Training

ASPA offers a layered, modular training program designed to accommodate the various roles and functions within HHS. As described below, the program includes introductory training, evaluation training, remediation training, issue management, and special-topics-in-accessibility training.

• The General 508 Awareness Course: An overview of Section 508 compliance that includes both EIT and Web pages/electronic publications. This course is mandatory for all HHS employees because it lays the foundation for the subsequent Evaluation-, Remediation and Best-Practices Training-, and Special-Topics Training courses.
• Evaluation Training Courses: Program-type-specific training designed to help attendees learn to identify common accessibility errors within a given file type. These courses are particularly useful for content managers, publication authors, Web developers, and others who have a role in spot-checking electronic publications and Websites.  This training generally precedes the Remediation and Best-Practices Training Courses.
• Remediation and Best-Practices Training Courses: Program-type-specific training designed to help attendees learn to correct common accessibility errors within a given file type. These courses are particularly useful for publication authors, Web developers, and others who have a role in the quality-control of Websites and electronic publications. This training is most effective when the attendee has completed the Evaluation Training Course for a given specific topic.
• Issue Management: An overview course that teaches attendees how use the Leaderboard reports in order to (a) identify 508 issues on Web sites, (b) identify issues that are mistakenly identified as errors (false positives), and (c) learn in depth 508 web regulations that have the potential to greatly impact Leaderboard scores. Though this training can stand alone, it’s most effective when preceded by the General 508 Awareness course and the Evaluation Training and the Remediation Training courses on Website accessibility.
• Special-Topic Training Courses: Advanced training on a specific accessibility item or issue designed to help attendees think beyond “mere compliance” and towards “real accessibility.”

Courses Offered

Evaluation Training Courses

• How to Identify Accessibility Errors in a Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010 document
• How to Identify Accessibility Errors in a Microsoft Excel 2007 or 2010 document
• How to Identify Accessibility Errors in a Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or 2010 document
• How to Identify Accessibility Errors in a PDF document
• How to Identify Accessibility Errors in a Website

Remediation and Best-Practice Training Courses

• How to Fix and Prevent Accessibility Errors in a Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010 document (PowerPoint - 1.16 MB)
• How to Fix and Prevent Identify Accessibility Errors in a Microsoft Excel 2007 or 2010 document  (PowerPoint - 1.88 MB)
• How to Fix and Prevent Accessibility Errors in a Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 or 2010 document
• How to Fix and Prevent Accessibility Errors in a PDF document (PowerPoint - 2.56 MB)
• How to Fix and Prevent Accessibility Errors in a Website

Issue Management

• Issue-Management Training
• Accenture/Leaderboard Training

Special-Topic Training Courses

• Using Assistive Technology To Control A Computer And Navigate Web
• Developing Quality Alt-Text for Complex Figures
• Developing Quality Captions for Video

Training Delivery

All training sessions are 1 to 1.5 hours in length, are held onsite at the HHS building (200 Independence Ave; Hubert Humphrey Building), use PowerPoint and facilitator-lead lectures and discussions, and can be broadcast electronically in real time using GoToMeeting to support e-attendance.

The Remediation and Best-Practices Training Courses have an additional hands-on component that cannot be completed through e-attendance at this time.

More Information

If you would like to enroll in one of the training courses, please contact Kelley Mesa, the Training Coordinator.

If you have questions about the training opportunities summarized here, please contact Cristopher Broyles, the Project Manager for ASPA’s Section 508 Team.

Additional 508 Training Resources

Testing Documents for 508 Compliance - training modules

Applying Styles for Section 508 Compliant Microsoft Word Documents (PowerPoint - 2.2 MB)

PDF tagging and OCR (PowerPoint - 2.2 MB)

Download the ASPA/WCD Comprehensive Training presentation slides (PowerPoint - 1.68 MB)

Download the ASPA/WCD Executive Training presentation slides (PowerPoint - 2.58 KB)