Curing the Mischief…

Did you know that the Internet was still in its infancy when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in 1990? Did you know the mayhem this has generated in terms of Section 508 compliance for websites? Did you know that the Internet has evolved into a significant workplace that cannot be compared to the restricted physical workplaces available?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are a tool that helps to align websites, as well as workspaces, with ADA provisions.

Prior to the passage of WCAG, individuals, businesses, and organizations used the ambiguities and gaps produced by the lack of ADA provisions for the Internet to avoid making their web-based products and services accessible to people with disabilities.

When the US Congress rewrote Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the questions surrounding the legality of websites conforming to Section 508 compliance were addressed. As a result, individuals, businesses, and organizations were obligated to abide by the ADA.

Federal regulations currently require federal websites to conform with WCAG Level AA, which serves as the foundation for online accessibility requirements that governs much of Europe and other nations throughout the world. A requirement for federal websites undoubtedly has ramifications for the websites of individuals, businesses, and organizations that supply goods and services to the federal government and its agencies.

Section 508 Compliance Checker

Subsequent updates of WCAG have made it mandatory for state and local government agencies, private businesses with 15 employees or more, and institutions operating public benefit services to procure, create, use, and maintain ICT that is accessible to people with disabilities.

Essentially, the mischief that existed around website adherence to 508 compliance has been fixed, and websites that are lagging in their adherence to section 508 guidelines are receiving shocks from the litigation and fines that they are receiving!

The hunt for non-compliant Section 508 websites has never been more vigorous. According to reports, the number of lawsuits brought against websites that failed section 508 compliance testing increased by 30% in the year 2021. Serial litigants are targeting hundreds of websites and making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You do not have to wait for serial litigants who are forcing individuals, businesses, and organizations to spend significant sums of money on legal counsel and fines as a result of Section 508 non-compliant websites, to do 508 compliance testing for your website and stumble on some evidence to use against the website. You could be proactive by utilizing the services of a legitimate free 508 compliance checker to do 508 compliance testing on your website, which will allow you to make the necessary modifications.

How a 508 Compliance Test for WCAG Accessibility Helps

A 508 compliance test will provide you with a diagnostic analysis about the state of your website with respect to WCAG compliance. It’ll make you proactive in being on the right side of the social divide and the law.

Do not be like other business owners who assume their operations have been "grandfathered" and hence do not need to be compliant. Contact qualified WCAG compliance specialists, such asADA Compliance Pros, and discuss your 508 compliance tests and WCAG compliance goals. They are well known for advising customers on cost-effective barrier elimination tactics as well as when and how to deploy WCAG compliance programs.