Talk to most web developers, and it's a good bet that most have never heard of 508 compliance. Yet, if you are doing web development work where the site acts as an interface with customers who have disabilities, it's time to take a serious look. To one friend and colleague, 508 compliance for many public sites is like a federal building where the folks in wheel chairs have to be carried up the steps to get inside it.
With new tools available, it's time for the government and commercial web developers to start updating their sites so that they can become 508 compliant. Like the lawsuits that brought about the changes resulting in the American With Disabilities compliance for new construction, it's only a matter of time before a similar round of lawsuits occur against government and companies like a public utility or even the local grocery store chain.
