is a critical United States federal law that mandates all electronic and information technology (EIT) developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies be accessible to people with disabilities. Established as an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 , it ensures that federal employees and members of the public with disabilities have access to information comparable to those without disabilities. Core Requirements and Standards

: Private companies providing IT products or services to federal agencies.

: Providing alt-text for images and transcripts for audio/video content.

: Maintaining a minimum color contrast ratio (typically 4.5:1) to assist users with low vision or color blindness.

: Ensuring digital assets work seamlessly with assistive technologies like screen readers and speech recognition software. Who Must Comply? Section 508 applies to a specific range of organizations:

: Ensuring all functions are operable via a keyboard alone, without requiring a mouse.

: Vendors must often provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) to prove their products meet these standards before a federal agency can purchase them.

508 [2026]

: Private companies providing IT products or services to federal agencies. is a critical United States federal law that

: Providing alt-text for images and transcripts for audio/video content. : Providing alt-text for images and transcripts for

: Maintaining a minimum color contrast ratio (typically 4.5:1) to assist users with low vision or color blindness. Who Must Comply

: Ensuring digital assets work seamlessly with assistive technologies like screen readers and speech recognition software. Who Must Comply? Section 508 applies to a specific range of organizations:

: Ensuring all functions are operable via a keyboard alone, without requiring a mouse.

: Vendors must often provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) to prove their products meet these standards before a federal agency can purchase them.