If you are building a website or app for the U.S. government (or plan to), chances are you have come across the term Section 508 compliance. And it is totally acceptable if you have ever thought, “Where do I even begin with this?”

When we first tackled accessibility compliance for a web project, it felt like a mountain. But after plenty of trial and error, we figured out a simple and repeatable way to test and meet Section 508 standards. Now we don’tget lost in checklists or miss important issues.Here is how we do itand how you can too.

Know What You’re Testing For

Start by understanding Section 508. It is a law that says digital content for government use must be usable by people with disabilities.

 So your real goal should be to create a website that follows WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)—most often WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

With these guidelines you can develop a website accessible to

• Screen reader users
• Keyboard only users
• People with low vision or color blindness

Use Both Automated Tools and Manual Checks

Automated tools are great for catching quick wins. Like you run a software code and within a few moments, you get a list of all themissing image alt texts or poor heading structures. We useAxe DevTools and Lighthouse (in Chrome DevTools).

But don’t stop with automated scans. This is where many sites fail, even with clean code.

Go the extra mile and do manual testing because it shows you how it actually feels to use your site.

We conduct audits to ensure that users can tab through content easily. We make sure that screen readers can announce menus, popups, or alerts correctly. Also, keyboard focus should always be visible and logical

Test with Real Assistive Tech

We use actual tools likeNVDA or JAWS for screen readers compatibility and Keyboard-only navigation for no mouse accessibility conformance. We also test high contrast mode to try placing ourselves in a user’s shoes.

Test to find out if you can fill out a form, read a menu, or close a modalwithout touching the mouse?That is how real accessibility is tested.

Document Everything with a VPAT

When testing is done, you will want to prepare a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template). This forms the basis for your final Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).This report will show exactly where your product stands against Section 508 standards.

ACR is a powerful piece of proof. It proves your compliance and the transparency it brings to the table is helpful during the procurement bidding and approval.

Final Thoughts

Accessibility is part of good design. Start early, test oftenand document clearly. It will save you time, money, and frustration down the road.

If you ever feel stuck with Section 508 compliance testing or preparing a VPAT ACR, this accessibility team has certified experts who can help you through it.

Curious about how automated tools compare with manual testing? This guide breaks it down.