Section 508 Training and Awareness Classes
There are over 60 million Americans with disabilities and 700 million worldwide. In the US people with disabilities have an aggregate annual income of more than $1 trillion and well over $220 in discretionary income, representing an untapped market and prized consumer niche. The magnitude of this spending power aside, access to electronic and information technology (E&IT) by persons with disabilities is protected by a federal mandate known as Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act, as well as other legislation designed to promote equal access to technology.
The legislation referred to as "Section 508" is actually an amendment to the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 508 requires that electronic and information technology that is developed or purchased by the Federal Government is accessible by people with disabilities.
Although Section 508 relates directly to the Federal Government, accessibility is quickly becoming an important mandate in the private sector as well. Companies that have responded to this growing consumer base -- comprised of "Baby Boomers," senior citizens, and persons with disabilities - have developed greater market share by considering accessibility in all stages of product development and marketing.
In addition, many in private industry wishing to do business with the Federal market are now discovering that when bidding a government contract it is critical that accessibility is taken into consideration early in the process.
TecAccess is now offering Section 508 instructor-led training classes, for both private industry (small, medium, and large businesses) and state and federal government:
- TEC-SW-001 Developing Accessible Websites and Content
- TEC-SW-002 Developing Accessible Software Applications
- TEC-SW-003 Using VPATs in the IT Procurement Process
- TEC-VA-003 Developing Your IT Accessibility Implementation Plan
- TEC-SW-004 Overview of Section 508 Standards
- TEC-SW-005 Using JAWS™ as an Accessibility Testing Tool
- Section 508 Standards Technical Overview
- Section 508 Compliance: Understanding the Impact on Federal Agencies
- VPAT Training
- Developing Section 508 Compliant and Accessible Website Development
- Developing Section 508 Compliant & Accessible Software Applications
- Developing Section 508 Compliant & Accessible Hardware
- Developing Section 508 Compliant & Accessible Telecommunications
- How Section 508 Impacts the Help Desk
- How to Make Product and Services Documentation, Online Help, and the Installation Process Accessible and Compliant
- Quality Assurance Testing for Section 508 Compliance
- Section 508 Testing Methodologies
- How Section 508 Compliance Can Differentiate and Help Sell Products and Services</li>
- Disability Awareness Training
- Assistive Technology Workshop
Training Analysis Chart
To better understand how our Section 508 training is designed to meet specific IT planning, development and compliance requirements, try out our new TRAINING ANALYSIS CHART.
Upcoming Classes
Developing Accessible Software TEC-SW-002
(Please contact the TecAccess Training Manager for current dates and location of this class.)
This full-day IT accessibility workshop kicks-off with a brief review of the applicable Section 508 standards, then moves directly into more technical training focused on developing accessible and standards-compliant software applications. This course is intended for program managers, project managers, IT department managers, webmasters, developers and IT technical staff responsible for managing, developing or maintaining accessible enterprise and client-based software applications.
- This course will begin with a brief review of the practical implications of Section 508 standards.
- The workshop will focus on the technical considerations dealing with handling of graphic objects, understanding "focus", interface elements, animation, use of color and other technical considerations (or alternatives) when developing accessible software applications. The methodology will be "This is the specific requirement; here is how you comply with it".
- Best Practices for incorporating accessibility and compliance to Section 508 standards will be addressed as part of the course.
- A "live demo" illustrating the practical challenges experienced by users dependent on fully accessible IT will be provided during the class.
- Participants will be provided the knowledge, tools and "know how" to develop fully accessible software applications that meet both the requirements of Section 508 and the needs of your target audiences.
Course Materials will be provided to students on a fully accessible CD-ROM on the day of the class. This course is $695 payable in advance by credit card, check or purchase order. Volume discounts of $50 per student are available for 5 or more students. Cancellation policy: Fees are not refundable. Students will receive a voucher for another class, good for one year from date of issue. Vouchers must be requested in advance of class date.
The Role of VPATs in Procurement TEC-SW-003
(Please contact the TecAccess Training Manager for current dates and location of this class.)
This is a fast paced, comprehensive course focusing on the relevance and use of VPATs as they apply to IT procurement. VPATs can assist you in meeting IT accessibility compliance requirements such as Section 508, the business requirements of your organization and the accessibility needs of the end users of the IT products and services you specify or procure. The course is intended for procurement personnel, legal representatives, IT department managers, program managers and project managers responsible for specifying, developing or procuring IT on behalf of government agencies, corporations and educational institutions. The course is designed to provide a clear and concise understanding of how VPATs can be employed to procure fully accessible IT products and services for federal agencies. Course modules include:
- Module 1- Origin & Relevance of VPATs
- Module 2- How VPATs are Structured
- Module 3- Acquiring VPATs and supplemental VPAT data
- Module 4- Analyzing VPAT Data
- Module 5- Comparing VPATs from Multiple Suppliers to Determine "Best Fit"
- Module 6- Course Review and Question & Answer
Course Materials will be provided to students on a fully accessible CD-ROM on the day of the class. This course is $395 payable in advance by credit card, check or purchase order. Volume discounts of $50 per student are available for 5 or more students. Cancellation policy: Fees are not refundable. Students will receive a voucher for another class, good for one year from date of issue. Vouchers must be requested in advance of class date.
Developing your IT Accessibility Implementation Plan TEC-VA-003
(Please contact the TecAccess Training Manager for current dates and location of this class.)
This half-day course will kick-off with a brief review of the practical implications of the Section 508 standards and move directly into the details of developing a comprehensive plan. This exciting course is intended for program managers, project managers, procurement officers and IT department managers responsible for managing or planning the development, maintenance or procurement of IT products and services.
- This course will begin with a brief review of the practical implications of Section 508.
- This course will highlight the important considerations of your department or project plan as it pertains to accessibility for both your websites and your non-web IT products and services (all the relevant sections of 508).
- Real-life examples of both web and non-web Accessibility Project Plans will be reviewed, along with interactive learning strategies.
- Participants will be provided the knowledge, tools and "know how" to develop IT accessibility implementation plans that will satisfy the web and non-web compliance requirements of Section 508, as well as the needs of your users.
Course Materials will be provided to students on a fully accessible CD-ROM on the day of the class. This course is $395 payable in advance by credit card, check or purchase order. Volume discounts of $50 per student are available for 5 or more students. Cancellation policy: Fees are not refundable. Students will receive a voucher for another class, good for one year from date of issue. Vouchers must be requested in advance of class date.
Developing Accessible Websites TEC-SW-001
(Please contact the TecAccess Training Manager for current dates and location of this class.)
This full-day IT accessibility workshop will kick-off with a brief review of Section 508, then move directly into more technical training focused on developing and maintaining accessible websites and content. This exciting course is intended for program managers, project managers, IT department managers, webmasters and IT technical staff responsible for managing, developing or maintaining websites.
- This course will review the practical implications of the Section 508 standards.
- The workshop will focus on the technical considerations dealing with navigation, keyboard controls, form labeling, table coding, plug-ins and other practical implications and technologies important to developing fully accessible websites and web content. The methodology will be "This is the specific requirement; here is how you comply with it".
- Best Practices for incorporating accessibility and compliance to Section 508 will be addressed as part of the course.
- A "live demo" illustrating the practical challenges experienced by users dependent on fully accessible IT will be provided during the class.
- Participants will be provided the knowledge, tools and "know how" to develop fully accessible websites and web content that meets both the requirements of Section 508 and the needs of your target audiences.
Course Materials will be provided to students on a fully accessible CD-ROM on the day of the class. This course is $695 payable in advance by credit card, check or purchase order. Volume discounts of $50 per student are available for 5 or more students. Cancellation policy: Fees are not refundable. Students will receive a voucher for another class, good for one year from date of issue. Vouchers must be requested in advance of class date.
Overview Section 508 Standards TEC-SW-004
(Please contact the TecAccess Training Manager for current dates and location of this class.)
In the ever changing landscape of today´s technology - with improvements in biometrics, broadband access, and WiFi-enabled PDAs - we all need to work together towards making technology accessible to individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and the baby boomer/50+ population. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) is intended to level the playing field of the IT environment, enabling individuals with disabilities to have the same access to IT as everyone else.
This half-day course will present a broad overview of Section 508, addressing the important aspects of the standards as they apply to business environments. The course is intended for both management and technical staff who need a solid understanding of the basic elements of Section 508. The course will highlight representative standards dealing with Websites and software to illustrate how these standards impact the ability of users who employ assistive technology to effectively interact with information delivered via websites and web-based applications.
Course topics include:
- What is Accessibility?
- Disabilities Defined
- What is Section 508?
- What is its purpose?
- Who is impacted by mandating Section 508?
- Who is covered by the standards?
- What do the standards require?
- How vendors can qualify in competitive bids
- Where to get professional help for Section 508
Course Materials will be provided to students on a fully accessible CD-ROM on the day of the class. This course is $395 payable in advance by credit card, check or purchase order. Volume discounts of $50 per student are available for 5 or more students. Cancellation policy: Fees are not refundable. Students will receive a voucher for another class, good for one year from date of issue. Vouchers must be requested in advance of class date.
JAWS™ as a Testing Tool TEC-SW-005
(Please contact the TecAccess Training Manager for current dates and location of this class.)
This course will teach students the foundations of accessibility and background of current Section 508 standards using six modules. Students will learn what a screen reader is and the technology that makes a screen reader function. Installation and configuration of the JAWS™ screen reader will be covered. Participants will learn the basics of interacting with common Windows programs. Keyboard commands and reading "modes" will be demonstrated and explained. Interacting with web pages and web page components will be discussed. Use of JAWS™ as a testing tool for Section 508 compliance for Web content (1194.22) is detailed. Students will be encouraged to participate in discussions and to ask questions.
The course will be conducted by a Section 508 technical accessibility expert and experienced TecAccess associate.
- What is a screen reader?
- How does screen reader technology work?
- Iterations of screen reader versions.
- Common features of screen readers.
- Installation
- User preferences
- Basic commands
- Braille Viewer: What does a Braille reader ´see´?
- Interacting with common Windows programs
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- How a Web Page "Sounds" (monitor off)
- Linearization
- Web presentation mode
- Virtual Buffer explanation and comparison to visual content Web specific
- keyboard commands
- Navigation of Web pages
- Interaction with forms (forms mode)
- Interacting with Multimedia
- Reading commands for data tables
- Detecting images
- Working with frames
- Testing form input controls for labels
- Correct coding of data tables
- Scripts and Dynamic layers
- Links
- Headings
- Page flow- is the content read in the correct order?
- Accessing the Section 508 paragraphs for web content.
- JAWS™ Default Settings
- JAWS™ verbosity dialog
- JAWS™ custom settings for maximum observation
- Recognizing Graphics in HTML
- Links with Graphics
- Text links reading options
- Forms reading settings
- Layout Tables
- List announcement
- Access Key announcement
- Heading announcement
- Style sheet processing options
- Page and Flash movie auto-refresh settings
- JAWS™ Configuration Manager
- Customizing HTML Settings
- Personalized Web settings for retaining custom settings for a specific site
- Class discussion and questions
Course Materials will be provided to students on a fully accessible CD-ROM on the day of the class. This course is $395 payable in advance by credit card, check or purchase order. Volume discounts of $50 per student are available for 5 or more students. Cancellation policy: Fees are not refundable. Students will receive a voucher for another class, good for one year from date of issue. Vouchers must be requested in advance of class date.


