Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

The purpose of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is to assist Federal contracting officials in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial Electronic and Information Technology products and services with features that support accessibility. It is assumed that offerers will provide additional contact information to facilitate more detailed inquiries.

The first table of the Template provides a summary view of the section 508 Standards. The subsequent tables provide more detailed views of each subsection. There are three columns in each table. Column one of the Summary Table describes the subsections of subparts B and C of the Standards. The second column describes the supporting features of the product or refers you to the corresponding detailed table, "e.g., equivalent facilitation." The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations regarding the product. In the subsequent tables, the first column contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsections. The second column describes the supporting features of the product with regard to that paragraph. The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations regarding the product.

Date: February 15, 2005
Name of Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (version 4) product family including Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES, Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS, and Red Hat Desktop
Contact for more Information: Section 508 Coordinator <section508@redhat.com>


Summary Table
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Criteria Supporting Features Remarks and explanations
Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems  See Section 1194.21 Template below This template is for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 in command line mode.
Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems  See Section 1194.21 Template below This template is for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 with the GNOME GUI interface.
Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria  See Section 1194.31 Template below This template applies only to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 in command line mode. 
Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support  See Section 1194.41 Template below This template is for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4


Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 Command Line Mode
Criteria Supporting Features Remarks and explanations
(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually All command line mode tasks are executed from a keyboard.
(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer. No known application disrupts or disables accessibility features.
   
(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes. Command line mode does not contain user interface objects. 
(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text. Command line mode does not contain user interface objects. 
(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance. Command line mode does not contain images.
(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes. All textual information is available to the controlling terminal in command line mode.
 In command line mode all text is available via the controlling terminal.  The current cursor position is available via industry standard terminal command codes. Accessibility technology can utilize pseudo-terminals to interpret industry standard terminal control sequences and provide users with the content, cursor position, and text attributes. Alternatively, accessibility technology can access text attributes on virtual terminals in console mode via the /dev/vsca interface.
(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. No known application overrides user selected contrast and color selections.
(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user. Command line mode does not offer animation.
(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. Applications which utilize color to convey information have equivalent facilities that do not require color coding.
 For example, by default the "ls" command assigns colors to certain types of files when it lists directories. This information can be displayed in a non-color coded format by using the "file" command.
(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided. Command line mode does not permit the user to adjust color and contrast settings.
(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. Any flashing or blinking does so at a frequency within the recommended range.
(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. There are no electronic forms available in command line mode.


Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 with the GNOME Desktop
Criteria Supporting Features Remarks and explanations
(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually

Program functions can be accessed via menu accelerators and MouseKeys.



 The GTK+ 2.x GUI toolkit used by GNOME 2.x provides the ability to control functions by pressing keyboard accelerator keys. Access  to product functions without accelerator keys can be achieved using the MouseKeys feature of AccessX. Blind users who can not use MouseKeys will be unable to access features which do not have accelerator keys.
(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer. The applications tested do not disrupt or disable activated accessibility features.
(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes.
The GTK+ 2.x GUI toolkit exposes focus programmaticly via the ATK (Accessibility Tool Kit).
(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text. Some user interface information is available to Assistive Technology.
 GTK+ 2.x includes the ability to attach text descriptions to images, and provides a programmatic itnerface for many elements.
(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance. The GNOME Desktop implements a set of stock icons that all applications use to ensure consistent usage of images.
(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes. Text input and output objects in GTK+ 2.x supply content, cursor position, and attributes.
 GTK+ 2.0 implements a generic interface for Assistive Technology via ATK (Accessibility Tool Kit).
(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. The tested applications do not override the user selected contrast and color selections.
 The GNOME Accessibility Project is working to ensure application compliance.
(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user. In the rare occurrences of animations in GNOME, non-animated information is displayed with the animation. The GNOME Accessibility Project is working to ensure application compliance.
(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. The applications tested did not use color as the only means of conveying information.
(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided. GNOME provides numerous color selection options.
(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. Objects do not flash or blink outside of the required frequency range.
(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. Electronic forms are not implemented in GNOME.



Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 Command Line Mode
Criteria Supporting Features Remarks and explanations
(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided. Support for Assistive Technology is provided via the Controlling Terminal interface.
 See VPAT for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 command line mode Section 1194.21 (f)
(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided. Support for Assistive Technology is provided via the Controlling Terminal interface.  See VPAT for Red Hat Linux 3 command line mode Section 1194.21 (f) 
(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided  Support for Assistive Technology is provided via the Controlling Terminal interface. See VPAT for Red Hat Linux 3 command line mode Section 1194.21 (f)
(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided. Support for Assistive Technology is provided via the Controlling Terminal interface.  See VPAT for Red Hat Linux 3 command line mode Section 1194.21 (f)
(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided. Support for Assistive Technology is provided via the Controlling Terminal interface.  See VPAT for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Red Hat Desktop 4 command line mode Section 1194.21 (f)
(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided. Requires Assistive Technology.
 Command line mode requires text input via the Controlling Terminal. Normally this requires fine motor control or simultaneous actions on a keyboard. Assistive Technology can be used by people with disabilities in command line mode to access program functions.


Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support - Detail
Criteria Supporting Features Remarks and explanations
(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge. Supported Red Hat documentation is available in electronic form and can be downloaded from here: www.redhat.com/docs/. Most of our manuals are available in HTML and PDF forms.
(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge. Supported Online help describing accessibily features can be found using Applications-> Help -> Desktop-> Accessibility Guide. This information can be viewed online. It is also available in XML format.
(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities. Supported Customer support services can be contacted using phone, web interface or e-mail. Customer support personnel is familiar with product's accesibility features and can advise end users regarding customization necessary to enable these features. Additional information can be found here: www.redhat.com/solutions/government/accessibility/