Laws

"This article examines the aspects of the current laws that perpetuate a separate but unequal online environment, discussing past and current examples of such inequity. It also contrasts the structure of current U.S. disability rights laws with other civil rights legislation and offers a set of policy recommendations that could have a positive impact on accessibility."

"We, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board or Board), are revising and updating, in a single rulemaking, our standards for electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by Federal agencies covered by section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ..."

"As announced earlier this month, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the US Access Board’s final rules updating the standards for ICT covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as guidelines for Section 255 of the Communications Act. The updates make long-awaited changes to the federal digital accessibility requirements."

"Ensuring accessibility and 508 compliance is everyone's job. See the table below to find out who can help you do your part."

"Recent headlines around a high-profile settlement between the US Department of Justice and edX, Inc., one of the largest and earliest distributors of MOOCs, have once again highlighted the importance of understanding the rules for making online courses and services accessible to those with various types and levels of disabilities. While much of the media coverage of the edX settlement has focused on the fact that the government sued so high-profile—and respected—an online provider, to […]

"This post is part of an occasional series about recent legal developments impacting technology and information access for people with disabilities. The series is illustrated by a toolbox — because law has proven an effective tool in improving the accessibility and usability of digital content, print information and technology for everyone. There are many ways to use the law, reflected by the many tools in the toolbox."

"The following settlement agreements resolve cases that are part of the Department's Project Civic Access, a wide-ranging effort to ensure that counties, cities, towns, and villages comply with the ADA by eliminating physical and communication barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully in community life. The Department has conducted reviews in 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, and is posting the agreements to help additional […]

"Higher educational institutions face liability for inaccessible web content and technologies."

"Our mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access."

"Most settlements have a requirement for a web accessibility policy and DoJ settlements have been including them for some time. Generally, we would agree that requiring a defined, written, and widely distributed digital accessibility policy is a best practice."

"This page lists a number of lawsuits and settlements which relate directly to web accessibility. Each case is listed with its plaintiff(s), defendant(s), the year in which it occurred, and an URL at which you can find out more details. This list may already be out of date. I’ll try to keep it current."

"Over the last couple of years more attention was brought to Section 508 lawsuits. It is due to the fact that people started taking advantage of their rights, namely, that electronic information should be accessible to them despite of their disabilities. There are many more organizations which could theoretically be threatened by a Section 508 lawsuit, and it is highly probable that in the future it will be more difficult to get away with non-compliance. It is almost a pattern that the […]

"The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a sweeping piece of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination based on disability within employment (Title I), state and local governments (Title II), and public and commercial facilities (Title III). Because it became law in 1990, when the web was in its infancy, it does not actually mention the internet at all, but there are still ways that the ADA applies. Title II applies to state and local government, including public […]

"Summary: The Department is providing advance notice that it is considering revising the regulations implementing titles II and III of the ADA to establish specific requirements for State and local governments and public accommodations to make their websites accessible to individuals with disabilities. The purpose of the Department's proposal is to solicit public comment on various issues relating to the establishment of any such Web accessibility requirements and to determine the costs […]

"The (Section 508) Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards (standards) were issued in December 2000, 65 FR 80500 (December 21, 2000). The (Section 255) Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines (guidelines) for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment were issued in February 1998, 63 FR 5608 (February 3, 1998). The standards require that when developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology, each federal […]

"Section 508 is the portion of the Rehabilitation Act that covers the accessibility of information and communication technology used, developed, maintained, or procured by the United States Federal Government."

"The best place to start is with an audit, which will give your leadership team a high-level overview of your level of compliance with WCAG 2.0 A and AA and your development team a list of violations that need to be remedied. After an audit, your development team can prioritize the most visible violations—that is, those that are likely to cause an immediate accessibility problem for users with disabilities—and work their way down the priority list."

"On September 24, 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs published a Final Rule in the Federal Register that makes changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 503) at 41 CFR Part 60–741. Section 503 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities (IWDs), and requires these employers to take affirmative […]

"The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act was passed by Congress to update our nation’s telecommunications protections for people with disabilities. The CVAA follows a string of laws, passed in the 1980s and 1990s that were designed to ensure that telephone and television services would be accessible to all Americans with disabilities. But these laws were not able to keep up with the fast paced technological changes that our society has witnessed over the past […]

"The amendment applies to: All domestic and foreign airlines operating at least one airplane with a seating capacity of more than 60 passengers, serving U.S. passengers. Domestic and foreign airlines that have more than 10,000 passengers. Ticket Agents that are not small businesses (including travel websites such as such as Kayak.com, cheaptickets.com, airlineconsolidator.com, cheapoair.com, orbitz.com)."

"There have been over 230 lawsuit settlements that relate directly to web accessibility. More specifically, that’s the number that have been publicized. The real number is likely double or even triple that, as we’ll explain below. The lawsuits generally fall into 7 distinct markets: Government Education Finance & Insurance Healthcare Retail Travel Real Estate (a relatively new addition to this list)"

"An agreement with the National Federation of the Blind has been reached to make H&R Block’s Web site, online tax preparation products and mobile application fully accessible to taxpayers who are blind. H&R Block prepares approximately one in seven tax returns in America. People who are blind access digital content using screen reader software that represents the content as spoken words or Braille. Improperly coded Web sites and applications can prevent the screen readers from working […]

"A calendar for which you can see when certain milestones for Section 508 being reached."

"Government departments, federal agencies, and federal contractors still abide by Section 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, even though the provisions don’t reflect modern technological advancements or are comparable with international standards. In 2010, the U.S. Access Board realized Section 508 needed to be updated to meet the ever changing technological needs of persons with disabilities. The update is officially called Section 508, or ICT (Information and Communication Technology) […]

"The following sections cover key US laws pertinent to web accessibility. This information will help you understand the conditions under which you must create web content that is accessible to individuals with disabilities under US law."

"The following sections of this article cover key laws, documents, and events that relate to web accessibility in many countries and regions throughout the world."