508 News Release
EVENTS IN 2010
August 10 -12 12th Annual GSA SMARTPAY Training Conference
Atlanta, Georgia
May 4-6 GSA Expo - Training Conference & Expo 2010
Orlando, Florida
Orange County Convention Center
April 11-14 IRMCO 2010 - Government's CXO conference exclusively by and for government executives and managers
Hyatt Chesapeake Cambridge, MD
March 23-25 FOSE - Technology Solutions for the Business of Government Come see GSA's Booth Washington DC Walter E. Washington Convention Center
March 22 - 27 CSUN Conference - Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference
San Diego CA Manchester Grand Hyatt
February 9 Call to Action: Hiring People with Disabilities. - Training Event
A training event for federal human resource officials, hiring managers and disability program managers. Time: 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC
New Agency Shared Practices
Announcing Quick Links!
Check out Quick Links The path to simplified Section 508 compliance
Quick and easy pre packaged Section 508 solicitation documentation for a number of standard EIT deliverables. Currently available for 7 deliverables e.g. smartphone, digital camera. List keeps growing. Check back frequently. Includes information for vendors too....
New Agency Shared Practices
Announcing Quick Links!
Check out Quick Links by visiting www.BuyAccessible.gov and selecting Quick Links.
View the hearing webcast from May 1, 2008 on Draft Legislation Enhancing Access to Broadband Technology and Services for Persons with Disabilities. Also, view the Draft Act.
VENDORS! The new BuyAccessible Product and Services Directory is available! You can: Vendors should also refer to the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). The purpose of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is to assist Federal contracting officials and other buyers in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial "Electronic and Information Technology" products and services with features that support accessibility.
GOVERNMENT PURCHASING AND PROCUREMENT OFFICIALS should refer to the BuyAccessible Wizard (BAW) to: - conduct your market research on accessible electronic and information technology products and services
- meet your 508 requirements to acquire accessible products and services.
The Step 508
Your tool for prioritizing Web site accessibility problems
What Is STEP508?
STEP508, the Simple Tool for Error Prioritization for Section 508 compliance, is a new electronic tool that: - Prioritizes the repairs you should make to ensure that your Web site is compliant with the accessibility requirements of Section 508.
- Provides the metrics to report your progress in improving the accessibility of your site over time.
What specifically does STEP508 do?
STEP508 uses the output of accessibility evaluation tools * (such as Bobby, LIFT, WebKing etc.) and - Compares the results of these evaluations (how your site performed on Bobby vs. LIFT, WebKing, etc.)
- Prioritizes the errors/accessibility problems that were identified (identifies the errors that are most critical to fix to make your site accessible)
- Tracks the progress of your accessibility repair efforts over time (gives you a baseline "score" and provides metrics to quantitatively monitor/report your improvements)
* This first pilot version of STEP508 uses output from these listed accessibility evaluation tools. Future versions of STEP508 are anticipated to work with other available accessibility evaluation tools. GSA's use of these tools does not imply endorsement of these products.
What is the role of STEP508 in the process of making Web sites accessible?
STEP508 was designed to assist Web developers in prioritizing the accessibility repairs that should be made to their Web sites.
STEP508 is an excellent tool to assist in the repair of Web sites with large numbers of pages (sites with legacy content, sites with many authors/owners who may not be familiar with accessibility issues)
STEP508 is not designed for new projects. Instead, Web developers should be trained well in accessibility practices, accessible coding, and testing/validating the site for accessibility.
Who developed STEP508?
The STEP508 tool is currently being developed through a collaboration of the U.S. General Services Administration and the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM). The initial pilot project was developed by the Communication Technologies Branch of the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Is there training available on using STEP508?
Yes, the Usability Solutions Group in the Office of Electronic Government and Technology at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)is offering hands-on training for STEP 508 users. The training on the enhanced tool is scheduled for Fall 2005. For more information and to register visit: http://www.usability.gov/usabilityuniversity/training.html.
How do I get a free copy of the STEP508 software?
STEP508 is currently a Windows application. You can download the STEP508 software (2nd release). You must have at least one of the following applications in order to use the Step 508 tool:
Bobby 4.1,
Liftmachine,
Webking
Who do I contact for additional information about STEP508?
Call GSA's Rosemary Gibert, Office of E-Gov, Project Manager at 202-219-1364.
Updated: 10/13/2006 Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is
accessible to people with disabilities. IT Accessibility & Workforce Division, in the
U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Governmentwide Policy, has
been charged with the task of educating Federal employees and building the infrastructure
necessary to support Section 508 implementation. Using this web site, Federal employees and
the public can access resources for understanding and implementing the requirements of Section 508.
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