Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public.

Section 508 establishes requirements for any electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal government. The term "electronic and information technology" has been defined by the Access Board in regulations published December 21, 2000. Section 508 exempts national security systems from its requirements.

Images on the site contain 'alt tags,' which aid users who listen to the content of the site by using a screen reader, rather than reading the site. Likewise, a 'skip to' link provides these users with a method for bypassing the header and going directly to the main content each time a page is accessed. Text transcripts accompany audio clips and text transcripts are available on videos. In addition to the features that make the graphics version of the site more accessible, a text-only version provides added convenience for users.

Users can get information regarding the accessibility of Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files from the Access Adobe website.

Although Study in the States is still in its initial stages, we are constantly updating our site in an attempt to make it as accessible as possible. To improve the accessibility of StudyintheStates.dhs.gov, we encourage users with disabilities to review the site and also review the site's accessibility with outside web tools. The results of these reviews have been incorporated into the website.

Information regarding all aspects of assistive technologies and accessibility under Section 508 is available at the federal government's official website, http://www.section508.gov/.