Section 508 vs. WCAG 2.1: What Faculty Members Actually Need to Know

Navigating the world of accessibility compliance often feels like drowning in a sea of acronyms. For university faculty and staff, the two most common terms are **Section 508** and **WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)**. While they are related, understanding the difference is key to ensuring that digital course materials are both legally compliant and truly accessible.

Section 508: The Legal Mandate

Section 508 is part of the **Rehabilitation Act of 1973**. It is a federal law that requires federal agencies—and institutions that receive federal funding, like most universities—to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities.

Essentially, Section 508 is the "what" of compliance: it dictates that documents, software, and websites *must* be accessible.

WCAG: The Technical Standard

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It is a set of international technical standards that define what "accessibility" actually looks like in practice.

Since the 2017 "Refresh" of Section 508, the legal standard now officially points to **WCAG 2.0 Level AA** as the technical requirement for digital content. Most universities now aim for **WCAG 2.1 Level AA** to stay ahead of the curve.

What This Means for Your Documents

When a faculty member creates a Google Doc or a PDF, they aren't expected to memorize thousands of pages of WCAG guidelines. However, they are expected to ensure their output meets these criteria. This includes:

• Perceivable: Content must be presented in ways users can see or hear (e.g., alt-text for images).
• Operable: Users must be able to navigate the content (e.g., proper heading hierarchies).
• Understandable: The language and structure must be clear (e.g., specifying document language).
• Robust: Content must work with a variety of assistive technologies (e.g., correctly tagged PDFs).

Compliance Simplified

Inkable Docs bridges the gap between these complex standards and the daily work of faculty. By building WCAG 2.1 standards directly into the document creation process, the platform ensures that every export is Section 508 compliant without requiring the author to become an expert in federal law.