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If your organization works with the federal government – or receives government funding – you’re required to comply with Section 508 accessibility standards. That means having a currentVoluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) on file.
A VPAT is the official document that explains how your digital product or service meets accessibility requirements. Without it, you can be disqualified from RFPs, lose out on contracts, or face delays in the procurement process. In other words, lacking a VPAT can stop your business before it even starts.
Every business should aim to get their websites and digital properties accessible, but 508 compliance is a necessity for many. In May of 1999, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), became the authoritative source on how to comply by developing the first set of digital accessibility guidelines. There are multiple degrees of compliance criteria and not every business must reach the highest standard. Determining which level you need to achieve depends on various factors – let one of our accessibility experts help you determine what compliance criteria you should work toward.
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In order to determine if your digital properties are Section 508 Compliant, you will need to have an manual accessibility audit conducted. An audit will verify the level of accessibility of your digital properties. The good news? The revised Section 508 standards have been synched up to match the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. WCAG guidelines are now explicitly stated as the formal accessibility requirements. That simplifies things significantly: to verify if your organization’s website is compliant with Section 508, you need to test in accordance with these popular, well-established guidelines.
Any sufficient comprehensive testing plan must include both automated and manual testing. Automated tests can be helpful, but they cannot catch everything or apply the same subjective judgments that human testers can. In fact, such automated tests only run at about a 30% accuracy rate and can flag false positives, which can further throw your test results out of whack. The best approach is to work with a trained expert who will conduct both automated and manual testing.
Our Accessibility Team is composed of professional and skilled technicians who offer white glove support through the duration of the audit process. We pledge to not only help guide you through this process, but educate you and your team on accessibility along the way. We will get you prepared to maintain 508 compliance moving forward and ensure the creation of new accessible content.
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"Working with ADACP has been integral to our accessibility efforts. Their expertise, particularly in conducting detailed VPAT audits and reporting, has set a new standard for our operations. One of our most valued customers noted, 'We rarely see a VPAT this detailed and complete.' With ADACP’s support, we not only say we take accessibility seriously—we prove it, earning the confidence of our clients every step of the way."
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“Digital accessibility is essential—our clients ask about it, and our customers depend on it. When we partnered with ADACP, we saw firsthand the value of working with an expert team. Their Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) provided the documentation and guidance we needed, while also reinforcing our commitment to building inclusive, effective tools for all users. ADACP’s team worked quickly to help us ensure our products are accessible in a wide range of contexts—meeting the real-world needs of the educators who rely on our curricula every day.”
"ADACP is an absolutely amazing company, the quality of their work and the patience of their entire team is truly impressive! During our collaboration at SiliconExpert (a subsidiary of Arrow Electronics), they displayed remarkable professionalism in navigating miles of bureaucracy and red tape, keeping a positive attitude during the long process. Their team consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of digital accessibility requirements, making them an invaluable partner in working to ensure our application was inclusive and compliant. I would use them again for any accessibility solution in a heartbeat!"
"We contacted ADACP as part of our search for a third party to conduct our accessibility audit for a VPAT. ADACP stood out due to their excellent value proposition. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of expertise and guidance provided by ADACP during the diligence process, even before contract signing. It was evident from the outset that they were a team of dedicated experts aligned with their mission, mirroring my commitment to ours. The audit was prompt, and the resulting report was comprehensive and well-structured. Our software engineering team utilized the report to address flagged issues efficiently, with the assurance that ADACP is available for further assistance if required. Overall, our experience with ADACP has been highly positive, and I would enthusiastically recommend their expertise to anyone in my network."
"I reached out to ADACP as we were up against a tight timeline to complete our VPAT certification. David and his team accommodated our request for a meeting on very short notice and began the process of reviewing our website right away. Working with ADACP made all the difference in helping us to better understand digital accessibility standards and what we needed to do to improve on various aspects of our product's accessibility, including its user interface, interaction design, and compatibility with assistive technologies. The process didn't take more than a few weeks from start to finish. We are happy to be able to provide better service to our Customers."
"ADACP's thorough understanding of ADA regulations and commitment to excellence has been instrumental in helping us provide an inclusive learning environment for all users. David and the team's responsiveness and streamlined process for remediation make the compliance journey easier. I highly endorse ADACP to any organization seeking reliable solutions for digital accessibility compliance."
It’s a federal law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination in employment, programs, and activities. It covers any federal programs as well as any other programs that get federal funding. It includes multiple sections that provide for the civil rights of people with disabilities.Section 508 specifically set up requirements for electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured or used by the federal government. It now requires WCAG 2.0 AA compliance for all information communication technologies (ICT) and three additional requirements related to synchronized media.
Section 508 compliance means your website, app or digital content is accessible to people with disabilities. It is part of a US law that says government websites and contractors must make their digital services usable for everyone including people using screen readers or keyboard navigation.
Learn more about 508 website compliance here.
All US federal agencies and any company or contractor working with them must meet Section 508 rules. That includes software vendors, web developers and document creators. Even private companies should follow it if they want to avoid legal issues and make their content accessible.
Websites can be 508 compliant by following certain accessibility rules. These include:
• Text that’s readable with screen readers
• Keyboard-friendly navigation
• Proper use of headings and labels
• High contrast between text and background
• Alt text to describe the purpose of important images
Basically, the site should work well for people who use assistive tools. It works for those who have vision, hearing or motor disabilities.
Section 508 applies to federal agencies and digital content only. The ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act is broader. It involves both public and private businesses and applies to physical spaces and digital platforms.
In short: ADA is about accessibility rights in general, while 508 is for government related digital access. Do you need expert guidance for 508 compliance? Book a free consultation with ADACP to test 508 website compliance.
Section 508 compliance test checks your digital content against federal accessibility rules. Testing tools or audits determine whether disabled users can use your website, documents, or apps properly with or without assistive technology. The test identifies issues that need to be addressed to meet the standards.
There are two types: automated tools and manual audits.
Popular automated tools include:
• WAVE for visual issue spotting
• axe DevTools for browser-based testing
• PAC for PDFs
• ANDI is used by the U.S. government
But automated tools only catch about 30% of issues. Therefore, manual testing by real people using screen readers and keyboards is essential to get it right.
The standards used for Section 508 are mostly based on WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) version 2.1 at Level AA. These include:
• Text alternatives for non-text content or images
• Logical structure with headings and labels
• Sufficient contrast between text and background
• Keyboard-only usability
• Clear instructions for forms and errors
With these rules, your content works for everyone, including people with disabilities.
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