In 1998 the US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology.
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Web Site Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities 
Explains how to meet each Section 508 web design standard. The basic accessibility rules for Web sites were developed by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) and are contained in Section 22 of the regulations which implement Section 508.
U.S. Department of Commerce (2001). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Section 508
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Working to 508: Seeing, Hearing, and Understanding Accessible, Usable Web Pages 
Now that the U. S. Government has mandated that web pages comply with accessibility standards (Section 508, a 1998 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), it is time to test web pages against the standards. “What do newcomers to these standards need to know to ensure that they are on the right tract with accessible, usable web page design? “What do web page designers need to know beyond 508 standards? Join us in an exploration of our personal experiences with “stuckness” when using web pages (visual accessibility), Reece; learn possible solutions to our “silent screams” (audio accessibility), Vinegar; and consider also the question of web page accessibility to users with cognitive or learning disabilities (comprehensibility), Gillen.
Reece, Gloria A., Judy A. Vinegar and Lori Gillen. STC Proceedings (2003). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Section 508
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This scenario–based progression targets designers and developers who are interested in learning about assessment for web page design for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It introduces the topic by providing a background on web page design for individuals with special needs (varying physical and sensory abilities). Then, it presents basic concepts for developing accessible web pages, raises awareness of the need to comply with the ADA, Section 508, and provides resources for further investigation. Emphasis will be given to interactive discussion that centers on assessment questions to consider for concurrent, accessible and user–centered design approaches for web pages.
Reece, Gloria A. STC Proceedings (2002). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Section 508
