Drupal Section 508 Checker

Section 508 for Drupal 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.

Drupal is often used for agency and university sites. Under Section 508, the theme, plugins and every PDF you publish are in scope, so scan the templates and check documents with a PDF accessibility checker.

Who Should Run the Drupal Section 508 Checker

• Federal agencies running a site or microsite on Drupal.
• Contractors and vendors whose Drupal 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 Drupal 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 Drupal Sites Usually Fail Section 508

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

• Custom theme markup. Twig overrides that replace core templates can drop landmarks, heading levels, skip links or ARIA attributes that core would have added.
• Views output. Views tables, grids and exposed filters are generated from configuration, so a table can lack header cells and a filter form can lack labels without any code being wrong.
• Layout Builder and Paragraphs. Flexible page assembly makes it easy to put headings out of order, repeat identical link text such as "Read more" and use images with no alt text.
• Webform fields. Complex forms with conditional fields, multi-page steps and custom error messages often hide labels visually, or change fields without telling assistive technology.
• Rich text and media content. Editors using CKEditor can bold text instead of making a heading, paste inline styles that reduce contrast, or embed media without alt text.

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

What to Test by Hand on Drupal

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 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence explained simply: why reading order matters, how CSS and layout tables break it, how to fix it and how to test your pages.
• WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions explained simply: visible labels, format hints, grouped fields and required markers, with code examples and a test routine.
• ADA Website Accessibility – How to Use AccessBell to Help Avoid LawsuitsADA website accessibility explained: who the ADA covers, whether websites count, the WCAG standard, and how AccessBell helps you find and fix issues behind lawsuits.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Drupal Section 508 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions