You may have recently heard about the importance of 508 compliance testing and wondered if it’s really worth the hype. It’s become an important topic for companies trying to provide outstanding service for their customer base. So what is Section 508, and what does it have to do with you?
Section 508 was added to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in 1998. It became required for all federal government agencies, as well as any vendors, contractors, or partners that work with them. Not only does Section 508 prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities, it requires federal agencies and their partners to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.
Even if you don’t work with or for the federal government, it’s still good practice to make sure your website or landing page is 508 compliant. Developing a brand isn’t just about the products you sell or the services you offer. It’s about building a community that reaches a broad customer base, which means being inclusive for everyone. By implementing 508 compliance services on your website, you make your products and services accessible to a much wider audience.
Why 508 Compliance Services Benefit Your Bottom Line
According to the US Census Bureau, almost 1 in 5 Americans has a disability. That’s almost 60 million people—just in the United States. If you serve an international customer base, it’s an even larger number of people. That’s a lot of revenue to leave on the table if your website doesn’t cater to people with disabilities. When someone can’t navigate your site easily and quickly, they’re not likely to stick around and buy from you. They’ll gravitate toward the sites that cater to them.
Here are a few 508 compliance services you can implement to make life a little easier for your website’s visitors.
Screen Reader Functionality
For those who are visually impaired or dyslexic, the ability to have the contents on a web page read aloud is a game-changer. This simple step can open up your brand to a whole community of people who might otherwise be excluded.
Closed Captioning & Subtitles
If your site has a lot of audio or video components, adding a written transcript of the words being spoken is a huge improvement for the hearing impaired. This is especially valuable if you offer online training. Seeking 508 compliance services to upgrade your site with this functionality can be an invaluable boost to your brand.
Page Design to Avoid Flicker
This feature is vitally important for people who suffer from optically induced seizures. To make your website accessible for this audience, prevent your pages from causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz or lower than 55 Hz. Avoiding flicker improves user experience more generally, so you’ll be increasing satisfaction for an even broader range of people.
Get Help with 508 Compliance
Although many websites offer 508 compliance testing, figuring out exactly what you need to expand your audience can be overwhelming. Whether you need help designing a website or require SEO, ADA compliance, and 508 compliance services, Coalition Technologies can help.
Contact us today to speak with one of our world-class team members regarding your project. Our developers, designers, and content creators are here to make it easy for you to shine.
