Site Compliance with
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

Efforts at meeting federal government and other accessibility guidelines have been initiated on RPC's Web site.

At present, these efforts consist of keeping color-perception problems in mind when designing the site, and by providing accurate, informative descriptions of graphics, buttons, photographs, icons and charts, by means of "Alt Tags."

These are the first, most basic and easily implemented steps any Web site can take.

We will continue to expand accessibility features as our Web site expands, by utilizing information provided by the following organizations (and any others we come across): WC3 (World Wide Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative), WebAble, and WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind). Although the RPC is not required to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, we will, nevertheless, look to its text for additional guidance. We also will be utilizing Macromedia's Accessibility Tools, for Dreamweaver and UltraDev, the software used to develop our Web site.

About Section 508

In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. ' 794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

Information taken directly from the federal government's Web site.

U.S. Government's Section 508 Web Site
     Select menu item More About 508 for comprehensive information.       http://www.section508.gov

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