining that
conformance to requirements in the Revised 508 Standards constitute
an undue burden on the agency, or would result in a fundamental
alteration in the nature of the ICT. The documentation shall
include an explanation of why and to what extent compliance with
applicable requirements would create an undue burden or result in a
fundamental alteration in the nature of the ICT.
E202.6.3 Alternative Means. Where conformance to one or
more requirements in the Revised 508 Standards imposes an undue
burden or a fundamental alteration in the nature of the ICT, the
agency shall provide individuals with disabilities access to and
use of information and data by an alternative means that meets
identified needs.
E202.7 Best Meets. Where ICT conforming to one or more
requirements in the Revised 508 Standards is not commercially
available, the agency shall procure the ICT that best meets the
Revised 508 Standards consistent with the agency's business
needs.
E202.7.1 Required Documentation. The responsible agency
official shall document in writing: (a) The non-availability of
conforming ICT, including a description of market research
performed and which provisions cannot be met, and (b) the basis for
determining that the ICT to be procured best meets the requirements
in the Revised 508 Standards consistent with the agency's business
needs.
E202.7.2 Alternative Means. Where ICT that fully conforms
to the Revised 508 Standards is not commercially available, the
agency shall provide individuals with disabilities access to and
use of information and data by an alternative means that meets
identified needs.
E203 Access to Functionality
E203.1 General. Agencies shall ensure that all
functionality of ICT is accessible to and usable by individuals
with disabilities, either directly or by supporting the use of
assistive technology, and shall comply with E203. In providing
access to all functionality of ICT, agencies shall ensure the
following:
A. That Federal employees with disabilities have access to and
use of information and data that is comparable to the access and
use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities;
and
B. That members of the public with disabilities who are seeking
information or data from a Federal agency have access to and use of
information and data that is comparable to that provided to members
of the public who are not individuals with disabilities.
E203.2 User Needs. When agencies procure, develop,
maintain or use ICT they shall identify the needs of users with
disabilities to determine:
A. How users with disabilities will perform the functions
supported by the ICT; and
B. How the ICT will be developed, installed, configured, and
maintained to support users with disabilities.
E204 Functional Performance Criteria
E204.1 General. Where the requirements in Chapters 4 and
5 do not address one or more functions of ICT, the functions not
addressed shall conform to the Functional Performance Criteria
specified in Chapter 3.
E205 Electronic Content
E205.1 General. Electronic content shall comply with
E205.
E205.2 Public Facing. Electronic content that is public
facing shall conform to the accessibility requirements specified in
E205.4.
E205.3 Agency Official Communication. Electronic content
that is not public facing shall conform to the accessibility
requirements specified in E205.4 when such content constitutes
official business and is communicated by an agency through one or
more of the following:
A. An emergency notification;
B. An initial or final decision adjudicating an administrative
claim or proceeding;
C. An internal or external program or policy announcement;
D. A notice of benefits, program eligibility, employment
opportunity, or personnel action;
E. A formal acknowledgement of receipt;
F. A survey questionnaire;
G. A template or form;
H. Educational or training materials; or
I. Intranet content designed as a Web page.
EXCEPTION: Records maintained by the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA) pursuant to Federal recordkeeping
statutes shall not be required to conform to the Revised 508
Standards unless public facing.
E205.4 Accessibility Standard. Electronic content shall
conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance
Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see
702.10.1).
EXCEPTION: Non-Web documents shall not be required to conform to
the following four WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria: 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks,
2.4.5 Multiple Ways, 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation, and 3.2.4
Consistent Identification.
E205.4.1 Word Substitution when Applying WCAG to Non-Web
Documents. For non-Web documents, wherever the term “Web page”
or “page” appears in WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA Success Criteria and
Conformance Requirements, the term “document” shall be substituted
for the terms “Web page” and “page”. In addition, in Success
Criterion in 1.4.2, the phrase “in a document” shall be substituted
for the phrase “on a Web page”.
E206 Hardware
E206.1 General. Where components of ICT are hardware and
transmit information or have a user interface, such components
shall conform to the requirements in Chapter 4.
E207 Software
E207.1 General. Where components of ICT are software and
transmit information or have a user interface, such components
shall conform to E207 and the requirements in Chapter 5.
EXCEPTION: Software that is assistive technology and that
supports the accessibility services of the platform shall not be
required to conform to the requirements in Chapter 5.
E207.2 WCAG Conformance. User interface components, as
well as the content of platforms and applications, shall conform to
Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements
in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1).
EXCEPTIONS: 1. Software that is assistive technology and that
supports the accessibility services of the platform shall not be
required to conform to E207.2.
2. Non-Web software shall not be required to conform to the
following four Success Criteria in WCAG 2.0: 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks;
2.4.5 Multiple Ways; 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation; and 3.2.4
Consistent Identification.
3. Non-Web software shall not be required to conform to
Conformance Requirement 3 Complete Processes in WCAG 2.0.
E207.2.1 Word Substitution when Applying WCAG to Non-Web
Software. For non-Web software, wherever the term “Web page” or
“page” appears in WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA Success Criteria and
Conformance Requirements, the term “software” shall be substituted
for the terms “Web page” and “page”. In addition, in Success
Criterion in 1.4.2, the phrase “in software” shall be substituted
for the phrase “on a Web page.”
E207.3 Complete Processes for Non-Web Software. Where
non-Web software requires multiple steps to accomplish an activity,
all software related to the activity to be accomplished shall
conform to WCAG 2.0 as specified in E207.2.
E208 Support Documentation and Services
E208.1 General. Where an agency provides support
documentation or services for ICT, such documentation and services
shall conform to the requirements in Chapter 6.
[82 FR 5832, Jan. 18, 2017, as amended at 83 FR 2915, Jan. 22,
2018]