Divi Section 508 Checker

Section 508 for Divi Sites

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to make the information and communication technology they develop, buy, maintain or use accessible. The Revised 508 Standards, in effect since January 2018, incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA for web content, electronic documents and software.

Private businesses are not directly covered, but agencies must buy accessible technology, so vendors are often asked for an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) based on the VPAT. This checker runs the scan with the WCAG 2.0 AA preset that Section 508 uses.

If a federal program or contractor runs a site on Divi, the builder’s templates and widgets must meet WCAG 2.0 AA. Check that you can edit the parts that fail; if you cannot, document them in your ACR.

Who Should Run the Divi Section 508 Checker

• Federal agencies running a site or microsite on Divi.
• Contractors and vendors whose Divi site or portal is part of a federal contract.
• Agencies and vendors preparing a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report.
• State bodies and universities whose policies adopt Section 508.

Section 508 Checks That Matter for Divi Sites

• 1.1.1 Non-text Content

  Every image, icon and chart needs a text alternative, or must be marked as decorative.

• 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

  Headings, lists, tables and form labels must be marked up so assistive technology can read the structure.

• 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)

  Text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text.

• 2.1.1 Keyboard

  Every function must work with a keyboard alone.

• 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

  Provide a way to skip repeated navigation, such as a skip link.

• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

  Custom controls need a name, role and state that assistive technology can read.

Where Divi Sites Usually Fail Section 508

These problems come up again and again on Divi sites, and each one fails Section 508. The Divi accessibility checker explains how to fix them in Divi.

• Headings and text modules. Text and Blurb modules let you pick a heading tag, and layout packs often choose it for the look, so pages skip levels or have more than one h1.
• Hover-only dropdown menus. Menus that open on hover and cannot be opened with the keyboard cut off every page below the top level for keyboard and touch users.
• Contact form fields. The Contact Form module often uses a field’s title as its placeholder, so the visible name vanishes as soon as someone types.
• Sliders, video backgrounds and parallax. Auto-advancing sliders, looping video backgrounds and scroll effects can start on their own with no way to pause them.
• Text over images and overlays. Fullwidth headers and hero sections set text on top of photos, where contrast depends on the image and the overlay color.

Worried about ADA claims as well? The Divi ADA compliance checker covers the Divi risks behind most complaints.

What to Test by Hand on Divi

Automated testing finds many, but not all, Section 508 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:

1. Test every page with a keyboard only, including menus and dialogs (2.1.1).
2. Check documents and PDFs separately, since Section 508 covers them too.
3. Record results per criterion if you need to complete a VPAT or ACR.
4. Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.

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Related Guides

• Section 508 CheckerThe Section 508 standard in full, for any website.
• WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value explained simply: give every control a name, role and state with native HTML and ARIA, with code examples and how to test.
• WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) explained simply: the 4.5:1 and 3:1 ratios, what counts as large text, the exceptions, fixes and how to test your colors.
• Keyboard Accessibility TestingA practical guide to keyboard accessibility testing: what to check, the exact keys to use, and a component-by-component reference table mapped to WCAG.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Divi Section 508 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions