View on GitHub

Section 508 ICT Testing Baseline

Baseline tests reduce ambiguity, increase consistency of results, and emphasize testing of the methods and techniques that can reliably meet the Section 508 ICT Accessibility requirements, given the current state and compatibility of underlying technologies. This is forked from the Access Board's (atbcb) ICT Testing Baseline. To open an issue, please go to the atbcb/ICTTestingBaseline.

WCAG 2.0 Applicability to Non-Web Software

Section 508, E207.2.1 addresses applying WCAG 2.0 to Non-Web Software:

E207.2.1 Word Substitution when Applying WCAG to Non-Web Software. For non-Web software, wherever the term “Web page” or “page” appears in WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements, the term “software” shall be substituted for the terms “Web page” and “page”. In addition, in Success Criterion in 1.4.2, the phrase “in software” shall be substituted for the phrase “on a Web page.”

In this Baseline document, this distinction has been applied as follows:

  1. Beneath the Success Criteria in the Accessibility Requirements section, a statement will clearly indicate when the baseline “applies to both web and software applications”.
  2. Where applicable, web-only baselines are titled accordingly, e.g., “Bypass Blocks (Web only)”.
  3. The term “content” will be substituted to indicate both web and software content.
  4. In instances where the term only applies to the web, “web” or “web page” shall be used.
  5. In limited instances, the terms “software” or “software screen” may be added to WCAG references for clarity.
  6. Where necessitated by significant differences between web and non-web testing, separate steps or sections were added. For example, under 11. Forms, Test Procedure for 1.3.1 Info and Relationships, separate sections under the Test Procedures heading: Test Instructions (Web), Test Instructions (Windows Native), and Test Instructions (Mac).