U.S. Justice Department
Section 508 Overview
The following is a summary of the Section 508 laws relating to captioning and video description.
Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, they shall ensure that the electronic and information technology allows Federal employees with disabilities to have access to that information as well as any members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency.
· All training and informational video and multimedia presentations that contain visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content shall be video (audio) described.
· When audio presentations are available on a web page, because audio is a non-textual element, text in the form of captioning must accompany the audio, to allow people who are deaf or hard of hearing to comprehend the content.
· All training and informational video and multimedia presentations that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content which supports an agency’s mission, shall be open or closed captioned regardless of the anticipated audience.
For more information, visit the Section 508 Web site www.section508.gov
