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Bender Consulting Services, Inc. Section 508 and Assistive Technology Services
Bender Consulting Services continues its efforts to make information available for all people, and provides the guidance needed to make web sites and software readily accessible for users of assistive technology. Additionally, Bender Consulting Services leverages assistive technology expertise to evaluate and ensure compliance with the standards set forth in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended for electronic & information technology.
Bender Consulting Services (BCS) can perform the following services:
Section 508 Services
- Assess software and web sites for Section 508 compliance using proven testing methodologies, and indicate preferred remediation techniques.
- Achieve compliance with universal design standards by suggesting accessibility solutions that seamlessly integrate Section 508 standards, and maximize usability for end-users.
- Collaborate with software/web developers to identify accessibility issues that cannot be diagnosed by automated software accessibility checkers, and recommend best practices for effective resolution.
- Evaluate training documentation and business processes for accessibility and compliance with Section 508 standards, and suggest alternative techniques for delivering content and services.
Since Section 508 compliance does not always yield "usable" information technology, Bender Consulting Services can perform the following assistive technology services:
Screen Reader Configuration
- Optimize the interoperability between the JAWS for Windows screen-reading software and proprietary applications via the JAWS programming language.
Specialized Services
- Provide tailored JAWS for Windows training classes from beginner to advanced scripting for your IT staff and employees with visual impairments.
- Train your employees with visual impairments on MS Windows, MS Office, Lotus Notes, proprietary software applications, and many other popular programs.
BCS can help you reduce costs by developing an end-to-end corporate accessibility strategy that encapsulates all accessibility concerns, from selecting off-the-shelf computer products, to developing custom software applications and hardware configurations.
Representative Assistive Technology Projects
Bender Consulting Services evaluated the Section 508 compliance of a web-based career opportunities application for Alcoa, and delivered a compliance document that suggested detailed modifications required to achieve Section 508 compliance. BCS then confirmed compliance of the site, following the implementation of suggested modifications, and compiled a document stating the scope and results.
Bender Consulting Services' Assistive Technology Group completed a project for SAP Accessibility Labs in Palo Alto, California to determine if, and to what extent, the JAWS screen reader was capable of functioning in three representative SAP WebGUI transactions. BCS provided a packaged set of JAWS scripts to customize the interaction with the client and server software, and a detailed report that explained the approach, findings, and extensive methodology used to identify the technical details related to incompatible HTML elements and style sheets.
BCS evaluated a 150-screen application developed by Compaq Network Services for the State of Ohio, for compliance with accessibility standards such as those found in "The Microsoft® Windows® Guidelines for Accessible Software Design." When the application could not adhere to various standards, BCS used the scripting and related utilities of a screen reading application, JAWS for Windows to eliminate obstacles between the applications. As a result, BCS's customer developed a world-class accessible product for the State of Ohio.
Bender Consulting Services, Inc. worked with Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey to solve a compatibility conflict existing between the Center's medical record transcription software, and the equipment used by an operator with a visual disability. BCS quickly analyzed and diagnosed the problem and proposed two successful solutions.
Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Jim Homme, Manager, Assistive Technology.
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