Section 508 requires the federal government to buy, build, use, and manage technology that’s accessible to people with disabilities. This rule applies to all technology—whether it’s used by government employees or the public.

Right now, agencies often use outdated Microsoft Word templates and PDFs to check accessibility during procurement. Each agency does things differently, which causes confusion and delays. Without a standard, machine-readable format, it’s hard for procurement officers to compare products. This slows down the process and increases the risk of choosing tools that don’t meet accessibility standards.

OpenACR solves these problems by offering:

Automation – Makes it faster and easier to create and update Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs).

Comparison Tools – Helps procurement officers quickly see how different products measure up on accessibility.

Central Repository – Stores completed ACRs so agencies can reuse them and avoid doing the same work twice.

I worked with a content designer to redesign the information architecture of the site and to include a glossary of terms based on feedback from users.

OpenACR was fully adopted by the federal government in July 2024 and won a national accessibility award in November 2024.