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What are automation tools?
Virtually every industry uses automation tools, which are software programs that reduce the need for human input. Automation tools are made to automate repeatable, routine processes at their most basic level.
With the prediction that by 2025, 60% of firms will use cyber security risk as their key determinant in undertaking third-party transactions and business engagements, there are ongoing seismic developments in the digital economy with regard to Section 508 compliance testing. What does this indicate for your business’s future? It means that in order to maintain your competitiveness in the online market, you must obtain the necessary compliance certificates.
Testing Section 508 compliance is not a simple undertaking, especially if you want accessibility certification that can be trusted by organizations that want to buy your digital products and services. Most Section 508 compliance audits demand significant financial investments.
Employing a third-party accessibility auditor usually makes this achievable. Independent accessibility auditors like ADACP are aware of how time-consuming methods, such as a thorough examination of internal procedures and paperwork, are necessary for an effective accessibility audit.
Many businesses have begun integrating automation tools into their Section 508 compliance processes to reduce the strain on internal employees and the amount of time spent making sure a digital product or service is Section 508 compliant.
Why the rise in the use of automation tools in testing 508-compliance?
Reviewing compliance benchmark reports demonstrates a constant rise in the use of automation technologies for streaming Section 508 compliance testing.
For instance, according to a survey carried out by some accessibility industry experts, the percentage of businesses and organizations using automated tools to verify the 508-compliance of their digital products and services increased from 25% in 2021 to 72% in 2022.
The significant rise in popularity of automation tools among businesses and organizations in the digital space has mainly been attributed to increased awareness of automation tools.
Why businesses and organizations are embracing automated 508 testing
Businesses and organizations are increasingly embracing automated Section 508 compliance testing because of the reported host of benefits it provides businesses and organizations that choose to adopt automation tools. A good Section 508 compliance tester will deliver the following benefits to an organization’s Section 508 compliance testing:
- Streamlining the 508 compliance testing processes
A lot of companies have been manually entering all the data necessary to assess 508-compliance for digital products and services. The result of this has been that it puts more pressure on businesses and organizations that have many digital products and services that require Section 508 compliance certification.
Businesses and organizations in the digital sector are gradually realizing that, while a qualified Section 508 compliance auditor is required to provide a human perspective on 508 compliance testing, automation tools can help to streamline and provide support in the various areas of compliance testing, including evidence gathering and ongoing accessibility monitoring.
Automation tools are useful in circumstances where gathering numerous pieces of evidence is necessary. Because the tools are able to compile the necessary proof on their own, they can skip several steps of the compliance testing process. Additionally, the tools can upload the data where it is required, saving time that would have been required if this had to be done manually by a human.
Certain automation tools are also able to store a digital product’s or service’s accessibility information for future Section 508 compliance testing needs. This is particularly helpful when the time for the renewal of accessibility certification approaches. The automation tools ensure that you don’t have to start the compliance process from the beginning.
- Inspires enhanced Section 508 compliance efforts
Automation tools also assist organizations and businesses in raising their certification level for Section 508 compliance. Because the information you need to supply in a Section 508-certification process is already recorded by the tool, you can use the information that the tool stores to see how close you are to a higher level of certification anytime you wish to renew your accessibility certification. Therefore, it is considered possible to put in extra work to raise your certification level.
- Helps businesses and organizations achieve more with less resources
Every company strives to reduce expenses in order to increase earnings. Having a lean staff is one of the things they prioritize. Businesses can accomplish more with fewer resources by using automation solutions when staff resources are restricted. This is true for keeping Section 508 certification costs low as well.
By incorporating automation tools into your Section 508 compliance procedures, you can cut down on the time it takes a company or organization to physically evaluate a digital product or service for accessibility. Additionally, automation techniques enable businesses to complete Section 508 certification considerably more quickly, freeing up resources for other crucial objectives.
Get help implementing 508 compliance automation tools
Section 508 compliance automation tools can provide you with an incredible opportunity to take major leaps in streamlining your Section 508 compliance. ADACP can help you implement Section 508 compliance automation tools so that you can more efficiently obtain and maintain your Section 508 compliance certification.
Automation solutions will continue to be one of the simplest ways to achieve Section 508 compliance certification more quickly as the standards for compliance with the law grow and more businesses and organizations pursue accessibility certification. For more information on how ADACP may assist you in adopting Section 508 compliance automation technologies, call (626) 486–2201.
What is a Section 508 compliant website?
A website is considered to be Section 508-compliant if it complies with the revised Section 508 of the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires that all federal agencies make their electronic and information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities, whether or not they work for the federal government.
Why is Section 508 compliance important for websites?
Section 508 compliance is important for websites because it makes them more accessible to people with disabilities and, as a result, helps them gain more traffic and conversions.
If you fail to comply with Section 508 requirements for your website, not only will you be ignoring the accessibility requirements of a wide range of your audience, but you will also be putting your website at an unavoidable danger of having less visitors, fewer website statistics, and a smaller target market.
How to ensure Section 508 compliance for your website
The 2017 revision of Section 508 in particular makes it possible to assess compliance with the international standards known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA.
Similar to the original Section 508, WCAG 2.0 AA does not specify any particular website 508-compliant tasks that must be completed in order to comply with Section 508 and achieve accessibility.
Instead, the governing regulations merely specify what functional requirements accessible websites must meet. Making your website Section 508-compliant, therefore, requires adherence to WCAG 2.0 AA standards, which include the following:
- Making it easy to navigate and access a website using a keyboard
Websites that comply with Section 508 enable keyboard navigation for their users. The owners of these websites are aware that many people who use digital resources either have a variety of motor limitations or use screen readers, and these users rely primarily on visual cues that can only be accessed with a keyboard to navigate and access page content.
Keyboards increase accessibility because their buttons, links, and input fields can be easily controlled with the arrow, tab, or other available keys. They also make it possible for users to navigate a website by simply jumping through page sections, headers, paragraphs, and other page elements.
Because they permit user interactions with the website using assistive technology, websites that can be accessed and navigated using a keyboard have higher levels of Section 508 compliance.
- Ensure alternative text (ALT) is provided for all images and videos
Website Section 508 compliance also requires the use of alternative text whenever images and videos are used on the site. Alternative text (ALT) refers to a description of what is depicted in the image or video.
ALT enhances the 508 compliance of a website because screen readers are able to read the text, which helps people with disabilities know what the image or video is all about. It gives context to the images that people with visual impairments are not able to see.
For a website to be Website 508 compliant, all ALT descriptions must be accurate, descriptive, and beneficial to individuals with visual impairments. Should the picture or video have any links, including the potential for a new webpage to open if the image or video is clicked, the ALT should appropriately reflect the link’s destination.
- Make sure that the website has screen reader capability
The ability of the website to be accessed by screen readers is one of the crucial elements in the Section 508 compliance checklist to utilize when developing a website. With the use of a screen reader, site visitors with visual impairments are able to access the website’s content. Typically, screen readers turn digital text into synthetic speech.
Websites with screen reader features assist users with visual impairments as well as people who use screen readers to hear the information read out on the site.
- Transcription and captioning of videos and audios
Transcripts and captions are used on websites that adhere to Section 508 standards to portray spoken content from videos and audios in written form. People with hearing impairments can understand the content of the video or audio owing to the closed captioning.
Get help with making your website Section 508 compliant today
In addition to the stages listed above for Section 508 compliance, there are other significant items on the Section 508 compliance checklist you should be aware of while creating a Section 508 compliant website. These include avoiding flickering objects on the screen, making sure there are no time restrictions, and using the right color and contrast.
ADACP can assist you in creating a website that satisfies every need on the Section 508 compliance checklist. Call them at (626) 486–2201 if you have any questions about the requirements for Section 508 compliance for your website.
