Section 508

Viewing by Disabled Persons & Section 508 Compliance
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In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act and strengthened provisions covering access to information in the Federal sector for people with disabilities.  As amended, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires access to the Federal government's electronic and information technology. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Federal agencies must ensure that this technology is accessible to employees and the public.

In compliance with Section 508, the Washington Military Department, and its subordinate organizations (Washington Army National Guard, Washington Air National Guard, Washington Emergency Management Division and State Administrative Services), are dedicated to making all of our web pages accessible to all of our visitors.  Anyone encountering difficulties reading any of our Web pages is encouraged to inform us, either by sending an e-mail to our Webmaster, or by using the information on our agency contacts pate. Please be as specific as possible about the difficulty you are encountering, indicate the page in question (by title, URL or subject matter) and the browser or reading appliance you are using to access our website.

To help our readers to better understand Section 508, and to assist our readers in accessing the information on our websites, we have provided links to key government and non-profit organizations involved with accessibility issues and to the public law and Section 508 requirements of the Federal IT Accessibility Initiative. These links are provided only to promote better understanding of the law and Section 508 requirements and is in no way intended to recommend the use of any particular source in preference to any other source or sources:

  • The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential as a forum for information, commerce, communication, and collective understanding.
  • CAST is a not for profit organization that uses technology to expand opportunities for all people, including those with disabilities.
  • Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) provides accommodations to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities throughout the Department of Defense (DoD).  As part of this effort, CAP is committed to supporting research and activities that increase the accessibility of World Wide Web (WWW) for people with disabilities.
  • Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Adobe PDF)
  • Section 508 of the Federal IT Accessibility Initiative
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