What is Section 508 Antonio HaileSelassie Presentation to Ames Research Center November 2011 2 Todays Training Session 1 What is Section 508 Overview of Law and Policy Why is Section 508 Important ID: 706540
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Section 508 and NASASession 1:What is Section 508?
Antonio HaileSelassie
Presentation to Ames Research CenterNovember 2011Slide2
2Today’s Training
Session 1: What is Section 508?Overview of Law and PolicyWhy is Section 508 Important?
Demonstration of Section 508 in action. Session 2: Electronic Content/DocumentsBest PracticesDemonstration on Accessible Word Documents and conversion to PDFSession 3: Web and InternetOverview and Review of Technical Standards
Demonstration of Website
Session 4: Software
Overview and In-depth Review of Technical Standards.
DiscussionSlide3
3What Is Section 508?
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to include Section 508, which provides people with disabilities opportunities to gain meaningful employment with the Federal government and to reflect the focus on technology.Slide4
4Section 508 Requires that...
Federal employees with disabilities, and members of the public with disabilities seeking information or services, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by persons who are not individuals with disabilitiesSlide5
5Scope of Section 508
From a technology point of view, Section 508 includes just about everything.Includes
software, computers, telecommunications products (e.g., telephones, VOIP), information kiosks and transaction machines, web sites, multimedia, copiers, fax machines, lab equipment with embedded IT, calculators, etc. Slide6
6NASA 508 Policy
(NPR 2800.2)The Policy establishes procedural requirements for providing accessible Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) with special emphasis on implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Section 508 requires Federal agencies' electronic and information technology be accessible to individuals with disabilities. This policy is meant to aid in the understanding of Section 508 and assign responsibility to key stakeholders in order to achieve and maintain compliance. Slide7
7NASA 508 Policy Applicability
The NPR is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and employees. It applies to EIT acquired, developed, and maintained by or for NASA for use by NASA employees, employees of other Federal agencies, and the public on or after June 25, 2001. The document does not apply to EIT acquired, developed, or maintained by contractors solely to be used by contractors in developing products or services for NASA and which has not been procured under Government contract. Slide8
8Technical Standards
United States Access Board published Technical Standards on December 21, 2000Software applications and operating systemsWeb-based intranet and internet information
and applicationsTelecommunications productsVideo and multimedia productsSelf contained, closed productsDesktop and portable computersSlide9
9Exceptions?
Certain systems related to national security and national defenseEIT acquired by a contractor incidental to a contractMaking accessible would cause a “fundamental alteration” to a product or the agency’s needs (i.e. highly specialized IT)
Commercial Non-AvailabilityProducts located in spaces frequented only by service personnel for maintenance, repair, or occasional monitoring of equipmentUsually a phone closet size facility. Data centers do not fall in this categorySlide10
10What About Undue Burden?
Defined as “significant difficulty or expense”For Section 508, must consider all agency resources available to the relevant program or component
Rarely, if ever, invoked and requires approval of Center legal counsel and the Agency Chief Information Officer.Slide11
11Why Section 508?
More than 50 million Americans report some level of disability.1Compared with an 88% employment level for people with no reported disability, people ages 21 to 64 with a disability were at a 56 % employment level and those with a severe disability status were at a 42% level.
1 16.6 million Americans with disabilities use special equipment, aids, or assistive technology2.U.S. Census, 2006
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research, 2001Slide12
12Examples of Disabilities
Visual
Blindness, weak vision, tunnel vision, dimness, extreme near/far-sightedness, color blindnessAuditoryDeafness, hard of hearing, high/low frequency, progressive hearing loss
Mobility or Tactile
Repetitive stress injuries (RSI), arthritis, stroke, spinal cord injuries, ALS, loss of anatomical parts (eyes, limbs, digits)
Cognitive
Memory deficiency, attention disorders, linguistic and verbal comprehension, math comprehension, visual comprehension, autism, ALS, stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis
Slide13
13Assistive Technologies
Visual Screen reading software, screen magnification, refreshable Braille displays, voice recognition software.
AuditoryTextual captioning, visual cues, hearing aids, cochlear implants.Mobility or TactileAlternative and adaptive keyboards and mice, breath controlled devices, head pointing/tracking devices, on screen keyboards and mouse emulation programs, voice input/recognition software.Cognitive
Alternative and augmentative communication devices, alternative and adaptive keyboards and mice, voice recognition software, screen reading software.Slide14
14Technical Standards
Access Board published Technical Standards on December 21, 2000Software applications and operating systemsWeb-based intranet and internet information
and applicationsTelecommunications productsVideo and multimedia productsSelf contained, closed productsDesktop and portable computersSlide15
15Standards: Software
Software applications and operating systems requires:(a) Executing Function from Keyboard(b) Accessibility Features
(c) Input Focus(d) User Interface Element(e) Bitmap Images(f) Textual Information(g) User Selected Attributes(h) Animation
(
i
) Color Coding
(j) Color and Contrast Settings
(k) Flashing or Blinking Text
(l) Electronic FormsSlide16
16Standards: Web/Internet
Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (1194.22):(a) Text Tags(b) Multimedia Presentations
(c) Color(d) Readability(e) Server-Side Image Maps(f) Client-Side Image Maps(g)&(h) Data Table(i) Frames
(j) Flicker Rate
(k) Text-Only Alternative
(l) Scripts
(m) Applets and Plug-Ins
(n) Electronic Forms
(o) Navigation Links
(p) Time DelaysSlide17
17Standards: Telecommunications
Telecommunications Products (1194.23)(a) TTY Connection/Microphones(b) TTY Signal Protocols
(c) Interactive Voice Response Systems(d) Time Interval Alerts(e) Caller ID and Similar Functions(f) Volume Control(g) Automatic Volume Level Reset(h) Hearing Aid Compatibility
(
i
) Minimized Interference
(j) Transmitting/Conducting Information
(k) Controls and Keys Slide18
18Standards: Multimedia
Video and Multimedia Products (1194.24) :(a) Caption Decoder Circuitry
(b) Audio Description Circuitry(c) & (d) Video and Multimedia Productions(e) User-Select FeatureSlide19
19Standards: Closed Products
Self Contained, Closed Products (1194.25):(a) Usability(b) Timed Responses
(c) Touchscreens and Controls(d) Biometric Forms/ User ID(e) Auditory Output(f) Volume Control(g) Color Coding(h) Color and Contrast Settings
(
i
) Screen Flicker
(j) Operable ControlsSlide20
20Standards: Computers
Desktop and Portable Computers (1194.26):(a) Controls and Keys(b)
Touchscreens and controls(c) Biometric User ID(d) Connection PointsSlide21
21Standards: Subpart C
Functional Performance Criteria § 1194.31 (a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for assistive technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.
(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided.Slide22
22Standards: Subpart C
Functional Performance Criteria § 1194.31 (con’t)(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided.
(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.Slide23
23Standards: Subpart D
§ 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support.(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.
(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.Slide24
Demo: Why Section 508 makes a difference!Slide25
25Tools
NASA-STD-2804 Screen Reading SoftwareWindows/PC - JAWS 8.x or higher, Window Eyes 6.x or higherMac OS X – VoiceOver
Desktop Automated SoftwareWindows/PC - HiSoftware ACCVerify, DeQue RampMac OS x - Deque RampPDF DocumentsAdobe Acrobat 8.x or higherNetCentric Technologies
CommonLook
Plug-in for AcrobatSlide26
26Tools
Other useful tools:WebFirefox- Wave add-onFirefox Web Developer ToolbarInternet Explorer Accessibility ToolbarSoftware
UI Accessibility Checker- http://acccheck.codeplex.com/ PDF DocumentsAdobe Acrobat 8.x or higher-NetCentric Technologies CommonLook Plug-in for AcrobatSlide27
27Resources
www.section508.nasa.govGeneral and NASA-specific information and resourcesNASA virtual Section 508 help desksection508help@nasa.gov
Available to NASA employees and contractorswww.section508.govGSA site: general information, training, lots of relevant links (law, standards, etc.)www.access-board.gov/508.htmAccess Board developed standards. Good links.