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Standards and legislation
Standards
Section 508 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) standards was created by the US Access Board to
address access to information and communication technology (ICT) for people with physical, sensory, or
cognitive disabilities. The standards contain technical criteria specific to various types of technologies, as well
as performance-based requirements which focus on functional capabilities of covered products. Specific criteria
cover software applications and operating systems, web-based information and applications, computers,
telecommunications products, video and multi-media, and self-contained closed products.
Mandate 376 – EN 301 549
The EN 301 549 standard was created by the European Union within Mandate 376 as the basis for an online
toolkit for public procurement of ICT products. The standard specifies the functional accessibility requirements
applicable to ICT products and services, together with a description of the test procedures and evaluation
methodology for each accessibility requirement.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) from the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) helps web
designers and developers create sites that better meet the needs of people with disabilities or age-related
limitations. WCAG advances accessibility across the full range of web content (text, images, audio, and video)
and web applications. WCAG can be precisely tested, is easy to understand and use, and allows web developers
flexibility for innovation. WCAG 2.0 has also been approved as
WCAG specifically addresses barriers to accessing the web experienced by people with visual, auditory, physical,
cognitive, and neurological disabilities, and by older web users with accessibility needs. WCAG 2.0 provides
characteristics of accessible content:
Perceivable (for instance, by addressing text alternatives for images, captions for audio, adaptability of
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presentation, and color contrast)
Operable (by addressing keyboard access, color contrast, timing of input, seizure avoidance, and
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navigability)
Understandable (by addressing readability, predictability, and input assistance)
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Robust (for instance, by addressing compatibility with assistive technologies)
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Legislation and regulations
Accessibility of IT and information has become an area of increasing legislative importance. This section provides
links to information on key legislation, regulations, and standards.
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United States
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Canada
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Europe
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United Kingdom
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Australia
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Worldwide
United States
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act specifies that agencies must identify which standards apply to the
procurement of ICT, perform market research to determine the availability of accessible products and services,
and document the results of their market research. The following resources provide assistance in meeting
Section 508 requirements:
ISO/IEC
40500:2012.
Appendix B Accessibility
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