Web Access Put Plain and Simple
About Accessibility Laws
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology available to people with various disabilities. This amendment, called Section 508, was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.
In January 2001, the U.S. government stipulated that all government websites must comply with Section 508 Standards by June 21, 2001. Anyone with a disability who does not have "comparable access to and use of information and data" on a Federal agency website after this date may file a complaint or civil action against the Federal department or agency that has not complied.
Providing access to individuals with disabilities is not just required by government websites. In 1996 the Department of Justice ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to the Web, not just to places that can be accessed physically. A retailer whose website doesn't meet ADA standards can be sued under the Act, just as a brick-and-mortar store can.
This legislation, largely overlooked by web content providers since its inception, has become increasingly relevant to many content providers, partly due to high-profile lawsuits filed by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) against content providers such as AOL and Target Corporation.