Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies. Section 508 establishes requirements for electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal government. Section 508 requires Federal electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public.

29 U.S.C. § 794d - text of the statute
Regulations implementing Section 508 Standards

An accessible information technology system is one that can be operated in a variety of ways and does not rely on a single sense or ability of the user. For example, a system that provides output only in visual format may not be accessible to people with visual impairments and a system that provides output only in audio format may not be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some individuals with disabilities may need accessibility-related software or peripheral devices in order to use systems that comply with Section 508.

For more information on Section 508, contact:

U.S. General Services Administration Center for IT Accommodation (CITA)
1800 F Street, N.W., Room 1234, MC:MKC
Washington, DC 20405-0001
(202) 501-4906 (voice)
(202) 501-2010 (TTY)

U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
1331 F Street, N.W. Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004-1111
800-872-2253 (voice)
800-993-2822 (TTY)

Resources:

Section 508: The Road to Accessibility
A federal government website devoted to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.