B08_ATCH_2_508.pdf

This document is an ICT Accessibility Requirements Statement that establishes accessibility standards for electronic software based on the Revised Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The statement applies to software components that transmit information or have user interfaces, requiring conformance to E207 and Chapter 5 standards. User interface components and platform content must conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A and Level AA Success Criteria. For non-web software, the term "software" substitutes for "web page" in WCAG requirements, and multi-step software activities must comply with WCAG 2.0 standards. Electronic content must comply with E205 standards, with specific requirements for agency official communications including emergency notifications, administrative decisions, program announcements, benefits notices, acknowledgments, survey questionnaires, templates, forms, educational materials, and intranet content. Standards applicable include all WCAG A & AA Success Criteria (except Bypass Blocks, Multiple Ways, Consistent Navigation, and Consistent Identification), along with Support Documentation (602), Support Services (603), and Functional Performance Criteria (302).

Software requirements mandate interoperability with assistive technology and conformance to Section 502 standards. Software must document accessibility features, not disrupt platform accessibility features, and make object information (role, state, properties, boundary, name, description) programmatically determinable. User-modifiable states and properties must be programmable through assistive technology. Data tables must have programmatically determinable rows, columns, and headers. Software must allow assistive technology to execute available actions on objects, expose focus tracking mechanisms, notify assistive technology of relevant events, and conform to Section 503 standards. Applications must permit user preferences for color, contrast, font type, font size, and focus cursor. This requirements statement should be incorporated into solicitation documents (SOO, SOW, PWS, etc.) with further guidance available through the Revised 508 Standards Toolkit.