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36 CFR Part 1194 - Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Final Standards and Guidelines (with amendments issued through Jan. 2018)

Chapter 5: Software

501.1 Scope.

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

EXCEPTION: Where Web applications do not have access to platform accessibility services and do not include components that have access to platform accessibility services, they shall not be required to conform to 502 or 503 provided that they conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1).

502.1 General.

Software shall interoperate with assistive technology and shall conform to 502.

EXCEPTION: ICT conforming to 402 shall not be required to conform to 502.

502.2 Documented Accessibility Features.

Software with platform features defined in platform documentation as accessibility features shall conform to 502.2.

502.2.1 User Control of Accessibility Features.

Platform software 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.

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

502.3 Accessibility Services.

Platform software and software tools that are provided by the platform developer shall provide a documented set of accessibility services that support applications running on the platform to interoperate with assistive 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), properties, boundary, name, and description shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.2 Modification of Object Information.

States and properties that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

502.3.3 Row, Column, and Headers.

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

502.3.4 Values.

Any current value(s), and any set or range of allowable values associated with an object, shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.5 Modification of Values.

Values that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

502.3.6 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.

502.3.7 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.

502.3.8 Text.

The content of text objects, text attributes, and the boundary of text rendered to the screen, shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.9 Modification of Text.

Text that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through assistive technology.

502.3.10 List of Actions.

A list of all actions that can be executed on an object shall be programmatically determinable.

502.3.11 Actions on Objects.

Applications shall allow assistive technology to programmatically execute available actions on objects.

502.3.12 Focus Cursor.

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

502.3.13 Modification of Focus Cursor.

Focus, text insertion point, and selection attributes that can be set by the user shall be capable of being set programmatically, including through the use of assistive technology.

502.3.14 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 (2008) (incorporated by reference, see 702.4.1) listed below:

A. Section 9.3.3 Enable sequential entry of multiple (chorded) keystrokes;

B. Section 9.3.4 Provide adjustment of delay before key acceptance;

C. Section 9.3.5 Provide adjustment of same-key double-strike acceptance;

D. Section 10.6.7 Allow users to choose visual alternative for audio output;

E. Section 10.6.8 Synchronize audio equivalents for visual events;

F. Section 10.6.9 Provide speech output services; and

G. Section 10.7.1 Display any captions provided.

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.

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

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 descriptions 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 descriptions at the same menu level as the user controls for volume or program selection.

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.

504.2 Content Creation or Editing.

Authoring tools shall provide a mode of operation to create or edit content that conforms to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1) for all supported features and, as applicable, to file formats supported by the authoring tool. Authoring tools shall permit authors the option of overriding information required for accessibility.

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

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.

504.2.2 PDF Export.

Authoring tools capable of exporting PDF files that conform to ISO 32000-1:2008 (PDF 1.7) shall also be capable of exporting PDF files that conform to ANSI/AIIM/ISO 14289-1:2016 (PDF/UA-1) (incorporated by reference, see 702.3.1).

504.3 Prompts.

Authoring tools shall provide a mode of operation that prompts authors to create content that conforms to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1) for supported features and, as applicable, to file formats supported by the authoring tool.

504.4 Templates.

Where templates are provided, templates allowing content creation that conforms to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1) shall be provided for a range of template uses for supported features and, as applicable, to file formats supported by the authoring tool.

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