RE: Section 508 Auditing

Hi all,

For the record, with exceptions for countries with which there are legal restrictions (e.g. North Korea, etc.), there is no mandate for Federal agencies or their partners to only use US companies in 508 work.

508 includes some additional requirements beyond WCAG 2.0 for web-based software, documentation of accessibility features, support services, and authoring tools.  So I also recommend a VPAT 2.0 or higher as the reporting mechanism.

Regards,
Mark D. Urban
CDC/ATSDR Section 508 Coordinator
Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
Office of the Chief Operating Officer (OCOO)
Murban@CDC.gov<mailto:Murban@CDC.gov> | 919-541-0562 office
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From: Charles 'chaals' (McCathie) Nevile <chaals@yandex.ru>
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 6:43 AM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org; Steve Green <steve.green@testpartners.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Section 508 Auditing

On Wed, 10 Oct 2018 11:17:59 +0200, Steve Green <steve.green@testpartners.co.uk<mailto:steve.green@testpartners.co.uk>> wrote:
I am not aware of any requirement for the auditor organization be a US company.

There is no requirement for an auditor - so no requirements on who the auditor is...

cheers

We are a UK company and we have done Section 508 audits in the past, even when the testing requirements were different from WCAG.

A VPAT would be the obvious way to report the level of compliance. There isn’t a standard format for a VPAT but all the ones I have seen are largely similar. We took the best parts of everyone else’s to make ours – I’m happy to share it if that’s useful. There are lots on the web if you do a search, but be aware that VPATs are used for all sorts of ICT systems, not just web applications, so some will contain a lot of stuff you don’t need.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


From: Batusic, Mario <mario.batusic@fabasoft.com<mailto:mario.batusic@fabasoft.com>>
Sent: 10 October 2018 09:17
To: Charles 'chaals' (McCathie) Nevile <chaals@yandex.ru<mailto:chaals@yandex.ru>>; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Subject: AW: Section 508 Auditing

Hi Chaals,

Thanks a lot. That is not so nice from the US Gov that I have now to gues, who knos his job and hwo does’nt.

Still an other question: Must the auditor organization be an US Company to be accepted?

Mario

Von: Charles 'chaals' (McCathie) Nevile <chaals@yandex.ru<mailto:chaals@yandex.ru>>
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 10. Oktober 2018 09:53
An: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>; Batusic, Mario <mario.batusic@fabasoft.com<mailto:mario.batusic@fabasoft.com>>
Betreff: Re: Section 508 Auditing

On Wed, 10 Oct 2018 08:19:50 +0200, Batusic, Mario <mario.batusic@fabasoft.com<mailto:mario.batusic@fabasoft.com>> wrote:
Hello,

I have two questions:

  1.  Do I understand right the updated Section 508 from the year 2017 that adopts WCAG 2.0 A and AA as the measure for the accessibility of websites and web apps?


I think that is the gist of it. You should check of course.


  1.  What is the way for a company to successfully show, that its web app is accessible according to Section 508?
I think there is no Sect508 certificate available? Who should audit our web app so that the evaluation results are confident and accepted in USA?

Somebody who undestands what they are doing. I don't know that there is a list of "accepted suppliers", for certification, so you have to do your due diligence yourself.

It would be good if there were people who clearly used an agreed methodology and for whom you could get reviews.

As a quick start, anyone who uses an entirely automated process (with no human help) is unlikely to do a good evaluation, and anyone who doesn't use any tooling to look at your entire site might risk costing more money than necessary.

There are a number of accessibility companies that are W3C members partivipating in the work of *defining* WCAG. That doesn't prove they know what they are doing and that they do it well, but it is certainly a good sign, in my opinion. (There are also accessibility consultants who for one reason or other do not do that but are good...)

Sorry the answer is so vague. That's how it is...

cheers

Chaals


Thanks a lot in advance.

Mario




Mario Batusic
Accessibility Engineer

www.fabasoft.com<http://www.fabasoft.com/>

Tel.:              +43 732 606162-0
E-Mail:         mario.batusic@fabasoft.com<mailto:mario.batusic@fabasoft.com>


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