The Workforce
Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220, was enacted on August 7,
1998. Title IV of the Act is the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998.
Subsection 408(b) amended section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(29 U.S.C. 794d). Subsection 508(a)(1) requires that when Federal
departments or agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use Electronic and
Information Technology (EIT), they must ensure that the EIT allows Federal
employees with disabilities to have access to and use of information and
data that is comparable to the access to and use of information and data
by other Federal employees. Section 508 also requires that individuals
with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or
services from a Federal department or agency, have access to and use of
information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public
without disabilities. ACS provides Information Technology professional
services in accordance with section 508, adhering to the following
guidelines:
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Section 508 Item A - A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).
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Section 508 Item B - Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
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Section 508 Item C - Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.
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Section 508 Item D - Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
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Section 508 Item E - Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
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Section 508 Item F - Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
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Section 508 Item G - Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
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Section 508 Item H - Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
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Section 508 Item I - Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
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Section 508 Item J - Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
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Section 508 Item K - A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of these standards, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.
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Section 508 Item L - When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
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Section 508 Item M - When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
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Section 508 Item N - When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
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Section 508 Item O - A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
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Section 508 Item P - When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
