The purpose of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
is to assist Federal contracting officials in making
preliminary assessments regarding the availability of
commercial Electronic and Information Technology products and
services with features that support accessibility. It is
assumed that offerers will provide additional contact
information to facilitate more detailed inquiries.
The first table of the Template provides a summary view of
the section 508 Standards. The subsequent tables provide more
detailed views of each subsection. There are three columns in
each table. Column one of the Summary Table describes the
subsections of subparts B and C of the Standards. The second column
describes the supporting features of the product or refers you
to the corresponding detailed table, "e.g., equivalent facilitation."
The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations
regarding the product. In the subsequent tables, the first column
contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsections. The second
column describes the supporting features of the product with regard to
that paragraph. The third column contains any additional
remarks and explanations regarding the product.
Section 1194.21 Software
Applications and Operating Systems - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
|
| Criteria |
Supporting
Features |
Remarks and
explanations |
| (a)
When software is designed to run on a system that has a
keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a
keyboard where the function itself or the result of
performing a function can be discerned textually. |
Fully supported:
All program functions are available through the keyboard. |
Keyboard alternatives are available for all menu commands,
tool bars and controls. There are no mouse-only functions. |
| (b)
Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated
features of other products that are identified as
accessibility features, where those features are developed
and documented according to industry standards.
Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated
features of any operating system that are identified as
accessibility features where the application programming
interface for those accessibility features has been
documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and
is available to the product developer. |
Fully supported:
Our product does not disrupt or disable any accessibility feature of the
operating system. |
|
| (c) A well-defined
on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided
that moves among interactive interface elements as the
input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically
exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and
focus changes. |
Fully supported:
Product utilizes the visual on-screen focus and tracking provided by
Microsoft Access. |
|
| (d) Sufficient
information about a user interface element including the
identity, operation and state of the element shall be
available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents
a program element, the information conveyed by the image
must also be available in text. |
Fully supported:
All user interface elements using images to convey function also have associated
text. All checkboxes have associated text labels. |
|
| (e)
When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status
indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning
assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an
application's performance. |
Fully supported:
Program uses standard and consistant command button images provided by Microsoft
Access. |
Command buttons for Closing a form, Help and Print use bitmap
images that are consistant throughout all on-screen forms and menus. |
| (f)
Textual information shall be provided through operating
system functions for displaying text. The minimum
information that shall be made available is text content,
text input caret location, and text attributes. |
Fully supported:
Standard system functions are used to send textual information to the operating
system at all times. |
|
| (g)
Applications shall not override user selected contrast and
color selections and other individual display
attributes. |
Fully supported: Program does not override
any user selected display settings.
|
|
| (h)
When animation is displayed, the information shall be
displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode
at the option of the user. |
There is no animation. |
|
| (i)
Color coding shall not be used as the only means of
conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a
response, or distinguishing a visual element. |
Fully supported:
Program does not use color to convey information.
|
Whan adding a new credit entry,
the "Add Credit" button text does turn red, but this is not the
only indication of adding new credit information. |
| (j)
When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast
settings, a variety of color selections capable of
producing a range of contrast levels shall be
provided. |
Fully supported:
Program does not provide any method for user to change color or contrast
settings. |
|
| (k)
Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects,
or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater
than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. |
Fully supported:
Program does not use any flashing or blinking text, controls, or other objects. |
|
| (l)
When electronic forms are used, 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. |
Fully supported:
Program uses the features of Microsoft Access forms to provide this support. |
Microsoft Access forms include full
keyboard accessibility suppport. |
Section 1194.22 Web-based
Internet information and applications - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
|
| Criteria |
Supporting
Features |
Remarks and
explanations |
| (a) A
text equivalent for every non-text element shall be
provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element
content). |
|
|
| (b)
Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation
shall be synchronized with the presentation. |
|
|
| (c) Web pages
shall be designed so that all information conveyed with
color is also available without color, for example from
context or markup. |
|
|
| (d) Documents
shall be organized so they are readable without requiring
an associated style sheet. |
|
|
| (e)
Redundant text links shall be provided for each active
region of a server-side image map. |
|
|
| (f)
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. |
|
|
| (g)
Row and column headers shall be identified for data
tables. |
|
|
| (h)
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. |
|
|
| (i)
Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame
identification and navigation |
|
|
| (j)
Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to
flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than
55 Hz. |
|
|
| (k) 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. |
|
|
| (l)
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. |
|
|
| (m) 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). |
|
|
| (n) 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. |
|
|
| (o) A
method shall be provided that permits users to skip
repetitive navigation links. |
|
|
| (p) When a
timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and
given sufficient time to indicate more time is
required. |
|
|
Note to 1194.22: The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through
(k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1
Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
(WCAG 1.0) (May 5 1999) published by the Web Accessibility
Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium: Paragraph (a) -
1.1, (b) - 1.4, (c) - 2.1, (d) - 6.1, (e) - 1.2, (f) - 9.1, (g)
- 5.1, (h) - 5.2, (i) - 12.1, (j) - 7.1, (k) - 11.4.
Section 1194.23
Telecommunications Products - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
|
| Criteria |
Supporting
Features |
Remarks and
explanations |
| (a)
Telecommunications products or systems which provide a
function allowing voice communication and which do not
themselves provide a TTY functionality shall provide a
standard non-acoustic connection point for TTYs.
Microphones shall be capable of being turned on and off to
allow the user to intermix speech with TTY use. |
|
|
| (b)
Telecommunications products which include voice
communication functionality shall support all commonly used
cross-manufacturer non-proprietary standard TTY signal
protocols. |
|
|
| (c) Voice mail,
auto-attendant, and interactive voice response
telecommunications systems shall be usable by TTY users
with their TTYs. |
|
|
| (d) Voice mail,
messaging, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response
telecommunications systems that require a response from a
user within a time interval, shall give an alert when the
time interval is about to run out, and shall provide
sufficient time for the user to indicate more time is
required. |
|
|
| (e)
Where provided, caller identification and similar
telecommunications functions shall also be available for
users of TTYs, and for users who cannot see displays. |
|
|
| (f)
For transmitted voice signals, telecommunications products
shall provide a gain adjustable up to a minimum of 20 dB.
For incremental volume control, at least one intermediate
step of 12 dB of gain shall be provided. |
|
|
| (g) If
the telecommunications product allows a user to adjust the
receive volume, a function shall be provided to
automatically reset the volume to the default level after
every use. |
|
|
| (h)
Where a telecommunications product delivers output by an
audio transducer which is normally held up to the ear, a
means for effective magnetic wireless coupling to hearing
technologies shall be provided. |
|
|
| (i)
Interference to hearing technologies (including hearing
aids, cochlear implants, and assistive listening devices)
shall be reduced to the lowest possible level that allows a
user of hearing technologies to utilize the
telecommunications product. |
|
|
| (j)
Products that transmit or conduct information or
communication, shall pass through cross-manufacturer,
non-proprietary, industry-standard codes, translation
protocols, formats or other information necessary to
provide the information or communication in a usable
format. Technologies which use encoding, signal
compression, format transformation, or similar techniques
shall not remove information needed for access or shall
restore it upon delivery. |
|
|
| (k)(1)
Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys
shall comply with the following: Controls and Keys shall be
tactilely discernible without activating the controls or
keys. |
|
|
| (k)(2)
Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys
shall comply with the following: Controls and Keys shall be
operable with one hand and shall not require tight
grasping, pinching, twisting of the wrist. The force
required to activate controls and keys shall be 5 lbs.
(22.2N) maximum. |
|
|
| (k)(3)
Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys
shall comply with the following: If key repeat is
supported, the delay before repeat shall be adjustable to
at least 2 seconds. Key repeat rate shall be adjustable to
2 seconds per character. |
|
|
| (k)(4)
Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys
shall comply with the following: The status of all locking
or toggle controls or keys shall be visually discernible,
and discernible either through touch or sound. |
|
|
Section 1194.24 Video and
Multi-media Products - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
|
| Criteria |
Supporting
Features |
Remarks and
explanations |
| a) All
analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and
computer equipment that includes analog television receiver
or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption
decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes,
and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable,
videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not
later than July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television
(DTV) displays measuring at least 7.8 inches vertically,
DTV sets with conventional displays measuring at least 13
inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners, whether or
not they are marketed with display screens, and computer
equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry,
shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which
appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed
captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD
signals. |
|
|
| (b)
Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in
computers, shall be equipped with secondary audio program
playback circuitry. |
|
|
| (c) All training
and informational video and multimedia productions which
support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that
contain speech or other audio information necessary for the
comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed
captioned. |
|
|
| (d) All training
and informational video and multimedia productions which
support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that
contain visual information necessary for the comprehension
of the content, shall be audio described. |
|
|
| (e)
Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or
audio descriptions shall be user-selectable unless
permanent. |
|
|
Section 1194.25 Self-Contained,
Closed Products - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
|
| Criteria |
Supporting
Features |
Remarks and
explanations |
| (a)
Self contained products shall be usable by people with
disabilities without requiring an end-user to attach
Assistive Technology to the product. Personal headsets for
private listening are not Assistive Technology. |
|
|
| (b)
When a timed response is required, the user shall be
alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is
required. |
|
|
| (c) Where a
product utilizes touchscreens or contact-sensitive
controls, an input method shall be provided that complies
with §1194.23 (k) (1) through (4). |
|
|
| (d) When biometric
forms of user identification or control are used, an
alternative form of identification or activation, which
does not require the user to possess particular biological
characteristics, shall also be provided. |
|
|
| (e)
When products provide auditory output, the audio signal
shall be provided at a standard signal level through an
industry standard connector that will allow for private
listening. The product must provide the ability to
interrupt, pause, and restart the audio at anytime. |
|
|
| (f)
When products deliver voice output in a public area,
incremental volume control shall be provided with output
amplification up to a level of at least 65 dB. Where the
ambient noise level of the environment is above 45 dB, a
volume gain of at least 20 dB above the ambient level shall
be user selectable. A function shall be provided to
automatically reset the volume to the default level after
every use. |
|
|
| (g)
Color coding shall not be used as the only means of
conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a
response, or distinguishing a visual element. |
|
|
| (h)
When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast
settings, a range of color selections capable of producing
a variety of contrast levels shall be provided. |
|
|
| (i)
Products shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to
flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than
55 Hz. |
|
|
| (j) (1)
Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended
to be used in one location and which have operable controls
shall comply with the following: The position of any
operable control shall be determined with respect to a
vertical plane, which is 48 inches in length, centered on
the operable control, and at the maximum protrusion of the
product within the 48 inch length on products which are
freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be used in one
location and which have operable controls. |
|
|
| (j)(2)
Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended
to be used in one location and which have operable controls
shall comply with the following: Where any operable control
is 10 inches or less behind the reference plane, the height
shall be 54 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum above the
floor. |
|
|
| (j)(3)
Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended
to be used in one location and which have operable controls
shall comply with the following: Where any operable control
is more than 10 inches and not more than 24 inches behind
the reference plane, the height shall be 46 inches maximum
and 15 inches minimum above the floor. |
|
|
| (j)(4)
Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended
to be used in one location and which have operable controls
shall comply with the following: Operable controls shall
not be more than 24 inches behind the reference plane. |
|
|
Section 1194.31 Functional
Performance Criteria - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
|
| Criteria |
Supporting
Features |
Remarks and
explanations |
| (a) At
least one mode of operation and information retrieval that
does not require user vision shall be provided, or support
for Assistive Technology used by people who are blind or
visually impaired shall be provided. |
Supported:
Program supports the use of screen readers to access user interface information.
|
|
| (b) At
least one mode of operation and information retrieval that
does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be
provided in audio and enlarged print output working
together or independently, or support for Assistive
Technology used by people who are visually impaired shall
be provided. |
Supported:
Program supports the use of screen readers to access user interface information. |
|
| (c) At least one
mode of operation and information retrieval that does not
require user hearing shall be provided, or support for
Assistive Technology used by people who are deaf or hard of
hearing shall be provided |
Fully Supported:
Program does NOT require user hearing for access to any fucntionality. |
|
| (d) Where audio
information is important for the use of a product, at least
one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be
provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for
assistive hearing devices shall be provided. |
Fully Supported:
Program does NOT require user hearing for access to any fucntionality. |
|
| (e) At
least one mode of operation and information retrieval that
does not require user speech shall be provided, or support
for Assistive Technology used by people with disabilities
shall be provided. |
Fully Supported:
Program does NOT require any speech recognition. |
|
| (f) At
least one mode of operation and information retrieval that
does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions
and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall
be provided. |
Fully Supported:
Program supports operating system tools such as sticky keys, filter keys
and other assistive technologies. |
|