Section 508 Compliance, Social Media, and You
Of many obscure terms in social media, Section 508 compliance might top them all. That is, unless you’re in federal or state government. For those webmasters and the like, 508 is second nature.
Electronic and IT used by the Federal Government Must be Accessible
Not simply put, Section 508 is an amendment to the U.S. Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It mandates that all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities.
Social Media Must Be Available to Those with Handicaps
That means social media must be equally available to people with sight, hearing and other handicaps. Add sound or captions to content. Make posts compatible with braille readers. Write hashtags so they’re clear to everyone.
Benefits of Using Social Media Tools
Outside the government, you might follow the same practices. See if these benefits of using social media tools sound familiar:
- Overcome organizational challenges–access to files and conversation streams anywhere, any time
- Enhance communication–tailored discussion forums, social networking features and collaboration tools
- Increase productivity–manage document sharing, tracking, storage and versioning
- Save money–online vs. in-person; re-usability of outreach processes
- Increase inclusiveness of outreach–national dialogues and online discussions for engagement with federal partners and stakeholders
Section 508 Compliance Is Good Practice
With that in mind, the March 13 #DigiBlogChat will review Section 508 compliance. Not all aspects will apply for you, but you might get good ideas.
For information about tweetchats, you might want to read Tweetchats: How to Participate.
See You on #DigiBlogChat!
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