Government Website Section 508 & WCAG 2.2 Compliance Guide

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (ICT) accessible to people with disabilities. Updated in 2017 to align with WCAG 2.0, Section 508 now serves as the accessibility standard for all federal websites, applications, and digital services. State and local governments increasingly adopt these same standards.

This guide covers Section 508 requirements, implementation strategies, and compliance verification for government digital properties.

Understanding Section 508

Legal Framework

Section 508 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, amended in 1998 and updated in 2017:

Who must comply:

• Federal agencies
• Federal contractors
• Organizations receiving federal funding
• State/local governments (many adopt 508 standards)

What's covered:

• Websites and web applications
• Software and platforms
• Documents (PDFs, Office files)
• Multimedia content
• Hardware and kiosks

2017 Refresh

The 2017 update fundamentally changed Section 508:

Key changes:

• Adopted WCAG 2.0 Level AA for web content
• Harmonized with EN 301 549 (European standard)
• Functional performance criteria for non-web ICT
• Clearer documentation requirements

Current standard: WCAG 2.0 Level AA is mandatory; WCAG 2.1/2.2 adoption recommended.

Section 508 Technical Requirements

Web Content Standards (Chapter 5)

All web content must conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA:

38 success criteria organized under POUR:

• Perceivable (guidelines 1.1-1.4)
• Operable (guidelines 2.1-2.4)
• Understandable (guidelines 3.1-3.3)
• Robust (guideline 4.1)

Software Standards (Chapter 5)

Applications must support assistive technologies:

Interoperability:

• Platform accessibility APIs
• Documented accessibility features
• Keyboard operability
• Focus management

User interface components:

• Name, role, value exposed
• State changes communicated
• Selection and focus visible

Hardware Standards (Chapter 4)

Physical ICT accessibility:

Operable parts:

• Controls reachable and operable
• Tactile identification
• Audio output options

Display screens:

• Adjustable brightness/contrast (where appropriate)
• Viewing angle considerations

Documents (Chapter 6)

Electronic documents must be accessible:

Requirements:

• Proper reading order
• Alternative text for images
• Accessible tables
• Document structure tags
• Accessible forms

Functional Performance Criteria

Backup Requirements

When technical standards don't cover specific functionality, agencies must meet functional performance criteria:

Without vision: Provide at least one mode operable without vision.

With limited vision: Support low vision and color blindness.

Without hearing: Visual alternatives for audio information.

With limited hearing: Volume controls and visual alerts.

Without speech: Alternatives to voice-based operation.

With limited manipulation: One-handed, sequential, and limited reach operation.

With limited reach and strength: Operable with minimal force.

With limited cognition: Simple, consistent operation.

Implementation Requirements

Agency Responsibilities

Federal agencies must:

Policy:

• Establish accessibility policy
• Designate Section 508 coordinator
• Document procedures

Procurement:

• Include accessibility in requirements
• Evaluate ICT for conformance
• Document exceptions

Development:

• Build accessibility into development processes
• Test before deployment
• Maintain compliance

Remediation:

• Address complaints
• Fix identified issues
• Track progress

Documentation Requirements

Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACR): Use VPAT format to document conformance status.

Exception documentation: When full conformance isn't achievable, document:

• Nature of exception
• Impact on users
• Alternative access methods
• Timeline for resolution

Common Government Website Issues

Navigation Problems

Mega menus: Complex navigation often keyboard-inaccessible.

<!-- Accessible mega menu structure -->
<nav aria-label="Main navigation">
  <ul role="menubar">
    <li role="none">
      <button aria-expanded="false"
              aria-haspopup="true"
              aria-controls="services-menu">
        Services
      </button>
      <ul id="services-menu" role="menu" hidden>
        <li role="none">
          <a role="menuitem" href="/benefits">Benefits</a>
        </li>
        <!-- More items -->
      </ul>
    </li>
  </ul>
</nav>

Form Accessibility

Complex government forms:

• Multi-page applications
• Conditional fields
• Document uploads
• Signature requirements

<!-- Accessible form with proper structure -->
<form>
  <fieldset>
    <legend>Personal Information</legend>

    <div class="form-group">
      <label for="ssn">
        Social Security Number (required)
        <span class="format-hint">Format: XXX-XX-XXXX</span>
      </label>
      <input type="text" id="ssn"
             aria-required="true"
             pattern="\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{4}"
             autocomplete="off">
    </div>
  </fieldset>

  <!-- Progress indicator for multi-page forms -->
  <div role="status" aria-live="polite">
    Step 2 of 5: Personal Information
  </div>
</form>

Document Accessibility

PDF problems: Government sites often have inaccessible PDFs.

Requirements for accessible PDFs:

• Tagged structure
• Reading order defined
• Alt text for images
• Accessible tables
• Form fields labeled
• Language specified

Data Tables

Complex data presentations: Many government sites display statistical data.

<!-- Accessible complex data table -->
<table>
  <caption>
    Federal Budget Allocations by Department, FY 2024
    <span class="summary">
      All figures in millions of dollars.
    </span>
  </caption>

  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th scope="col" rowspan="2">Department</th>
      <th scope="colgroup" colspan="2">FY 2023</th>
      <th scope="colgroup" colspan="2">FY 2024</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <th scope="col">Budget</th>
      <th scope="col">Actual</th>
      <th scope="col">Budget</th>
      <th scope="col">Projected</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <th scope="row">Defense</th>
      <td>$715,000</td>
      <td>$720,500</td>
      <td>$750,000</td>
      <td>$745,000</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Agency-Specific Considerations

Public-Facing vs Internal

Public websites: Highest priority—direct citizen impact.

Internal systems:

• Employee-facing systems
• Reasonable accommodation required
• May need individual accommodations

Legacy Systems

Challenges:

• Older systems predate 508 refresh
• Limited vendor support
• Integration complexity

Approaches:

• Prioritize high-impact systems
• Document exceptions
• Provide alternative access
• Plan modernization

Third-Party Content

Embedded services:

• Payment processors
• Maps and location services
• Social media feeds
• Chat widgets

Responsibility: Agency remains responsible for accessibility of all content on their site.

Procurement and Contracting

ICT Procurement Requirements

FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation): Agencies must procure accessible ICT when available.

Procurement process:

1. Include accessibility requirements in solicitation
2. Evaluate vendor ACRs/VPATs
3. Verify accessibility claims
4. Include accessibility in contract

Evaluating Vendor Claims

ACR/VPAT review:

• Check evaluation date (recent?)
• Verify WCAG criteria covered
• Review "Supports" vs "Partially Supports"
• Examine remarks for detail

Questions for vendors:

• When was accessibility last tested?
• What testing methods were used?
• What's the remediation timeline for gaps?
• How are accessibility issues reported?

Contract Language

Include accessibility requirements in contracts:

The Contractor shall ensure that all deliverables
conform to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
(36 CFR 1194) and WCAG 2.0 Level AA success criteria.

The Contractor shall provide an Accessibility
Conformance Report (ACR) using the VPAT format
within 30 days of contract award and update it
with each major release.

The Contractor shall remediate accessibility
defects at no additional cost within 30 days
of notification.

Testing and Validation

Testing Methodology

Automated testing: First-pass identification of technical issues.

Manual testing:

• Keyboard navigation
• Screen reader testing
• Cognitive walkthrough
• Color contrast verification

Assistive technology testing:

• JAWS (Windows)
• NVDA (Windows)
• VoiceOver (macOS/iOS)
• TalkBack (Android)

Testing Tools

Trusted resources:

• DHS Trusted Tester process
• ANDI (Accessible Name & Description Inspector)
• axe DevTools
• WAVE

DHS Trusted Tester: Standardized federal testing methodology ensuring consistent evaluation across agencies.

Ongoing Monitoring

Continuous compliance:

• Regular automated scans
• Periodic manual audits
• User feedback mechanisms
• Regression testing

State and Local Government

Adoption of Section 508

Many states adopt 508 or similar standards:

Common approaches:

• Direct 508 adoption
• State-specific policies referencing WCAG
• Procurement requirements

ADA Title II

State/local requirements: ADA Title II requires accessible programs and services.

DOJ interpretation: Recent guidance clarifies web accessibility requirements for state/local governments.

Remediation Priorities

Risk-Based Approach

Priority 1 (Critical):

• Content blocking keyboard users
• Missing form labels preventing submission
• Time limits without controls
• Focus traps

Priority 2 (High):

• Missing alt text on important images
• Insufficient color contrast
• Missing captions on videos
• Inaccessible navigation

Priority 3 (Medium):

• Decorative images not marked
• Heading hierarchy issues
• Minor contrast issues
• Missing skip links

Priority 4 (Low):

• Minor ARIA issues
• Redundant alt text
• Suboptimal markup

Resources

Government Resources

Section 508.gov: Official federal resource for Section 508 compliance.

GSA Accessibility Requirements Tool (ART): Helps identify accessibility requirements for procurements.

DHS Trusted Tester: Standardized testing methodology.

Training

Section 508 training: Free courses available through various federal programs covering policy, testing, and implementation.

Taking Action

Section 508 compliance requires sustained effort—integrating accessibility into policy, procurement, development, and operations. Start with high-traffic public-facing content, establish testing procedures, and build accessibility into agency culture.

TestParty provides the automated monitoring government agencies need for continuous Section 508 compliance.

Schedule a TestParty demo and get a 14-day compliance implementation plan.

Related Resources

• Section 508 Compliance Checklist
• WCAG 2.2 Level AA Checklist
• VPAT Creation Guide
• Accessibility Audit Guide