Accessible learning solutions for people with disabilities

If you do technology-related work for or with the United States government, it' s likely that you' ve heard of Section 508. In 1998, the U.S. Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to align with the realities of the information age. Just as people using wheelchair, for instance, must be provided with ramps, lifts and other facilities that provide them access to public buildings, Section 508 mandates that all electronic and information technology that the federal government procures, uses, or develops must be accessible to people with disabilities.

Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. ‘ 794d), federal agencies must provide disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others. Section 508 affects many technologies, including copiers, telephones and fax machines, and other  electronic devices. It also applies to Web sites, software applications - and e-learning.

Illumina has extensive experience developing accessible e-learning solutions that comply with Section 508 and/or otherwise can be quickly and easily used by people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments. Illumina' s experience with accessible applications includes a long history of developing e-learning solutions for federal government agencies and for firms that serve the government.

Electronic accessibility also is a growing concern for many of our corporate clients, as well as for state and local governments. As Section 508 intended, these organizations are seeking not only to eliminate “cyberspace discrimination,” but also to create more technology-related opportunities for people with disabilities.

Contact Illumina to learn more about Section 508 compliance and how it affects e-learning development. For more information about the law, you also can visit  http://www.section508.gov.