Global
TechPro Initiatives
This section
explains the accessibility initiatives at Global TechPro, LLC, including:
Section 508 Compliance
On June 25, 2001, accessibility requirements for Federal electronic and information
technology took effect under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. This law
requires that such technology be accessible according to standards developed
by the Access Board, which are now part of the Federal government's procurement
regulations.
It is now federally mandated that Federal Web sites need to be designed so
that every citizen, including the 54 million people with disabilities, can
access the information.
While Section 508 covers a broad range of technologies, a key concern among
many Federal agencies is access to Web sites, often the primary portal to
an agency's information and services. The provisions for Web sites in the
508 standards focus on the interaction with various assistive products people
with vision impairments use to access the Internet and other computer-based
information. Common among these products are screen readers, which translate
what's on a computer screen into automated audible output, and refreshable
Braille displays.
The standards seek to ensure that Web pages and the information they contain
are fully available to the users of these assistive technologies. For example,
certain conventions, such as verbal tags or identification of graphics and
format devices, are necessary so that these devices can "read" them
for the user in a sensible way. However, use of graphics or animation are
not prohibited or discouraged. Website provisions also address image maps,
style sheets, scripting languages, applets and plug-ins, and electronic forms.
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Section
1194.22 Web-based Internet information and applications - Detail Voluntary Product
Accessibility Template
- A text equivalent
for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt",
"longdesc", or in element content).
- Equivalent
alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with
the presentation.
- Web pages
shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available
without color, for example from context or markup.
- Documents
shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated
style sheet.
- Redundant
text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image
map.
- Client-side
image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where
the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
- Row and column
headers shall be identified for data tables.
- Markup shall
be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have
two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
- Frames shall
be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
- Pages shall
be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater
than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
- A text-only
page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to
make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance
cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page
shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.
- When pages
utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements,
the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional
text that can be read by Assistive Technology.
- When a web
page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on
the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link
to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
- When electronic
forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people
using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and
functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including
all directions and cues.
- A method shall
be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
- When a timed
response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time
to indicate more time is required.
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Accessibility
Research
The Global TechPro staff continues to conduct research on the compatibility
of its web solutions to improve accessibility of its products by individuals
with disabilities.
Related Resources
The Government has a number of Web sites with helpful information:
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