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Section 508 Update Enters Public Comment Phase
As earlier promised to our readers, Even Grounds will post information related to the Section 508 update.
The Access Board released its first draft of recommendations for the Section 508 updates, and is seeking public comments.
The draft integrates Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 255 of the Telecommunication Act. The other change is that instead of by product type, the documentation discusses the standards by functionality. For all practical purposes, this means that the same standards will apply to web and software products.
Also, the draft intends to harmonize Section 508 with WCAG 2.0, which will allow accessibility standards to apply across the borders.
Currently, it is not necessary to update anything, as the new standards are not in effect yet. However, in preparation for the final standards, we highly recommend to our readers to start implementing WCAG 2.0, in order to make a smoother transition.
To start implementing WCAG 2.0, Even Grounds published a WCAG tutorial
Also, you can read the first updated draft here.
I saw a link posted at W3C
I saw a link posted at W3C from Bruce Bailey. I followed up with him.
The new standards are not yet finalized.
Finalized Section 508 standards
Chris,
That is correct. Currently, it is a draft, and theoretically it could end up being anything. In reality, it is expected that Section 508 will be harmonized with WCAG 2.0, and it is also expected that the final set of standards will be very similar to those in the draft. The Access Board put together a committee to recommend the new standards. While the Access Board did not have to take their recommendation at all, if you look at the committee's recommendations and the current draft, they seriously considered it. For a reason, of course, as the committee consisted of the main stakeholders in the industry with great experience in this area. But we will keep watching it, and I will post information on this site as it becomes available.
So once the draft document is
So once the draft document is finalized by the Access Board, what next? Does it go to Congress for a sponsor, who will shepherd it through the "bill becomes a law" process? Or is there some other process by which these new guidelines become official, and Section 508 then becomes updated as a formal legislative act?
Other updates to Section 508
I would like to find out about other previous efforts to update Section 508. I would be interested in successful efforts and unsuccessful efforts...if anyone knows of a published article on this topic or an informative website, please reply to this post. Thanks!
Other Section 508 updates
Tommy,
This is the only one I know, as only the Access Board is authorized to update Section 508. The first set of standards came out in 2001, and this is the revision of those standaards.
When the document is finalized
When the document is finalized, the Access Board will make it official. Basically, what happens is that Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act does not state the standards. It requires the Access Board to create the standards, just for the sake of simplicity this whole thing is referred to as Section 508. As long as the created standards do not violate other legislation, they will be enforced. The law itself is the Rehabilitation Act, which will not change.
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