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Testing and Validation - Government-wide Section 508 Assessment Criteria

Testing and Validation

This section asks about your reporting entity's level of inclusion of ICT accessibility in the testing and evaluation of reporting entity's products and services, including processes, tools, templates, best practices and guidance. If your reporting entity does not publish nor maintain any ICT, please select N/A as needed.

Question 51

How often does the reporting entity conduct web content user testing with people with disabilities prior to deployment to address all applicable Section 508 standards? (*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time)
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not publish or maintain any web content

User testing may include users internal or external to the reporting entity.

Question 52

How often does the reporting entity implement, and produce reliable test results using, standard processes for validating web content conformance to Section 508 standards? (*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time)
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not publish or maintain any web content

Question 53

How often is comprehensive manual Section 508 conformance validation testing performed on reporting entity web content (internet and intranet) prior to deployment?(*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time)
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not publish or maintain any web content

Comprehensive manual conformance validation testing means a manual testing approach is provided for all Section 508 requirements. Trusted Tester Conformance Test Process for Web is an example of a comprehensive manual conformance validation test approach.

Question 54

How often is comprehensive automated Section 508 testing performed on reporting entity web content (internet and intranet) prior to deployment?(*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time)
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not publish or maintain any web content

Comprehensive, large-scale web content validation means using automated accessibility testing tools to test or scan all or a significant portion of web content.

Question 55

How often are reporting entity public, online documents tested for Section 508 conformance prior to distribution?(*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but is generally ad hoc (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time)
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not have any public online documents

Public, online documents (see the definition of document) are electronic documents available to the general public.

Question 56

In the event that Section 508 non-conformant ICT is deployed or distributed, indicate how known non-conformance issues are remediated. (*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never remediates known Section 508 non-conformance issues after deployment or distribution (0%)
  2. Sometimes remediates Section 508 non-conformance issues after deployment or distribution, but remediation typically occurs on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly remediates Section 508 non-conformance issues based on a risk framework and includes accommodation plans (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently remediates Section 508 non-conformance issues based on a risk framework and includes accommodation plans (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always remediates high severity issues immediately based on a risk framework resulting in little to no impact on users with disabilities and includes accommodation plans (approximately 90% or more of the time)
  6. Reporting entity only releases ICT that has been tested and found to be fully Section 508 conformant
  7. Unknown
  8. N/A - reporting entity does not deploy or distribute any ICT

Reviewed/Updated: April 2024

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