The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customer Experience Directorate (CXD) Accessibility & Language Services Division developed the DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester as a common testing approach for determining compliance with Section 508 standards through code inspection. This test approach provides more accurate and consistent results than assistive technology tools or automated tools, ensuring the website or software works with any assistive technology a person might use.
- Creates a shared understanding of Section 508 standards
- Provides consistent testing methods and reporting
- Makes sharing test results easier across organizations
- Integrates accessibility into development and acquisition processes
- Supports agencies to successfully integrate and maintain testing practices.
Our test process follows the ICT Testing Baseline, which meets the minimum requirements for Revised 508 standards (including WCAG 2.0 Levels A and AA). Some test steps are specific to Trusted Tester and are marked accordingly in test reports.
- Trusted Tester Conformance Test Process (GitHub)
- Accessibility Compliance Reporting Tool (SCRT)
- Use this tool to test web content against Section 508 standards and to generate clear, easy-to-read reports.
To become a certified DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester, you can explore our Training page to get started.