VASTEC Endorses Proposal by Access Board to Update Section 508 Rules to WCAG 2.0

Washington, DC, February 22, 2015 --(PR.com)-- VASTEC, a leading provider of Section 508 services to government and commercial clients, is congratulating the Federal Access Board on its work to update Section 508 requirements, and is urging the public to weigh in during the open comment period.

Last week the board released its long-awaited proposal to update accessibility guidelines, as mandated under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires Federal agencies to provide equal access to information for individuals with disabilities. Among the proposed changes is integration of the latest version of the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, WCAG 2.0.

“The Board’s proposal is responsive to widespread changes and innovations in the IT and communication industries,” said Sachin Dev Pavithran, Vice Chair of the Access Board. “It is important that the 508 Standards and 255 Guidelines stay abreast of the ever-evolving technologies they cover so that accessibility for people with disabilities is properly addressed.”

The board has scheduled public hearings on the rule in San Diego on March 5, and Washington DC on March 11. In addition, a public webinar is scheduled for March 31.

“We congratulate the Access Board for their work on this important refresh of Federal accessibility standards,” said Richard Salem, CEO of VASTEC. “Though the rule is only in the proposal stage now, VASTEC has long adhered to WCAG 2.0. We embrace the proposed rule changes, and look forward to expanding our services to those who need to meet the new guidelines.”

VASTEC works to help both government and commercial clients better understand information accessibility and their options through VASTEC’s customized offerings. That is one reason why VASTEC has been chosen to provide Section 508 services to a number of Federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Government Printing Office.

VASTEC accessibility services include:

· Website Accessibility Review
· PDF Document and Form Remediation
· Accessibility Training
· Section 508 Consulting
· VASTEC Verified Compliance Certifications

In every project VASTEC’s best practices guide production of electronic documents to meet and exceed Section 508 standards. Industry leading quality assurance measures include review of the documents by assistive technology quality control testers to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that of persons without disabilities.

Additional information on VASTEC and accessibility services can be found at VASTEC.com. To request a free accessibility report, please contact Robert Salimbene at Robert.Salimbene@VASTEC.com.

About VASTEC: VASTEC, Inc. is a national provider of scanning and digitization, data conversion, and Section 508 training for both Federal Government and private industry clients. VASTEC offers accessibility compliance and solutions with the capability to convert and remediate electronic data into accessible formats in compliance with Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards. An authorized partner of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), VASTEC’s processes, procedures, and security controls have been audited to DOD standards established by FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act).