Welcome to the Study Group hosted by GDG Vienna! In 2026, from February to July, we are studying for the DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester. THe curriculum follows the Trusted Tester certification course on the DHS CXD Training Portal. To obtain a certification, you have to complete the course there.
This series builds on our previous Accessibility Webinar Series. If you are new to accessibility auditing, review the recordings in advance or in between sessions, as we won't go into details that have already been covered before.
GDG Vienna is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment. However, we are aware of limitations within our platforms. Should you encounter barriers, please reach out either here or via the GDG Vienna page and we will do our best to get you the learning materials in a suitable format.
- Live study group sessions are recorded on YouTube, so that participants from other time zones can take part as well.
- Knowledge Check question format was unclear, so session 2 included a segment on how to answer them. If requested, we will repeat this segment in the last session too.
- Subtitles move quickly during live sessions, therefore the blog post summaries now also include a video with open captions instead of an embedded YouTube link.
- Test ID testing processes can build on previous test IDs, which can become hard to follow on slides alone. For the live sessions, participants get a "cheat sheet" handout with the testing steps and evaluation questions to follow along.
The Trusted Tester is rigorous web accessibility testing process developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It covers 20 topics of accessibility issues, all based on WCAG and Section 508. The DHS offers a free course which was the foundation for this study group. Enroll in the Trusted Tester certificaiton course and complete it to earn a certification.
- Trusted Tester: Section 508 Conformance Test Process For Web
- Test Process Quick Reference with Test Conditions
- DHS Trusted Tester Training & Certification
These testing tools are used in the Trusted Tester process.
- ANDI Testing Tool
- TGPI Contrast Checker (any contrast checker will do)
Update: Live sessions finished on July 10, all materials will be cleaned up and added here.
- What is Section 508? Functional performance criteria and standards, getting familiar with testing tools and how they work
- Recording 1 on YouTube
- What is Section 508? Recap with open captions
- Session 1 slides on Drive
- Auto-Playing and Auto-Updating Content + Flashing
- Keyboard Access and Focus
- Forms
- Links + Images + Adjustable Time Limits
- Repetitive Content, Content Structure
- Language, Page Titles, Frames & iFrames
- Sensory Characteristics and Contrast, Tables
- CSS Positioning + Pre-Recorded Audio-Only, Video-Only, and Animations
- Synchronized Media
- Resize Text, Multiple Ways, Parsing
- Conforming Alternate Version and Non-Interference, Conformance Reporting, Q&A and Tips for taking the Trusted Tester Exam