The Department of Homeland Security is committed to providing free online training resources to assist with creating, validating, and remediating accessible electronic content for conformance to the Section 508 standards.
The new DHS Training self-enrollment portal lets students create accounts, register and enroll in courses online. You will need to establish an account to register for training. Training is provided at no cost.
The Trusted Tester for Web Certification Training Program is required for earning the Trusted Tester Certification for Web. You will learn how to use the Trusted Tester Section 508 Conformance Test Process for Web to test web sites and web applications for conformance to the Revised Section 508 Standards. You must score 85% or more on the Trusted Tester Certification Exam to be certified.
Target Audience: Trusted Tester candidates, Program Managers, Developers, System Owners.
Program Duration: Limited to 180 days to complete the program.
Delivery Method: Web-based, self-paced.
Courses included in the Training Program:
- What Is Section 508 and Why It Is Important
- Section 508 Standards for Web
- Trusted Tester Testing Tools
- Trusted Tester Training for Web
- Trusted Tester for Web Practice Exam
- Trusted Tester for Web Certification Exam
Course Descriptions
What Is Section 508 and Why It Is Important?
Description:
- Learn about Section 508 and its importance for making Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products accessible to people with disabilities.
- Learn about job-related responsibilities and resources available for meeting Section 508 requirements.
- A prerequisite for all the other Section 508 compliance training courses.
Prerequisites: None
Target Audience: All Section 508 Coordinators, Trusted Tester candidates, IT Personnel responsible for Section 508 awareness including project managers, programmers, instructional designers; personnel responsible for procuring, buying, or maintaining ICT products and services.
Section 508 Standards for Web
Description:
- Get a basic understanding of the Section 508 Standards and which standards apply to web and web applications.
Prerequisites: What Is Section 508 and Why It Is Important?
Target Audience: All Section 508 Coordinators, Trusted Tester candidates, IT personnel responsible for awareness of Section 508 accessibility, including project managers, programmers, instructional designers, and personnel responsible for procuring, buying, or maintaining ICT products and services.
Trusted Tester Testing Tools
Description:
- Learn about and install the tools used in the Trusted Tester Section 508 Conformance Test Process for Web.
NOTE: This course requires the loading of software tools that may require IT support and/or administrative access which may impact the course completion time. Duration could take several weeks to complete, depending on the IT policies required for Government-owned equipment and/or networks.
Prerequisites: Section 508 Standards for Web
Target Audience: Trusted Tester candidates.
Trusted Tester Training for Web
Description:
- Learn how to use the Trusted Tester Section 508 Conformance Test Process for Web for testing websites and web applications.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the Test Process for Web by completing an Incremental Exam.
Prerequisites: Trusted Tester Testing Tools
Target Audience: Trusted Tester candidates.
Trusted Tester for Web Practice Exam
Description:
- Practice for the Trusted Tester for Web Certification Exam.
- Test sample web pages for Section 508 compliance using the Trusted Tester Section 508 Conformance Test Process for Web.
- Score 85% or better on the Practice Exam to proceed to the Trusted Tester for Web Certification Exam.
Prerequisites: Trusted Tester Training for Web
Target Audience: Trusted Tester candidates.
Trusted Tester for Web Certification Exam
Description:
- Test web pages for Section 508 compliance using the Trusted Tester Section 508 Conformance Test Process for Web.
- Score 85% or better on the Certification Exam to become a certified Trusted Tester.
Prerequisites: Trusted Tester for Web Practice Exam
Target Audience: Trusted Tester candidates.
The Department of Homeland Security uses the guidelines for authoring, testing, and remediating Microsoft Office and Adobe PDF documents endorsed by the US Federal CIO Council Accessibility Committee.
The guidance was created through an inter-agency workgroup called Accessible Electronic Documents Community of Practice (AED COP), whose purpose is to develop and promote best practices for authoring and testing accessible electronic documents. The DHS Office of Accessible Systems and Technology (OAST) currently chairs this federal wide effort and has been instrumental in partnering with Microsoft and Adobe to develop relevant guidance for all federal users.
To access other accessible electronic document technical resources, visit https://section508.gov/test/documents.
GSA Section 508 Training
Section 508 Awareness
What is a Section 508 Program? This course provides an overview of federal agency 508 programs, and how they help agencies deliver accessible technology products and services to employees and the public. (30 minutes)
Section 508: What It Is and Why It's Important?
Introduction to Section 508 and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Explains what Section 508 is and why it’s important, shows how conformance can make ICT more accessible, reviews job-related responsibilities for meeting Section 508 standards, offers resources to help you meet your Section 508 responsibilities. (1 hour)
On-Demand Webinars from the US Access Board
- Section 508 Refresh - ICT Final Standards and Guidelines
- Old versus New: Original Section 508 Standards compared to the Revised Section 508 Standards
- WCAG 2.0 and the Revised Section 508 Standards
- Revised Section 508 Chapter 4 Hardware
- Revised Section 508 Chapter 5 Software (including Mobile)