Ghost Section 508 Checker

Section 508 for Ghost 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.

Ghost 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 Ghost Section 508 Checker

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

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

• Image and gallery card alt text. Images dropped into posts with no alt text, or with a caption standing in for it, and gallery cards where each image needs its own description.
• Heading structure in long posts. The post title is the page heading, so writers should start at h2. Bold text used as a heading and skipped levels break the outline of long articles.
• Embeds and bookmark cards. Embedded videos, social posts and podcasts load in iframes that need titles, and bookmark cards can produce several links with the same text.
• Membership portal and subscribe forms. The signup and subscribe forms, the portal pop-up and the announcement bar add fields, buttons and overlays that need labels and keyboard handling.
• Theme contrast and navigation. Light gray metadata, pale tag links and dark-mode color swaps often fall below the contrast minimum, and mobile navigation toggles lack a name.

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

What to Test by Hand on Ghost

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 1.1.1 Non-text Content Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content explained simply: how to write alt text for every kind of image, icon, chart and CAPTCHA, with code examples and a test routine.
• 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 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.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Ghost Section 508 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions