Glossary of Section 508 Terms

These terms appear throughout our website, communications, and reports, including the annual Governmentwide Section 508 Assessment to Congress. Some are also included in Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W

A

Table A. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Access Board	See U.S. Access Board (USAB)
Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR)	A document that explains the extent to which a product conforms to accessibility standards such as WCAG or Section 508 Technical Standards. A common way an ACR is completed is by using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) template created by the IT Industry Council (ITI), but other methods are used across government.
ACR Repository	A centralized location for ACRs to live and make it easy for buyers to review the documents.
Accessibility Policy	Policy for implementing Section 508 or Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility requirements.
Accessibility Statement	The statement on the reporting entity’s primary website, including a number of requirements per “Strengthening Digital Accessibility and the Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act“ (M-24-08), including contact information and method for providing feedback on your website’s accessibility. For additional examples, and directions on accessibility statements, see "Developing a Website Accessibility Statement".
Accessibility Requirements Tool (ART)	The Accessibility Requirements Tool (ART) is a web-based application created by GSA that provides a step-by-step guide to help users determine which Section 508 requirements apply to acquisitions involving ICT products and services. It simplifies the process of identifying relevant accessibility requirements from the Revised Section 508 Standards and integrating them into procurement and contracting documentation.
Affinity Group	A community for employees with disabilities or health conditions, and their allies.
Agency	Definition 1: Any agency or department of the United States as defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502, and the United States Postal Service. Definition 2: For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment report, "agency" includes any federal department, component- level, and independent agencies subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act; generally used where this report offers recommendations and shares GSA efforts to increase Section 508 compliance. This report uses the term “reporting entity” rather than "agency" or "component" as traditionally defined because reporting entity Section 508 Programs may be organized and function outside of these traditional definitions; generally used for data-driven findings, observations and overall performance category recommendations.
Agency Official Communications (AOC)	Electronic content that is not public facing shall conform to the accessibility requirements specified in E205 when such content constitutes official business and is communicated by an agency through one or more of the following: An emergency notification; An initial or final decision adjudicating an administrative claim or proceeding; An internal or external program or policy announcement; A notice of benefits, program eligibility, employment opportunity, or personnel action; A formal acknowledgement of receipt; A survey questionnaire; A template or form; Educational or training materials; or Intranet content designed as a Web page. EXCEPTION: Records maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) pursuant to Federal record keeping statutes shall not be required to conform to the Revised 508 Standards unless public facing.
Almost Always	Refers to actions performed approximately 90% of the time or more.
Alteration	A change to existing ICT that affects interoperability, the user interface, or access to information or data.
Alternate formats	Different ways to present printed information, such as Braille, American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) text, large print, recorded audio, and electronic versions.
Alternative Means Plan	Documentation that establishes a framework and outlines the strategies for meeting the access needs of people with disabilities until the identified Section 508 compliance defects are remediated. The recommended workarounds and accommodations provided in the plan will ensure people with disabilities can continue to use the product. May be referred to as "Accommodation Plan."
Alternate methods	Different means of providing information to people with disabilities, including product documentation; may include, but is not limited to, voice, fax, relay service, Text Telephone (TTY), internet posting, captioning, text-to-speech synthesis, and audio description.
ANDI	The Accessible Name and Description Inspector (ANDI) developed by the Social Security Administration; the manual inspection tool used in version 5 of the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Tester evaluation process.
Applet	A small application, such as a utility program, limited-function spreadsheet, or word processor; Java programs that are run from the browser are always known as applets.
Application	Software designed to perform or help the user to perform a specific task or set of tasks.
Application Programming Interface (API)	A system of tools and resources in an operating system, enabling developers to create software applications.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)	Refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.
Assistive Technology (AT)	Any item, piece of equipment, or system (whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized), that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
Audio Descriptions (AD)	Narration added to a soundtrack to describe important visual details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone. Audio description, also called “video description” and “descriptive narration,” is a means to inform individuals who are blind or who have low vision about visual content essential for comprehension. Audio description of video provides information about actions, characters, scene changes, on-screen text, and other visual content. It supplements the regular audio track of a program, and is usually added during existing pauses in dialogue.
Audio-only (pre-recorded)	An alternative for time-based media that presents equivalent information for prerecorded audio-only content.
Authentication Services	Systems or mechanisms that verify user identity, including two-factor authentication such as logins, email or text verification, or RSA tokens.
Authoring tool	Any software, or collection of software components, that can be used by authors, alone or collaboratively, to create or modify content for use by others, including other authors.
Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)	The use of computer hardware- and software-based procedures to identify and process words a person has spoken into a system.

B

Table B. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Baseline	A minimum or starting point used for comparisons (See ICT Testing Baseline).
Bitmap image	A graphic image that may be purely decorative, or indicate the presence of a programmatic element. The word "bitmap" in this context does not imply any particular graphics file format.
Bracket	Describes the groupings of reporting entities for business function maturity and operational conformance. Brackets include Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. The pairing of a maturity bracket and conformance bracket, such as High-Moderate, is referred to as an overall performance “category” throughout this assessment.
Business Function Maturity	Or simply “maturity,” as it is referenced throughout this document, approximates the level of development and advancement of a reporting entity’s Section 508 Program as well as other functions across the organization, or business, that are relevant to digital accessibility. It assesses the reporting entity’s responses to the criteria within 9 maturity dimensions (Q29-Q66 See FY24 Data Dictionary (XLSX)). These questions cover different aspects of their Section 508 Program or equivalent as well as accessibility-related activities across the organization. Business function maturity, or “maturity,” is evaluated by the maturity index or “m-index” and utilizes a scale ranging from 0 to 5, with 0 indicating a very low maturity level and 5 indicating a very high maturity level.
Business Needs	The necessary requirements, resources, or approaches an organization must identify and utilize to achieve its objectives through project implementation, operational changes, and procurement of goods and services.

C

Table C. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
C-Index	For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment report, assesses reporting entity conformance related to approximation of conformance to Section 508 standards. It measures how well reporting entities meet specific criteria within the Conformance dimension—using numerical values and weights for criteria. For specific criteria, refer to the data dictionaries available in the Assessment Data & Downloads section under Assessment Reports. The index uses a scale from 0 to 5, with 0 representing very low and 5 representing very high conformance levels.
Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC)	A systematic approach to ensure IT investments align with overall business goals and deliver value.
CAPTCHA	Acronym for “Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart." A Turing test, originally called the "imitation game" by English mathematician and cryptanalyst Alan Turing, is any system of tests designed to differentiate a human from a computer.
Captions	See Closed Captions.
Caret	An on-screen indication of the text input focus in a text edit field.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)	CSS is a computer language used to style the presentation of a document written in a markup language, such as HTML. Along with HTML and JavaScript, CSS is a key technology of the World Wide Web. CSS enables presentation and content to be programmatically separated, including layout, colors, and fonts, which can improve content accessibility, and makes it possible to present the same page in different styles for different rendering methods such as desktops, mobile devices, for printing, and when using assistive technologies such as text-to-speech and Braille-based tactile devices. The CSS specifications are maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Category	Or Overall Performance Category. Used to describe groupings of reporting entities that fall within each pairing of the Maturity and Conformance bracket. As there are five maturity brackets (ranging from Very Low to Very High) and five conformance brackets (also ranging from Very Low to Very High), there are 25 total Overall Performance Categories. These categories are always titled by Maturity first and Conformance second, i.e., Very Low-Very Low, Moderate - Low and so on.
CFO Act Agency	The 1990 CFO Act gave OMB new authority and responsibility for directing federal financial management, modernizing the government’s financial management systems, and strengthening financial reporting. This act applies to 24 departments and agencies. The 24 CFO Act Agencies include: Agency for International Development Department of Agriculture Department of Commerce Department of Defense Department of Education Department of Energy Department of Health and Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of the Interior Department of Justice Department of Labor Department of State Department of Transportation Department of the Treasury Department of Veterans Affairs Environmental Protection Agency General Services Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Science Foundation Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Personnel Management Small Business Administration Social Security Administration
Client-side image map	An HTML feature that makes different areas of an image interactive, allowing users to click on specific regions to navigate to different destinations. These clickable areas, known as hotspots, can be made accessible for users who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation. See Image map.
Closed Captions	Closed captions are on-screen text that represents the audio in a video. Viewers can turn them on or off as needed. They help make videos accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and are also useful in noisy places or when watching without sound. See Open Captions.
Closed Functionality	Features that limit functionality or prevent a user from attaching or installing assistive technology. Examples of ICT with closed functionality are self-service machines, information kiosks, set-top boxes, fax machines, calculators, and computers that are locked down so users may not adjust settings due to a policy such as Desktop Core Configuration.
Communication	The method used to disseminate information to internal and external audiences.
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)	Live instant translation of the spoken word into text using a stenotype machine, notebook computer and realtime software. For CART services, search your agency intranet, or contact your agency Section508 Program Manager for assistance.
Complex data table	A table that organizes data using more than a simple row/column structure. For example, categories of data may have subcategories, or data may belong to more than two categories (contrast with simple data table).
Complaint	An alleged Section 508 non-compliance violation in which a federal employee, applicant for federal employment, or member of the public with a disability initiates the process to begin adjudication of the accessibility issue(s) in a federally conducted program or activity. An Administrative Complaint is a formal complaint made by “any individual with a disability…alleging that a Federal department or agency fails to comply with subsection (a)(1) in providing electronic and information technology” (§794d. Electronic and information technology (f)(1)(A)) (i.e., fails to provide accessible ICT). Administrative complaints are “filed with the Federal department or agency alleged to be in non-compliance. The Federal department or agency receiving the complaint shall apply the complaint procedures established to implement section 794 of this title for resolving allegations of discrimination in a federally conducted program or activity.” (§794d. Electronic and information technology (f)(2)). Lawsuits and civil actions are other types of complaints. Agencies may utilize their internal Section 504/501 complaints process and may need to coordinate with other reporting entity personnel to fully gather this information (DOJ Civil Rights Division iii. Administrative Complaints). Complaints differ from public feedback responses your reporting entity receives through the mechanism provided to meet the Strengthening Digital Accessibility and the Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (M-24-08). Public feedback responses could escalate to a complaint, but submission of feedback is not inherently considered a complaint.
Compliance (Section 508)	When a person or organization meets all information and communication technology (ICT) legal requirements; for example, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended.
Component	For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessments, the use of “component,” “component agency,” and “component-level agency” broadly refers to the organizational unit below a department or large "parent" agency. Agencies across government have different designations and terminology for these organizational units, including component, bureau, administration, office, operating division, agency, and subagency. For example: the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of the Navy (NAVY) would be considered agencies. NAVAIR, a subunit of NAVY, was submitted as part of NAVY. See Parent agency
Comprehensive, large-scale monitoring	A systematic and thorough process of evaluating digital content, platforms, or environments to ensure they adhere to required standards or guidelines.
Conform	Adherence to Section 508 standards, indicating full conformance. See Conformance, Fully Conform.
Conformance (Section508)	Refers to an electronic and information and communication technology (ICT) product or service meeting all applicable standards outlined in the Section 508 Final Standards and Guidelines. This ensures that IT products and services, including websites, software, documents, and digital content, comply with accessibility requirements. For example, a webpage is Section 508 conformant when it fully meets all 38 WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA Success Criteria incorporated by reference in the standards. The term also serves as a shorthand for operational conformance. See Operational Conformance.
Continuity of Operations	The ability of an agency to maintain essential functions during emergencies.
Content	Electronic information and data, as well as the encoding that defines its structure, presentation, and interactions.
Contractor	An individual or entity contracted by the government to provide services, material, equipment, or supplies. IT accessibility contractors may perform services such as testing, remediation, development, and training. Contractors may or may not be issued government furnished equipment and they may or may not work onsite at federal agencies.
Coordinator (Section 508 Coordinator)	Previously used to refer to a Section 508 Program Manager. See Section 508 Program Manager.
Criteria	Refers to the 103 Assessment criteria (See FY24 Data Dictionary (XLSX)) that reporting entities responded to, split into 11 dimensions. Due to dependencies, some reporting entities may have responded to fewer than 103 criteria. Also denoted with “Q” before a number to identify specific criteria referenced. The terms criteria, metric, and question are used interchangeably when referring to the content to which reporting entities responded.

D

Table D. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Data table	A table with information organized into categories.
Deploying	The act of making a solution available or operational.
Document	Definition 1: Logically distinct assembly of content (such as a file, set of files, or streamed media) that: functions as a single entity rather than a collection; is not part of software; and does not include its own software to retrieve and present content for users. Examples of documents include, but are not limited to, letters, email messages, spreadsheets, presentations, podcasts, images, and movies. Definition 2: Files created with common office software for content generation and information sharing, such as Microsoft Word (DOCX), PowerPoint (PPTX), Excel (XLSX), and Portable Document Format (PDF).
Digital Content	All types of electronic information, including multimedia, electronic documents, social media, and web content. See Electronic Content.
Digital service	Electronic delivery of information including content and data across various platforms and devices such as web or mobile.
Dimension	Within the Assessment, used to delineate a category of Maturity-related questions. Refers to the categorization of the criteria into general questions, maturity questions and conformance questions.
Disability	A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such impairment.

E

Table E. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
E-Government line of business	Intra-agency collaborations for digital government services. See Maximizing Use of SmartBuy and Avoiding Duplication of Agency Activities with the President’s 24 E-Gov Initiatives (M-04-08) (PDF).
Electronic and Information Technology (EIT)	Superseded by Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Electronic form	A computer program version of a paper form. Electronic forms can be programmed to automatically format, calculate, look up, and validate information for the user. Forms are commonly used in websites, mobile applications, and PDF documents.
Electronic Content	All forms of digital data and its encoding, covering both public and internal information as defined by E205 of the Section 508 Standards.
Exceptions	See General Exceptions
Executive agency	"'Executive agency' means an Executive department, a Government corporation, and an independent establishment," as per 5 U.S.C. § 105 (PDF)
Existing ICT	ICT that was procured, maintained or used on or before January 18, 2018.
Extranet	A network restricted to authorized individuals. For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment, extranet is included in questions related to internet web pages.

F

Table F. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)	Principal set of rules in the Federal Acquisition Regulations System regarding United States government procurement.
FedRelay	Federal Relay services expired February 13, 2022. FedRelay was a provides telecommunications services for federal agencies and tribal governments to conduct official business with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities. Agencies can access services formerly consolidated under FedRelay through Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) and General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule Translation and Interpretation Services.
Feedback Loop	A method for integrating stakeholder feedback into refining processes, policies, and procedures.
Fillable Form	Refers to digital content such as a web page, electronic document such as a PDF, or other user interface that allows users to input data directly into designated fields with the intent to collect data. Exclude singular form fields such as a "Search" field where there is no intent to collect data. For the purpose of Assessment Question 87, only consider fillable forms that require a Paperwork Reduction Act clearance.
Formal	Officially approved or recognized.
Focus	In a graphical user interface, a window (e.g., a button) or a location within a window (e.g., position of a text cursor or mouse pointer), to which the operating system will direct user input. Users can set the focus by using the keyboard, the mouse, or other input devices.
Frames	When creating a website, allows use of multiple, independently controllable sections on a web presentation. A typical use of the HTML frame function is to contain a selection menu in one frame, and use another frame to contain the space where the selected (linked to) files will appear (See iFrame).
Frequency	Defines activity occurrence levels, not on a linear scale, as follows: Never (0%), Sometimes (approximately 1%-24%), Regularly (approximately 25%-59%), Frequently (approximately 60%-89%), Almost always (approximately 90% or more).
Frequently	Activities that are performed approximately 60%-89% of the time.
Full-Time equivalent (FTE)	A unit of measurement used to represent the number of full-time employees an agency has, even when considering part-time workers, by calculating the total hours worked by all employees and dividing them by the number of hours a typical full-time employee works.
Fully conform	Requires that an entire ICT product meets every applicable Section 508 standard. For example, for a web page to fully conform to Section 508, the entire web page must meet all applicable 38 WCAG Level A and AA Success Criteria.
Functional Performance Criteria (FPC)	The overall product evaluation criteria for technologies or components for which there is no applicable specific requirement(s) under the technical standards. These criteria ensure that the individual accessible components work together to create an accessible product. The FPC covers operation (including input and control functions) of mechanical mechanisms, and access to visual and audible information (the design functions of the webpage). These provisions allow people with sensory or physical disabilities to locate, identify, and operate the input, control, and mechanical functions of technologies and components. These provisions also allow access to the information provided, including text, static or dynamic images, icons, labels, sounds or incidental operating cues.

G

Table G. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
General exceptions	E202 of the Revised 508 Standards specifies which types of ICT are exempt from compliance.
Government off-the-shelf (GOTS)	Product that is developed with funding and specificity from a government agency.

H

Table H. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Hardware	A tangible device, piece of equipment, or physical component of ICT, such as telephones, computers, multifunction copy machines, or keyboards.
Header attribute	An HTML data table cell attribute used to specify the associated header(s).
Hertz (Hz)	A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second.
High	Indicates that the maturity and conformance levels are considerably close to the desired standard. There is some improvement needed to optimize business functions and conformance to the Section 508 standards.
Hyperlink	A URL that, when selected, takes a user to a section in the same webpage, or to a different webpage.
Hypertext	The clickable text on a webpage that links to another document or webpage.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)	A set of tags and rules used to encode and format text, graphics, animation, sound, and other types of files on the internet.

I

Table I. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
ICT Testing Baseline	The ICT Testing Baseline document contains baseline tests for Revised 508 Standards for web conformance, which reference the WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA Success Criteria. The baseline tests establish the minimum tests and evaluation guidance that determine if web content meets Section 508 requirements. The baseline tests are not a test process.
iFrame (Inline Frame)	An HTML structure that allows another HTML document to be inserted into an HTML page. Unlike the regular HTML frames function, which is used to divide the screen into multiple windows, the iFrame is typically used to insert an ad or small amount of text in the middle of a page (See Frames).
Image map	An image on a webpage that links to multiple webpages or resources. The image is subdivided into regions (hotspots), each of which may link to a different resource. There are two types of image maps: Server-side image maps cannot be made accessible and require redundant text links. Client-side image maps can be made accessible with alternative text description.
Inclusive design	See universal design
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)	Information and Communication Technology, which is defined by the Access Board in Appendix A to Part 1194 – Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: Application and Scoping Requirements in E103.4 Defined Terms Access Board in E103.4 Defined Terms Access Board as “[i]nformation technology and other equipment, systems, technologies, or processes, for which the principal function is the creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or transmission of electronic data and information, as well as any associated content. Examples of ICT include, but are not limited to: computers and peripheral equipment; information kiosks and transaction machines; telecommunications equipment; customer premises equipment; multifunction office machines; software; applications; Web sites; videos; and, electronic documents. "ICT accessibility" and "digital accessibility" may be used interchangeably.

Information Technology (IT)	With respect to an executive agency means any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, used in the automatic acquisition, storage, analysis, evaluation, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information by the executive agency, if the equipment is used by the executive agency directly or is used by a contractor under a contract with the executive agency that requires the use: of that equipment. of that equipment to a significant extent in the performance of a service or the furnishing of a product. Includes computers; ancillary equipment including imaging peripherals, input, output, and storage devices necessary for security and surveillance; peripheral equipment designed to be controlled by the central processing unit of a computer, software, firmware and similar procedures; services including support services; and related resources. Does not include any equipment acquired by a federal contractor incidental to a federal contract.
Interactive element	Application content that a user may modify, activate, or use to input data.
Interface (user)	The user interface allows the user to communicate with the operating system. The interface is composed of both devices (keyboard, mouse) and screen elements (menus, text, buttons, etc.).
Internet	Definition 1: A network of information accessible by the public. Definition 2: For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment, extranet should be reported under internet-related questions.
Intranet	A private or internal network within an organization used for but not limited to: a central repository, collaboration, communication, access to information, social networking, project management, and streamlining of everyday activities and operations.

J

Table J. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Java	A programming language and computing platform first released by Sun Microsystems in 1995.
JavaScript	A programming language that allows for complex and interactive features on webpages. Along with HTML and CSS, JavaScript is one of three current standard web technologies and allows things like dynamically updated content and interactive maps, and responds to user actions such as mouse clicks, pointer movements, and key presses.

K

Table K. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)	A quantifiable metric used to measure the progress and success of a specific business goal or objective, allowing companies to track their performance against set targets and make informed decisions based on data analysis; essentially, it's a critical measure that indicates how well a company or team is performing towards achieving its goals. See Organizational IT Accessibility Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Keyboard	A set of systematically arranged alphanumeric keys or a control that generates alphanumeric input by which a machine or device is operated. A keyboard includes keys discernible by touch, used in conjunction with the alphanumeric value their function maps to on the keyboard interface. Keyboards are available in ergonomic or other specialized form factors to accommodate the needs of the user.
Kiosk	A closed functionality device providing information or services on a digital screen that is locked down so users may not adjust settings nor install or attach assistive technology.

L

Table L. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Label	Text, or a component with a text alternative, that is presented to a user to identify content. A label is presented to all users, whereas a name may be hidden and only exposed by assistive technology. In many cases, the name and the label are the same.
Layout Table	Layout tables are used to arrange elements on a document or webpage and intended to be ignored by assistive technology. (See Data table)
Lifecycle (life cycle)	Phases a product goes through, including development, operation, and management. For this Assessment, the term typically refers to the phases of a product, including budgeting, procurement, development, testing, operation, content creation, and change management.
Listserv	An automated mailing list program. GSA supports digital government communities of practice by hosting listservs that provide community members with an easy way to collaborate, ask questions, and share information. Learn how to manage your listserv subscription.
Low	Suggests the maturity or conformance is below the desired standard but not as far from it as “Very Low.” There’s room for improvement in multiple areas and improvements most likely will be multifaceted.

M

Table 1. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
M-Index	A measure of a reporting entity’s Section 508 Program maturity. It assesses reporting entity responses to criteria across 9 dimensions, including various aspects of their IT Accessibility Program. The index uses a scale from 0 to 5, with 0 representing very low and 5 representing very high maturity levels.
Manage	To oversee or control processes or functions.
Machine-learning	Described as a subset of AI where algorithms improve automatically through experience. It is relevant in the context of accessibility tools and analytics in government operations.
Maturity	A shorthand way of referring to business function maturity. See business function maturity for full definition.
Measure	A method to assess the quality, effect, importance, etc.
Mechanism	In the annual Section 508 Assessments, this term broadly refers to the system, process, or method a reporting entity uses to track ICT accessibility defects. It may include tools, procedures, or workflows designed to identify, monitor, and manage accessibility issues.
Menu	A set of selectable options
Metric	Refers to the 103 Assessment criteria that reporting entities responded to, split out into 11 dimensions. Due to dependencies, some reporting entities may have responded to fewer than 103 criteria. Also denoted with “Q” before a number to identify specific criteria referenced. The terms criteria, metric, and question are used interchangeably when referring to the content reporting entities responded to.
Micro-purchase	As defined in the FAR Subpart 2.2, a micro-purchase is an acquisition of supplies or services using simplified acquisition procedures, the aggregate amount of which does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold. The micro-purchase threshold is $10,000. Always check FAR Subpart 2.2 for the current micro-purchase threshold information and any exceptions that may apply to your procurement.
Mid-level management	Managers between executive and front-line levels guiding teams or departments.
Moderate	Signifies the maturity or conformance is average. It meets some standards but still has room for enhancement in certain areas across maturity or conformance.
Multimedia (synchronized media)	The combined use of several media, such as audio and visual (e.g., video or animation) to convey information or a live event, such as a television broadcast.

N

Table 1. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Name	Text used by software to identify a component for the user. A name may be hidden and only exposed by assistive technology, whereas a label is presented to all users. In many cases, the label and the name are the same. Name is unrelated to the name attribute in HTML.
Natural Language Processing	Defined as a field of AI focused on the interaction between computers and human language, important for speech recognition and accessibility software.
Non-text element	An image, graphic, audio clip, or other feature that conveys meaning through either a picture or sound. Examples include: buttons, check boxes, input fields, pictures, and audio/video that’s embedded or streamed.
Non-web document	A document that is not a webpage, embedded in a webpage, or used in the rendering or functioning of webpages.
Non-web software	Software that is not a webpage, not embedded in a webpage, and not used in the rendering or functioning of webpages.

O

Table O. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Open captions	Open captions are on-screen text that represents the audio in a video. Unlike closed captions, they are always visible and cannot be turned off. They make videos accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and are useful in environments where sound can't be played. See closed captions.
Operable controls	A product component that requires physical contact to operate. Operable controls include, but are not limited to, mechanically operated controls, input and output trays, card slots, keyboards, and keypads.
Open Government Data Asset	In general, a data asset that is machine-readable and available in an open, standards-based format. See 44 USC. 3502 (20).
Operational Conformance	Operational Conformance, or simply “Conformance” in the annual Section 508 Assessments, approximates how effectively reporting entities adhere to the relevant requirements for Section 508. It is measured by the conformance index or “c-index,” which assesses a reporting entity conformance by quantifying their responses to criteria within the Conformance dimension—assigning numerical values and weights to determine overall conformance. For specific criteria, refer to the data dictionaries available in the Assessment Data & Downloads section under Assessment Reports.
Overall performance	See also Category, which is used interchangeably. Used to describe groupings of reporting entities that fall within each pairing of the Maturity and Conformance bracket. As there are five maturity brackets ranging from Very Low to Very High and five conformance brackets, also ranging from Very Low to Very High, there are 25 total Overall Performance Categories. These categories are always titled by Maturity first and Conformance second, i.e., Very Low-Very Low, Moderate - Low, and so on.

P

Table P. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Parent agency	"Parent agency" and "component" designation usually refers to the CFO Act agencies that have headquarters and component-level Section 508 programs. These include the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Department of the Interior, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Transportation. For example, a "parent" agency would be DHS HQ whereas a "component" would be Transportation Security Administration (TSA). "Parent" agency Section 508 programs may also be referred to as "agency-wide" programs. See <a href=#component">Component</a>.
Parenthetical Title	Term referring to the sub-specialty of a job series, as defined by OPM in position description development guidance.
Performance Plans	Guidelines that set clear, measurable job performance expectations.
Platform accessibility services	Services provided by a platform that enables interoperability with assistive technology. Examples include Application Programming Interfaces (API) and the Document Object Model (DOM).
Platform software	Software that interacts with hardware or provides services for other software. Platform software may run or host other software, and can isolate this software from underlying software or hardware layers. A single software component may have both platform and non-platform aspects. Examples include: desktop operating systems; embedded operating systems, including mobile systems; web browsers; plug-ins to web browsers that render a particular media or format; and sets of components that allow other applications to execute, such as applications which support macros or scripting.
Plug-in (web)	A web plug-in is a small piece of software that adds features to a web browser. When the browser encounters a file extension (e.g., PDF, WAV, MOV), the browser will automatically view, or download and run, that file. Most plug-in readers are free. Examples include the PDF Acrobat reader.
Product	Something physical or digital (software), which is created through a development or engineering process.
Programmatically determinable	Ability of software to use author-supplied data to provide different user agents, including assistive technologies, a way to extract and present information to users in different modalities.
Programmatically exposed	Available from a software application to the operating system or other software applications via an API.
Public-facing	Content made available by an organization to members of the general public. Examples include, but are not limited to, an agency website, video, mobile app, blog post, or social media page.
Public feedback response	Part of a mechanism to receive public input on Section 508 compliance; not inherently complaints. See M-24-08 Strengthening Digital Accessibility and the Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Publication Process	Methods for distributing content, including website posting or newsletters. More than one publication process may be followed depending on the publication method.
Program Manager	See Section 508 Program Manager.

Q

Table Q. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Quality Assurance (QA)	An activity to ensure an organization provides the best possible product or service to customers, often based on standardized testing methods.
Question	Refers to the 103 Assessment criteria reporting entities responded to, split out into 11 dimensions. Due to dependencies, some reporting entities may have responded to fewer than 103 criteria. Also denoted with “Q” before a number to identify specific criteria referenced. The terms criteria, metric, and question are used interchangeably when referring to the content to which reporting entities responded.

R

Table R. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Real-Time Text (RTT)	Communication by which characters are transmitted by a terminal as they are typed. Real-time text is used for conversational purposes, and may also be used in voicemail, interactive voice response systems, and other similar applications.
Regularly	Activities that are performed approximately 25% to 59% of the time.
Reimbursable service	An agreement in which one agency provides ICT services to another and is then reimbursed for these services.
Relay Conference Captioning (RCC)	An internet-based technology offering real-time captioning; enables federal employees who are deaf or hard of hearing to join and participate in web and teleconference calls.
Reporting Entity	Reporting entity denotes a respondent to the Assessment. This report uses the term “reporting entity” rather than “agency” or “component” as traditionally defined because reporting entity Section 508 Programs may be organized/function outside of these traditional definitions. Thus, reporting entities are loosely based on: “Agency,” which broadly applied to organizational components such as bureau, office, component, or at the department level (e.g., headquarters). “Component,” which broadly applies to an organizational unit below (usually one level) a Department or large agency enterprise level. For example: The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of the Navy (NAVY) would be considered agencies. NAVAIR, a subunit of NAVY, was submitted as part of NAVY.
Revised 508 Standards	The standards for ICT developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as set forth in 508 Chapters 1 and 2 (36 CFR part 1194, Appendix A), and Chapters 3 through 7 (36 CFR part 1194, Appendix C).
Risk	Potential for harm, loss, or damage within the IT sector that unfavorably impacts systems, processes, and associated resources within an organization. Risk typically encompasses legal, financial, technological, and workforce challenges.
Ruleset	A collection of rules used by automated tools to identify accessibility issues. May also be called rules, accessibility checks, or library.

S

Table S. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Script	A series of commands programmed in a non-HTML scripting language that displays content or performs a function. The content and function activated by scripts must be identified and accessible to assistive technology.
Scope attribute	A method of identifying row and column headers for HTML tables. Consider using the scope attribute for data tables with one- or two-levels of headers.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)	The practice of writing and structuring content to improve findability through organic search engine results.
Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act	Prohibits discrimination in federal government hiring practices, and requires the development of affirmative action plans to increase the hiring, placement, and advancement of qualified people with disabilities.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act	Prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in any federally-funded programs or activities, and requires such programs to be accessible to people with disabilities. Section 504 also prohibits disability-based job discrimination of any kind, and requires that employers make reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities.
Section 508 Conformant	See Conformance.
Section 508 conformance validation testing	Testing to confirm an IT implementation meets the requirements of the relevant Section 508 standards. The requirements or criteria for conformance must be specified.
Section 508 Program or equivalent	An effort within a reporting entity to ensure all of its IT meets Section 508 standards, often led by a designated Program Manager.
Section 508 Program Manager	Manager of a reporting entity’s Section 508 program on behalf of the reporting entity CIO whose duties include developing and maintaining policies, guidance, and best practices. Some reporting entities might not have an individual with this title, but there may be an individual assigned the same duties and responsibilities. Used interchangeably with Section 508 Coordinator. See M-24-08 for additional roles and responsibilities.
Self contained, closed products	ICT products that generally contain embedded software, and are commonly designed so that a user cannot easily attach or install assistive technology. These products include, but are not limited to, information kiosks and information transaction machines, copiers, printers, calculators, fax machines, and other similar products (superseded in the Revised 508 Standards by closed functionality).
Sensory characteristics	Instructions for understanding and using content that don’t rely solely on the sensory characteristics of components, such as shape, size, visual location, orientation, or sound.
Server-side image map	A clickable image for which the link information resides on the server. When a user clicks on a server-side image map with a mouse, the web browser attaches the pixel coordinates (x,y) of the click to a given server link. The server interprets the coordinates and performs some action. Server-side image maps cannot be used by keyboard and thus fail conformance testing, however, client-side image maps can be made accessible using alternative text. See Image map.
Shared Service	A federal shared service in this context is defined as an information technology function that is provided for consumption by multiple organizations across federal agencies by a single federal agency.
Simple data table	A data table that represents each category of data with one row or column of cells. The meaning of each cell is based on its contents and its row and/or column position. Simple data tables can represent 2-dimensional data (contrast with complex data table).
Single Sign On	A system allowing one set of login credentials to access multiple applications.
Social media	A collection of internet-based communities where users interact with each other. This includes web forums, wikis, and user-generated content (UGC) websites. Examples of social media platforms commonly used by federal agencies include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Software	Programs, procedures, rules, and related data and documentation that direct the use and operation of ICT, and instruct it to perform a given task or function. Software includes, but is not limited to, applications, non-web software, and platform software.
Software tools	Software for which the primary function is the development of other software. Software tools usually come in the form of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and are a suite of related products and utilities. Examples of IDEs include Microsoft® Visual Studio®, Apple® Xcode®, and Eclipse Foundation Eclipse®.
Solicitation	A request for bids or proposals from the federal government. Solicitations under simplified acquisition procedures may require submission of either a quotation or an offer (from the FAR).
Solicitations Review Tool (SRT)	SRT stands for Solicitation Review Tool, which is a GSA-developed tool built using open source technology, artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing, text mining, and machine learning algorithms to automatically identify whether new solicitations posted to “Contracting Opportunities” (beta. SAM.gov) are solicitations for ICT.
Sometimes	For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment report, used to describe activities that are performed approximately 1% to 24% of the time.
Style sheets	"Mechanism" broadly refers to a system, process, or method that the reporting entity uses to track ICT accessibility defects. It could include tools, procedures, or workflows to achieve this.
Sufficient	For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment report, adequate to meet the needs of a requirement.
Synchronized captions	A text alternative in a multimedia video or animation that is displayed to make the audio portion of the content accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions include the description of sounds (i.e., "[the dog barks]"), symbols, or icons to represent the type of content, such as a musical note to represent music.
Synchronized media (multimedia)	The combined use of several media, such as audio and visual, to convey information.

T

Table T. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Table	A two-dimensional group of rectangular cells organized into rows and columns. Tables can be used to display information, or used as a method of laying out information.
Table header	The name of a category of data in a data table row or column. In a simple data table, column headers are provided in the first row and apply to the data cells in their respective columns. Similarly, row headers are provided in the first column and apply to the data cells in their respective rows. In a complex data table, a column header may be defined in any row, and may apply to multiple columns or to a few cells in a column, and a row header may be defined in any column, and may apply to multiple rows or to a few cells in a row.
Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)	Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) allow persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have speech disabilities to communicate by telephone in a manner that is functionally equivalent to telephone services used by persons without such disabilities.
Telecommunications	The signal transmission of information of the user’s choosing, between or among points specified by the user, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received.
Telework Agreement	A written agreement for remote work conditions. May also be referred to as a remote work agreement.
Terminal	Device or software that provides the user interface through which the end user directly interacts. For some systems, the software that provides the user interface may reside on more than one device such as a telephone and a server.
Text	A sequence of characters that can be programmatically determined, and that expresses something in human language.
Text file description	The conversion of the visual content of a complex image, or visual-only video file, into text.
Thick client	A fully-featured computer connected to a network that can perform most processing functions on its own, independent of a central server. It becomes a “client” of the server only when it needs to access programs or files not stored on a local drive.
Thin client	A computer or computer program designed to work with a host-server computer in a client/server computing model. A thin client depends heavily on its server to fulfill its traditional computational roles.
Transcript	The conversion of the spoken language of an audio file into a text format.
Training Plan	A plan that defines who within the reporting entity should receive training, the training schedule, and mandatory training.
Trusted Tester	The Trusted Tester Process is a manual test approach developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that aligns with the ICT Testing Baseline, and provides repeatable and reliable conformance test results. DHS offers training and formal accessibility testing certification for using the DHS Trusted Tester Process. Agencies that adopt the Trusted Tester Process only accept test results from individuals who have been certified as Trusted Testers.
TTY	Equipment that enables interactive text based communications through the transmission of frequency-shift-keying audio tones across the public switched telephone network, such as a computer with TTY emulating software and modem. TTYs include devices for real-time text communications and voice, and text intermixed communications, such as voice or hearing carry-over.

U

Table U. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
U.S. Access Board	The U.S. Access Board is a federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards for the built environment, transportation, communication, medical diagnostic equipment, and information technology.
Undue burden	An action that requires significant difficulty or expense. In determining whether an action would result in an undue burden, an agency shall consider all agency resources available to the program or component for which the product is being developed, procured, maintained, or used.
User Agent	As per W3.org definition, "[a] user agent is any software that retrieves and presents Web content for end users or is implemented using Web technologies. User agents include Web browsers, media players, and plug-ins that help in retrieving, rendering and interacting with Web content. The family of user agents also includes operating system shells, consumer electronics with Web-widgets, and stand-alone applications or embedded applications whose user interface is implemented as a combination of Web technologies."
User Acceptance Testing (UAT)	A phase of development or deployment in which the application is tested to ensure the application can handle real-world tasks and affirm the performance meets development specifications, including ICT accessibility requirements, before being accepted by the reporting entity or business representative.
User interface element	Elements of an application that convey information.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)	What a user types into a browser to find the location of a resource on the web.
Universal design	The design and composition of an environment so it can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. Universal design is also referred to as inclusive design.

V

Table V. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Variable Message Signs (VMS)	Non-interactive electronic signs with scrolling, streaming, or paging-down capability. An example of a VMS is an electronic message board at a transit station that displays gate and arrival time information.
Very High	Represents the highest level of maturity or conformance, signifying that it aligns closely with the desired standard in most areas across maturity and/or conformance.
Very Low	Indicates the maturity or conformance level is significantly below the desired standard, requiring substantial improvements in multiple areas across maturity and conformance.
Video-only (pre-recorded)	An alternative for an audio track, or time-based media that presents equivalent information for prerecorded, video-only content.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)	A technology that provides real-time voice communications. VoIP requires a broadband connection and equipment compatible with internet protocol.
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®)	A document template established by the Information Technology Industry (ITI) Council to evaluate the accessibility of a product according to Section 508 Standards. Vendors use the VPAT® to create a self-disclosing document called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), which details how the product meets each Section 508 requirement and identifies any potential deficiencies. The Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) serves as a standardized reporting format that helps buyers and sellers assess the accessibility features of information and communications technology (ICT) products and services.

W

Table W. Terms and definitions
Term	Definition
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)	Guidelines established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) under their Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). The revised Section 508 standards harmonize with WCAG version 2.0 A & AA.
Webpage (web page)	Definition 1: A non-embedded resource obtained from a single Universal Resource Identifier (URI) using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) plus any other resources that are provided for the rendering, retrieval, and presentation of content. Definition 2: For the purposes of the annual Section 508 Assessment report, a document on the World Wide Web, including resources provided for rendering, retrieval, and presentation of content. Web pages are delivered by a web server to the user and displayed in a web browser. Web-based applications with dynamic content or customizable views within a single page should be counted as one page.
Website (web site)	A website, and web-based application, consists of many web pages linked together under a common domain name such as “[agency-name].gov.”

Reviewed/Updated: March 2025