Complying with Section 508

The U.S. Access Board has ruled that Federal agencies covered by section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 must comply by making documents accessible, as of January 18, 2018. Accessibility standards ensure that information and communication technology is available to and usable by individual with disabilities. 

GPO offers accessibility services to Federal agencies to meet section 508 standards.

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GPO Accessibility Services: Making Files Section 508 Compliant



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Our Team

Our digital Media Services (DMS) team works with your existing files to make them 508 compliant. It is best to use the source file for each document. A source file is the original file, such as Microsoft Word, that has been created before it is converted into a PDF or other file format. However, DMS can also work with PDF files if original files are unavailable.

Our DMS team can handle a backlog of your existing Word and PDF files, and make them 508 compliant.


Our Services

Remediation of legacy Files

  • Many legacy files were created and distributed before 508 compliancy regulations were put into effect.
  • DMS specializes in converting your older files on your website that may not be 508 compliant.

Getting Started

  • The DMS team will assess the scope of your project.
  • DMS will furnish a cost estimate and schedule, based on the work required.
  • Once the estimate is accepted and approved, the customer submits a Standard Form (SF-1) and work begins.


The Work Process

  • DMS takes the files and adjusts the reading order.
  • Headings, sub-heads, and text are tagged for proper reading.
  • Alternate text (“alt”) tags are inserted to describe images, graphics, and visuals.
  • Finished files are verified with the Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker.