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RE: Intepretation on section 508 and use of logic tests

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From: Robinson, Norman B - Washington, DC
Date: Jun 12, 2006 8:50AM

Marissa,

The law is very specific. There are no "other disabilities" that
can apply. The technical standards relate basically to the functional
requirements
(http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm#Subpart_c) which do
not include any references to mental abilities or anything relevant to
your post that I could see applied to logic tests.

For benefit of the group, the next step when you enter in your
state and zip and ask to contact the representative is:


Unfortunately, with the advent of email communication, some
organizations have begun to use automated programs to send messages to
Congress on behalf of constituents - better known as "SPAM." To prevent
this practice we ask that you answer the question below. When you enter
the correct response it ensures that the message is coming from a real
person and helps your Representative respond to you as quickly as
possible.

What is the sum of eight plus 1? [data entry field] (Submit
button)

You will be allowed up to 3 attempts to provide a correct
response. Failure to provide a correct response will require you to
start over.

If you are unable to provide a correct response but still wish
to contact your Representative, please call his office at 202-225-2523.


So yes, they are compliant, specifically to your questions there
are no technical or functional requirements for mental abilities. That
might be addressed in a future version of revisions to Section 508, but
that isn't the case today.

I'd say you are stretching. Why bother to see what laws apply
and what technical requirements apply if you don't like the form. I
think their approach is the wrong approach. If you are affected you need
to demand they give you something usable, that they use your funding
appropriately and solve the technical issues with SPAM filtering without
frustrating the user. That has nothing to do with the law and everything
to do with your right to insist they do the right thing. Also, playing
devils advocate, you mention the potential problem but are you aware of
adequate solutions? Mental ability and technical standards that might
address them are more difficult to create than some of the other
approaches for the other senses. It can be done, but I don't want
someone suggesting that because of dyslexia I'm going to need to
transpose multiple interpretations of my phone contact number. I think
this gets more into usability and universal design issues that I would
welcome being addressed in the law but don't expect a direct answer to
your questions to follow.

Focus on the positive and plan for how things fail.

Best of luck,


Norman

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Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 10:05 AM
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Subject: [WebAIM] Intepretation on section 508 and use of logic tests


Dear all,

I am very new to this list, so please forgive me if this is not an
appropriate topic. Forgive me too, if this is a little bit long.

I am fairly familiar with the rules regarding section 508 in the United
States. And when I (and I think many others) think of accessibility and
section 508, I think, in general, of creating web sites that will work
well for visual and hearing impaired users.

But is it possible that other disabilities can apply?

The reason I ask, is that recently some members of the US Congress, in
order to prevent en-masse postings their web forms, allowed for the
introduction of a logic test (go to http://www.house.gov/writerep ,
select California, and use the zip 93292). Obviously, they are trying to
model what other web sites do, where they create a java-produced image
on the fly with the funky backgrounds with numbers and make you type
those in. However, we all know those are not compliant. So instead we
have these text-based logic tests.

My question is this - are these logic tests 508 compliant? I realize
that anyone who has a visual or hearing impairment might not have a
problem with this, but what about someone with dyslexia or dyscalculia.
They may come to these logic tests, not be able to answer the questions,
and then be denied access to a web site that an otherwise non-impaired
person would have access to.

Am I stretching this a bit? I would just like to get other people's
opinions and/or interpretations.

Marissa