36 CFR Part 1194 - Proposed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Standards and Guidelines NPRM

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See also: Final Rule published to the Federal Register 1/18/17 that jointly updates requirements for ICT covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communication Act.

CHAPTER 5: SOFTWARE

The requirements of Chapter 5 shall apply to ICT software and applications where required by 508 Chapter 2 (Scoping Requirements), 255 Chapter 2 (Scoping Requirements), and where otherwise referenced in any other chapter of the 508 Standards or 255 Guidelines.

EXCEPTIONS: 1. Web applications that conform to all Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and all Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference in Chapter 1) shall not be required to conform to 502 and 503.

2. Software that is assistive technology and that supports the accessibility services of the platform shall not be required to conform to the requirements in this chapter.

Advisory 501.1 Scope. Software includes platforms, applications, and firmware. Firmware is read-only memory (ROM) based software that is sometimes distinguished from software and hardware. Examples of platforms are: desktop operating systems; embedded operating systems, including mobile; web browsers; plug-ins to web browsers that render a particular media or format; and sets of components that allow other applications to execute, such as applications which support macros or scripting. Applications may be web-based or client-side software. Examples of applications are: email clients; word processors; help desk systems; content management systems; e-learning courseware; and terminal emulation.

502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology

502.1 General.

Platforms, software tools provided by the platform developer, and applications, shall conform to 502.

EXCEPTION: Platforms and applications that have closed functionality and that conform to 402 shall not be required to conform to 502.

502.2 Documented Accessibility Features.

Platforms and applications shall conform to 502.2.

502.2.1 User Control of Accessibility Features.

Platforms shall provide user control over platform features that are defined in the platform documentation as accessibility features.

502.2.2 No Disruption of Accessibility Features.

Applications shall not disrupt platform features that are defined in the platform documentation as accessibility features.

502.3 Accessibility Services.

Platforms and software tools provided by the platform developer shall provide a documented set of accessibility services that support applications running on the platform to interoperate withassistive technology and shall conform to 502.3. Applications that are also platforms shall expose the underlying platform accessibility services or implement other documented accessibility services.

502.3.1 Object Information.

The object role, state(s), boundary, name, and description shall be programmatically determinable. States that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

502.3.2 Row, Column, and Headers.

If an object is in a table, the occupied rows and columns, and any headers associated with those rows or columns, shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.3 Values.

Any current value(s), and any set or range of allowable values associated with an object, shall be programmatically determinable. Values that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

502.3.4 Label Relationships.

Any relationship that a component has as a label for another component, or of being labeled by another component, shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.5 Hierarchical Relationships.

Any hierarchical (parent-child) relationship that a component has as a container for, or being contained by, another component shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.6 Text.

The content of text objects, text attributes, and the boundary of text rendered to the screen, shall be programmatically determinable. Text that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

502.3.7 Actions.

A list of all actions that can be executed on an object shall be programmatically determinable. Applications shall allow assistive technology to programmatically execute available actions on objects.

502.3.8 Focus Cursor.

Applications shall expose information and mechanisms necessary to track and modify focus, text insertion point, and selection attributes of user interface components.

502.3.9 Event Notification.

Notification of events relevant to user interactions, including but not limited to, changes in the component’s state(s), value, name, description, or boundary, shall be available to assistive technology.

502.4 Platform Accessibility Features.

Platforms and platform software shall conform to the requirements in ANSI/HFES 200.2, Human Factors Engineering of Software User Interfaces — Part 2: Accessibility (incorporated by reference in Chapter 1) listed below:

1. Section 9.3.3 Enable sequential entry of multiple (chorded) keystrokes.
2. Section 9.3.4 Provide adjustment of delay before key acceptance.
3. Section 9.3.5 Provide adjustment of same-key double-strike acceptance.
4. Section 10.6.7 Allow users to choose visual alternative for audio output.
5. Section 10.6.8 Synchronize audio equivalents for visual events.
6. Section 10.6.9 Provide speech output services.
7. Section 10.7.1 Display any captions provided.

503 Applications

503.1 General.

Applications shall conform to 503.

503.2 User Preferences.

Applications shall permit user preferences from platform settings for color, contrast, font type, font size, and focus cursor.

Advisory 503.2 User Preferences. This provision applies to applications that are platforms. One example of an application that is also a platform is a web browser.

EXCEPTION: Applications that are designed to be isolated from their underlying platforms, including Web applications, shall not be required to conform to 503.2.

Advisory 503.2 User Preferences - Exception. One example of an application that is designed to be isolated from its underlying platform is a media player that is restricted from having access to the desktop operating system.

503.3 Alternative User Interfaces.

Where an application provides an alternative user interface that functions as assistive technology, the application shall use platform and other industry standard accessibility services.

503.4 User Controls for Captions and Audio Description.

Where ICT displays video with synchronized audio, ICT shall provide user controls for closed captions and audio description conforming to 503.4.

503.4.1 Caption Controls.

Where user controls are provided for volume adjustment, ICT shall provide user controls for the selection of captions at the same menu level as the user controls for volume or program selection.

503.4.2 Audio Description Controls.

Where user controls are provided for program selection, ICT shall provide user controls for the selection of audio description at the same menu level as the user controls for volume or program selection.

504 Authoring Tools

504.1 General.

Where an application is an authoring tool, the application shall conform to 504 to the extent that information required for accessibility is supported by the destination format.

Advisory 504.1 General. One example of an authoring tool is a web application that allows users to create new web pages. Another example is an application for editing video. Authoring tools can also be used to create and publish content for use with telecommunications products or services. One example of a telecommunications authoring tool is an interactive voice response system (IVR) that includes software for the creation of content used to populate menu choices. These requirements for authoring tools enable this content to be accessible.

504.2 Content Creation or Editing.

Authoring tools shall provide a mode of operation to create or edit content that conforms to all Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and all Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference in Chapter 1) for all features and formats supported by the authoring tool. Authoring tools shall permit authors the option of overriding information required for accessibility.

Advisory 504.2 Content Creation or Editing. Content is the information and sensory experience to be communicated to the user through software, including code or markup that defines the content’s structure, presentation, and interactions.

EXCEPTION: Authoring tools shall not be required to conform to 504.2 when used to directly edit plain text source code.

Advisory 504.2 Content Creation or Editing - Exception.Examples of authoring tools that are only plain text editors include Emacs and Windows Notepad. This exception also applies to more sophisticated tools when they are used in plain text mode.

504.2.1 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.

Advisory 504.2.1 Preservation of Information Provided for Accessibility in Format Conversion. One example of how accessibility information is preserved occurs when HTML is exported from a word processor. In this case, alternative text associated with embedded images follows the native word processing format to the HTML source code. By controlling the accessibility information in the destination format, the author can ensure consistent use of that information in both formats.

504.3 Prompts.

Authoring tools shall provide a mode of operation that prompts authors to create content that conforms to all Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and all Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference in Chapter 1). Authoring tools shall provide the option for prompts during initial content creation or when the content is saved.

Advisory 504.3 Prompts. Prompts do not need to be provided for every component in the content. Intrusive or overused prompts can decrease usability. Examples of prompts that are activated when the content is near completion are automated checks and wizards.

504.4 Templates.

Where templates are provided, templates allowing content creation that conforms to all Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and all Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference in Chapter 1) shall be provided for a range of template uses.

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