This checklist is for Chapter 5 Section 504 of the final rule. When internal reference number are used (i.e. 504.2) they refer to the specific paragraph in the final rule 504.2 (Chapter 5 Section 504 subsection 2). External reference numbers are contained in Chapter 7: Reference Standards of the final rule.
General. Where an application is an authoring tool, the application shall conform to Section 508, Chapter 5, 504 to the extent that information required for accessibility is supported by the destination format.
E201.1 Scope. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that is procured, developed, maintained, or used by agencies shall conform to the Revised 508 Standards.
E205.4 Accessibility Standard. Electronic content shall conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference). For referenced standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Section 255 of the Communications Act, See Chapter 7.
You may access a customizable quick reference to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 requirements (success criteria) and techniques.
Severity Level Grading Criteria
Critical: This issue results in severe barriers for users with disabilities, either because content is blocked or functionality is inoperable. It causes global issues across the project because people with disabilities are unable to use it. This violation must be resolved before content/functionality can be considered fully compliant. Remediation should be a top priority.
High: This issue results in significant barriers for individuals with disabilities. Some important content/functionality is not accessible. Users of Assistive Technology may not be able to access all content and/or functionality. Remediation should be a priority.
Medium: This issue results in some barriers for individuals with disabilities but will not prevent them from accessing fundamental elements or content. This violation must be resolved before content/functionality can be considered fully compliant.
Low: This issue causes minimal impact for users with disabilities. This may be a technical violation of the law but doesn’t make the content inaccessible. This content/functionality should be remediated in order to be considered fully compliant, but remediation can be given a low priority.
Authoring Tools Checklist
Download the Authoring Tools Success Criteria Checklist (PDF, 3 pages, 117 KB)
| Reference Number | Severity Level | Authoring Tools Success Criteria | Yes, No, or Not Present |
|---|---|---|---|
| 504.2 | Low | Content Creation or Editing. Authoring tools shall provide a mode of operation to create or edit content that conforms to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1) for all supported features and, as applicable, to file formats supported by the authoring tool. Authoring tools shall permit authors the option of overriding information required for accessibility. Exception: Authoring tools shall not be required to conform to Section 508, Chapter 5, 504.2 when used to directly edit plain text source code. Does the authoring tool have a methodology for creating content, which is compliant with 508 standards? | |
| 504.2.1 | Medium | Preservation of Information Provided for Accessibility in Format Conversion. Authoring tools shall, when converting content from one format to another or saving content in multiple formats, preserve the information required for accessibility to the extent that the information is supported by the destination format. If the authoring tool allows for content created by the tool to be saved in multiple formats, does it preserve the accessibility of the content during the conversion? | |
| 504.2.2 | Medium | PDF Export. Authoring tools capable of exporting PDF files that conform to ISO 32000-1:2008 (PDF 1.7) shall also be capable of exporting PDF files that conform to ANSI/AIIM/ISO 14289-1:2016 (PDF/UA-1) (incorporated by reference, see 702.3.1). If the authoring tool allows for content created by the tool to be saved in PDF format, does the created PDF pass the Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility checker or similar accessibility checks? | |
| 504.3 | Low | Prompts. Authoring tools shall provide a mode of operation that prompts authors to create content that conforms to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1) for supported features and, as applicable, to file formats supported by the authoring tool. Is there a mode of operation that prompts the user to ensure the content created meets the WCAG 2 standards? | |
| 504.4 | Low | Templates. Where templates are provided, templates allowing content creation that conforms to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1) shall be provided for a range of template uses for supported features and, as applicable, to file formats supported by the authoring tool. If the authoring tool provides content templates, are some of the content templates 508 compliant? |
