US Section 508 Compliance
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities.
The Standard
In 2017, the Access Board “refreshed” Section 508, harmonizing it with WCAG 2.0 Level AA. This means that if your digital product meets WCAG standards, it is likely compliant with Section 508.
The Sienna Solution for Government
State and federal agencies utilize Sienna as a rapid-deployment tool to provide the User Interface Layer of Section 508 compliance:
- Software & Application Accessibility: Sienna’s widget works across both static sites and dynamic web applications.
- Accommodating Vision Loss: Providing font resizing and contrast toggles (Section 508-301).
- Keyboard Interactivity: Enhancing visibility for focus indicators (Section 508-302).
- Audio Description Support: Our screen reader tool helps satisfy auditory requirements (Section 508-402).
VPAT Templates
A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a document used by buyers (like the US Government) to determine how well a product meets Section 508.
[!TIP] Sienna helps you clear several “No” or “Partial” items on your VPAT by providing the visual and functional tools needed to achieve compliance.
Next Steps
Use our Customize tool to set the widget position and ensure it doesn’t conflict with any agency-specific branding.