ALSO CALLED: Accessibility Design, U.S. Section 508, Americans with Disabilities Act, Website Accessibility, ADA Compliance, Federal Accessibility Standards, US Section 508, Section 508, and Web Site Accessibility
DEFINITION: Section 508, an amendment to the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is a federal law mandating that all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities. Technology is deemed to be "accessible" if it can be used as effectively by people with disabilities as by those without. To demonstate  … 
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WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY DEFINITION (continued): …  that a product or Web service is in compliance with Section 508, the creator completes a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), an "informational tool" that describes exactly how the product or service does or does not meet Section 508 standards. The completed VPAT gets posted on the creator's Web site to provide government officials and consumers with access to the information.

The scope of Section 508 is limited to the federal sector. It includes binding, enforceable standards, as well as compliance reporting requirements and a complaint procedure. Section 508 doesn't apply to the … 
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