---
name: section-508
description: "US Section 508 ICT Accessibility Standards (revised 2017) knowledge base for accessibility assessment"
---

# Section 508 ICT Accessibility Standards

This skill packages the US Section 508 ICT Refresh (revised 2017) standards as an accessibility assessment knowledge base. It covers four normative chapters: E202 (General Requirements), E205 (Electronic Content), E207 (Software), and E208 (Support Documentation and Services). Section 508 incorporates the W3C WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA success criteria by reference, so most clauses below carry WCAG cross-references that link into the sibling [`wcag-22`](../wcag-22/SKILL.md) skill's per-guideline reference files (anchored at `#sc-<n>-<m>-<k>`).

Source: US Access Board, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility Standards, <https://www.access-board.gov/ict/>. Section 508 standards are works of the US federal government and reside in the public domain under 17 U.S.C. § 105. Clause summaries in this skill are paraphrased in the authors' own words for stylistic consistency with sibling W3C-licensed framework skills.

## Clause Roll-up

| Clause  | Title                        | Type     | WCAG cross-ref                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Reference                                                                   |
|---------|------------------------------|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| E202.1  | Accessibility                | General  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-1](references/chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-1)   |
| E202.2  | Definitions                  | General  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-2](references/chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-2)   |
| E202.3  | Abbreviations                | General  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-3](references/chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-3)   |
| E202.4  | References to WCAG 2.0       | General  | [WCAG 2.0 A/AA (all SCs)](../wcag-22/SKILL.md)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-4](references/chapter-e202.md#clause-e202-4)   |
| E205.1  | Scope                        | Content  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-1](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-1)   |
| E205.2  | Technical Standards          | Content  | [sc-1-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-1.md#sc-1-1-1), [sc-1-3-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-3.md#sc-1-3-1), [sc-1-4-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-4.md#sc-1-4-3), [sc-4-1-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-4-1.md#sc-4-1-2)                                                              | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-2](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-2)   |
| E205.3  | PDF                          | Content  | [sc-1-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-1.md#sc-1-1-1), [sc-2-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-1.md#sc-2-1-1), [sc-4-1-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-4-1.md#sc-4-1-2)                                                                                                                           | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-3](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-3)   |
| E205.4  | WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA      | Content  | [WCAG 2.0 A/AA (all SCs)](../wcag-22/SKILL.md)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-4](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-4)   |
| E205.5  | Audio Description            | Content  | [sc-1-2-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-2.md#sc-1-2-3), [sc-1-2-5](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-2.md#sc-1-2-5)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-5](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-5)   |
| E205.6  | Captions                     | Content  | [sc-1-2-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-2.md#sc-1-2-2), [sc-1-2-4](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-2.md#sc-1-2-4)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-6](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-6)   |
| E205.7  | Flashing                     | Content  | [sc-2-3-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-3.md#sc-2-3-1), [sc-2-3-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-3.md#sc-2-3-2)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-7](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-7)   |
| E205.8  | Color Dependency             | Content  | [sc-1-4-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-4.md#sc-1-4-1)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-8](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-8)   |
| E205.9  | Alt Text                     | Content  | [sc-1-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-1.md#sc-1-1-1)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-9](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-9)   |
| E205.10 | Tables                       | Content  | [sc-1-3-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-3.md#sc-1-3-1)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-10](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-10) |
| E205.11 | Form Labels and Instructions | Content  | [sc-1-3-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-3.md#sc-1-3-1), [sc-3-2-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-3-2.md#sc-3-2-2), [sc-3-3-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-3-3.md#sc-3-3-2)                                                                                                                           | [chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-11](references/chapter-e205.md#clause-e205-11) |
| E207.1  | Scope                        | Software | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-1](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-1)   |
| E207.2  | General Exceptions           | Software | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-2](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-2)   |
| E207.3  | User Interface Standards     | Software | [sc-1-4-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-4.md#sc-1-4-3), [sc-2-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-1.md#sc-2-1-1)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-3](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-3)   |
| E207.4  | Keyboard                     | Software | [sc-2-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-1.md#sc-2-1-1), [sc-2-1-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-1.md#sc-2-1-2)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-4](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-4)   |
| E207.5  | Keyboard Focus               | Software | [sc-2-4-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-4.md#sc-2-4-3), [sc-2-4-7](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-4.md#sc-2-4-7)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-5](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-5)   |
| E207.6  | Status, Prompts, and Results | Software | [sc-3-2-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-3-2.md#sc-3-2-1), [sc-3-2-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-3-2.md#sc-3-2-2), [sc-4-1-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-4-1.md#sc-4-1-3)                                                                                                                           | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-6](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-6)   |
| E207.7  | Contrast                     | Software | [sc-1-4-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-4.md#sc-1-4-3)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-7](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-7)   |
| E207.8  | Flashing                     | Software | [sc-2-3-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-3.md#sc-2-3-1), [sc-2-3-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-3.md#sc-2-3-2)                                                                                                                                                                                        | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-8](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-8)   |
| E207.9  | Controls                     | Software | [sc-2-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-1.md#sc-2-1-1), [sc-2-5-5](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-5.md#sc-2-5-5), [sc-3-2-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-3-2.md#sc-3-2-1), [sc-3-2-4](../wcag-22/references/guideline-3-2.md#sc-3-2-4)                                                              | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-9](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-9)   |
| E207.10 | Text Properties              | Software | [sc-1-4-12](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-4.md#sc-1-4-12)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-10](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-10) |
| E207.11 | Animation and Motion         | Software | [sc-2-3-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-3.md#sc-2-3-3)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | [chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-11](references/chapter-e207.md#clause-e207-11) |
| E208.1  | Scope                        | Support  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-1](references/chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-1)   |
| E208.2  | General                      | Support  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-2](references/chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-2)   |
| E208.3  | User Support Services        | Support  | n/a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | [chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-3](references/chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-3)   |
| E208.4  | Accessible Documentation     | Support  | [sc-1-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-1.md#sc-1-1-1), [sc-1-3-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-3.md#sc-1-3-1), [sc-1-4-3](../wcag-22/references/guideline-1-4.md#sc-1-4-3), [sc-2-1-1](../wcag-22/references/guideline-2-1.md#sc-2-1-1), [sc-4-1-2](../wcag-22/references/guideline-4-1.md#sc-4-1-2) | [chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-4](references/chapter-e208.md#clause-e208-4)   |

Total: 30 clauses (E202: 4; E205: 11; E207: 11; E208: 4).

## Assessment Heuristics

Use these heuristics when applying the Section 508 standard against an ICT artifact:

* Treat WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance as the baseline target for any electronic content covered by E205, and confirm it by running WCAG-based automated tooling plus targeted manual checks for each cited SC.
* For software covered by E207, validate keyboard operation, visible focus, status announcements, and 4.5:1 contrast first; these account for the majority of real-world Section 508 findings.
* For PDF and office documents under E205.3, verify the source authoring tool produced a tagged structure rather than relying on post-hoc remediation, and provide an HTML alternative whenever a scanned PDF cannot be tagged.
* For documentation and support under E208, audit each support channel (phone, chat, email, training) for an equivalent accessible path before treating documentation alone as compliant.
* When a clause is marked `n/a` for WCAG cross-reference, treat the Access Board URL as the authoritative source and rely on procurement and policy controls rather than automated WCAG tooling.
* Record every E207.2 exception with a documented rationale, a mitigation plan, and a review date so the exception does not silently expand over time.