Implementing Accessibility

& Web Site Standards

October 6 , 2005

“Deployment of accessible technology, including

websites, serves all Virginians, regardless of
ability/disability, and fulfills Governor Warner's
vision of citizen-centric government using
information technology.”
- Lem Stewart, CIO of the Commonwealth

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Introductions

Mr. Kenneth H. Knorr,

Director,
Virginia Assistive Technology System
(VATS)

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Opening Remarks

Mr. James A. Rothrock,

Commissioner,
Department of Rehabilitative Services

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Opening Remarks

The Honorable Eugene J. Huang,

Secretary of Technology

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Accessibility Requirements

Virginia’s Accessibility Requirements

for Electronic and Information
Technology

Linda W. Harris, JD
Disability Services Administration
Tidewater Community College

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Accessibility Requirements
• Virginia’s Accessibility Requirements for Electronic and
Information Technology:

– Meet, but do not exceed, the Federal requirements of

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act;

– Create binding and enforceable provisions;

– Require technical standards be used in all electronic

and information technology (EIT) acquisitions;

– Do not eliminate the requirement for reasonable

accommodation.
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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
Non Visual Access Requirement versus New
Accessibility Standards
• Non Visual Access • Accessibility Requirements
– Requires only – Requires that
that the acquisitions of electronic
product have and information
non-visual technology meet specific
access and technical standards
does not – Ensures that all
provide
individuals with
standards
disabilities have equal or
equivalent access

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• Why is it important?

– Eliminates barriers for people with disabilities

– Benefits everyone
• Prepares for changing workforce

– Achieves legal compliance

• Minimizes risk of complaints

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)

Let’s Look at the Law

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
CHAPTER 237
An Act to amend and reenact § 2.2-2012 of the Code
of Virginia, relating to accessibility standards for
information technology and telecommunications
procurements.
[H 1360]

Approved March 29, 2004

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• That § 2.2-2012 of the Code of Virginia is amended
and reenacted as follows:
Procurement of information technology and
telecommunications goods and services; computer
equipment to be based on performance-based
specifications.

A. Information technology and telecommunications goods and

services of every description shall be procured by (i) VITA for
its own benefit or on behalf of other state agencies and
institutions or (ii) such other agencies or institutions to the
extent authorized by VITA.
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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
Such procurements shall be made in accordance with the
Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.),
regulations that implement the electronic and information
technology accessibility standards of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended, and any regulations as
may be prescribed by VITA. In no case shall such
procurements exceed the requirements of the regulations that
implement the electronic and information technology
accessibility standards of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended.

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)

Development &
Maintenance.

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• Virginians with Disabilities Act

– § 51.5-1. It is the policy of this Commonwealth to

encourage and enable persons with disabilities to
participate fully and equally in the social and
economic life of the Commonwealth and to
engage in remunerative employment.

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• To these ends, the General Assembly directs the
Governor [and the following agencies]…to provide, in
a comprehensive and coordinated manner which
makes the best use of available resources, those
services necessary to assure equal opportunity to
persons with disabilities in the Commonwealth.
Virginia Office for Protection and Department of Mental Health, Mental
Advocacy, Department for the Aging, Retardation and Substance Abuse
Department for the Deaf and Hard-of- Services, Board for Rights of Virginians
Hearing, Department of Education, with Disabilities, Department of
Department of Health, Department of Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Housing and Community Social Services, Department for the
Development Blind and Vision Impaired

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• E&IT Examples include:
– Telephones – Computers
– Information Kiosks – Software
– Transaction Machines – Firmware and Similar
– Multimedia and Video Products
(videos, CD, web) – Office Equipment
(i.e., copiers/fax
– Websites machines)
(Internet and Intranet) – Ancillary Equipment
– Services – Related Resources
(including support services and
maintenance)

• Information Documentation and Support

– User guide and technical support

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• What E&IT is not:
– EIT does NOT include any equipment that
contains embedded information technology that
is used as an integral part of the product, but the
principal function of which is not the acquisition,
storage, manipulation, management, movement,
control, display, switching, interchange,
transmission, or reception of data or information.

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
• Web-based Internet information and
applications:
– The criteria for web-based technology and
information are based on access guidelines
developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the
World Wide Web Consortium.
– The standards do not prohibit the use of web site
graphics or animation. Instead, the standards aim to
ensure that such information is also available in an
accessible format.
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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
– The standards apply to Commonwealth web sites
but not to private sector web sites (unless a site is
provided under contract to a state agency, in which
case only that web site or portion covered by the
contract would have to comply).
– Accessible sites offer significant advantages that go
beyond access.

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Accessibility Requirements (cont.)
Other Resources
• www.section508.gov
– Buy Accessible
– Training
– 508 Coordinators
– Background Information
• www.access-board.gov
– Standards and guides to the standards
• www.itic.org
– VPAT guidance for vendors
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Accessibility Conversions

VITA’s Implementation of the

Standards
Michael Logan & Michael Treagy
VITA Business Systems Services

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Accessibility Conversions (cont.)
• What Standard applies to me?
– Accessibility Standard:
• All Web stuff, regardless of where it is, what it is
(application or website), or who can access it.

– Web Site Standard:

• All Web stuff that’s “publicly accessible”. This includes
a publicly accessible application. This does not include
a password-protected application/website, even if select
citizens can access it (i.e. an extranet). This does not
include intranets or applications only used within an
agency.

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Accessibility Conversions (cont.)
• The VITA Web site is mostly accessible, but
we’re still a work in progress:
– VITA public website has roughly 1,500 pages
(ColdFusion).
– Currently 85% of the pages are compliant with
the Accessibility Standard.
– Most issues have been alt tags for images and
<label>s for HTML form elements.

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Accessibility Conversions (cont.)
• Current BSS Development Standards:
– All new Web Application Development must be
accessible.
– Old applications are being redeveloped
systematically.
– Our Web Application Development Standard
says:
• “VITA shall support the Commonwealth of Virginia’s
Accessibility Standard. The current Accessibility
Standard is in draft mode, however, VITA shall continue
to make applications accessible.” This obviously
changes when the PSGs are promulgated (in force).
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Accessibility Conversions (cont.)
• VITA’s Web application development cycle:.
Web
VITA’s Web Application Application
Development Standards Spell Checking Development
include checking Accessibility Cycle
during and after development. Accessibility
Testing

Unit Testing

Microsoft FxCop
Analysis

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Accessibility & Usability Conversions

Accessibility & Usability

Conversion Overview
Daniel J. Ross, Webmaster
The Disability Services Agencies,
Department of Rehabilitative Services

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Web Testing Tools

Web Testing Tools

Diane Stottlemyer, MSQA
Virginia Assistive Technology Systems

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Web Testing Tools
• Web testing tools can be used to test your site
for accessibility.
– 508

– WAI Level 1

– WAI Level 2

– WAI Level 3

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Web Testing Tools
• Free Tools are Available
• VATS’s & VITA’s Selected Tool
– HiSoftware
• AccVerify
• AccRepair
– AccVerify and AccRepair are complete Web testing
solutions.
– Reduces the time required to build, test, and repair a
Web site.
– Provides content and application quality
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Web Testing Tools
• VITA & DRS Provided Resources for Agencies
– VITA and DRS will make available a seat license for
HiSoftware’s verification and repair tools at no cost to
agencies who desire such assistance in addition to our
online resources.
– Contact Information:
For Seat License Determination: For Testing Tools:
Daniel Ross Diane Stottlemyer
Phone: 804-662-9112 Phone: 804-662-9990
Email: daniel.ross@drs.virginia.gov
Email:diane.stottlemyer@drs.virgi
nia.gov

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Anticipated Implementation
• Accessibility
– New Technology: Accessibility-related procurements, newly
developed information technology, and substantially modified or
substantially enhanced technology begun 60 days after the effective
date must be completed in compliance with the requirements of the
Standard.
– Implementation Plan: Within six months of the effective date of the
Standard, each agency must develop and submit an implementation
plan describing how they intend to meet or how they have already
met the requirements of the Standard.
– Existing Technology: The agency must bring its existing
technology into compliance as addressed in its implementation plan.
Existing technology uses 60 days from the effective date of the
Standard as its baseline. If the technology was developed prior to
that date, it will be considered existing technology.
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Anticipated Implementation (cont.)
Web Site
• New Web Sites: Within three months of the effective date new
Web sites must be developed in compliance with the Policy and
Standard.
• Implementation Plan: Within three months of the effective date of
the Standard, each agency must develop an implementation plan
describing how they intend to meet or how they have already met
the requirements of the Standard.
• Existing Web Sites: The agency must bring its existing Web sites
into compliance with the Standard not later than one year of the
effective date of the Standard.

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 Eff
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Da
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•
•
•
60
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* KEY
Timeline
All
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Note: There is no grandfathering of old sites/applications.

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co d and cont
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Anticipated Implementation (cont.)

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33

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 Contact Information
DRS - Technical
• Daniel J. Ross
Department of Rehabilitative Services
8004 Franklin Farms Drive
Richmond, VA 23288
Phone: (804) 662-9112
Email: daniel.ross@drs.virginia.gov
VITA - Governance
• Email: LHarris@tcc.edu
Eric B. Perkins
Virginia Information Technologies
Agency
411 E. Franklin St., Suite 500,
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 786-0516
Email: eric.perkins@vita.virginia.gov
TCC - Legal
• Linda W. Harris, JD
Disability Services Administration
Tidewater Community College
315 Granby Street
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Phone: (804) 662-9112
VATS - Testing Tools (HiSoftware)
• Diane Stottlemyer, MSQA
Virginia Assistive Technology Systems
8004 Franklin Farms Drive
Richmond, VA 23288
Phone: (804) 662-9990
Email: diane.stottlemyer@drs.virginia.gov
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Questions?

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