What is Section 508?

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act mandates that federal agencies must provide members of the public access to information that is comparable to access available to others. This law specifically applies to information and communication technologies (ICT). Because libraries and schools receive federal funding, they are required to make all electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. Recent amendments to the law include provisions for enforcement by standardized testing of compliance. There is specific criteria for service providers to comply by making all documents, videos, websites, etc. (all information that is not in print) compatible with the assistive technologies that people with disabilities may use to access that information. You will learn more about how to make your library more accessible to people with disabilities in another module further in the course.