WCAG SERIES BEGINNERS
Post 2: The Evolution of Web Accessibility Post 3: WCAG & Section 508 Post 4: POUR Principles Post 5: WCAG Success Criteria Post 6: Accessibility Enforcement Post 7: Bringing It All Together Post 8: WCAG & Section 508 Toolkit
WCAG 508 Introduction
Introduction to Web Accessibility Compliance
Welcome to the WCAG Series for Beginners. This first post gives you a clear, practical foundation: what WCAG is, how Section 508 fits in, and why both still matter for organizations of every size.
What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for making web content usable by people with disabilities. Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG covers text, images, audio, video, and the underlying code that structures a page.
WCAG is organized around four principles known as POUR:
- Perceivable — Users must be able to perceive the information (e.g., alt text, captions, sufficient contrast).
- Operable — Users must be able to operate the interface (e.g., full keyboard access, no seizure-inducing content).
- Understandable — Content and operation must be understandable (e.g., clear language, predictable navigation).
- Robust — Content must work with current and future assistive technologies.
Each principle contains guidelines and testable success criteria at three conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA.
The Three Conformance Levels
Think of the levels as a house:
- Level A is the foundation. It removes the most critical barriers (alt text, keyboard access, no flashing content). It is necessary but not sufficient for most legal requirements.
- Level AA adds the walls and roof. It is the practical standard most laws and regulations target, including Section 508 and the DOJ’s Title II web rule. Color contrast, captions, and consistent navigation live here.
- Level AAA is the fully furnished home. It includes the most ambitious criteria (sign language for all videos, simplified reading level, enhanced contrast). Full AAA conformance is rarely required and often impractical for an entire site.
For nearly every organization, WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA is the target that balances accessibility, legal risk, and realistic effort.
What is Section 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies — and the contractors who sell to them — to make their electronic and information technology accessible. In 2017 the U.S. Access Board refreshed the standards and formally adopted WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA as the technical requirement for web content.
Key points:
- Section 508 applies to federal agencies and any vendor that provides ICT (websites, software, documents, apps) to the federal government.
- It uses WCAG 2.0 A/AA as its web standard. WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 are backward-compatible, so meeting the newer versions also satisfies 508.
- Documentation is usually provided through a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) that becomes an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).
Even if your organization is not a federal contractor, Section 508 remains important because many state and local governments, universities, and large enterprises have adopted similar requirements.
Why Both Still Matter in 2026
WCAG is the technical standard. Section 508 (and ADA Title II / Title III) are the legal frameworks that reference it. Understanding both helps you:
- Choose the correct target (almost always WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA).
- Produce documentation that procurement teams and legal counsel actually accept.
- Avoid the common mistake of treating an automated scan report as proof of compliance.
Getting Started Checklist
- Run a baseline audit with both automated tools and manual checks.
- Prioritize Level A and AA issues first — especially keyboard access, contrast, and alternative text.
- Document what you find and what you fix. Good records matter if you ever face a complaint or procurement review.
- Plan for continuous maintenance. Accessibility is not a one-time project.
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In the next post we look at how web accessibility has evolved over the last 25 years and why the standards keep changing.
Next in the series: The Evolution of Web Accessibility
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