Deep dive into the Revised Section 508 Standards, how they map to WCAG 2.0/2.1, and the four POUR principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust).
Hands-on mastery of ANDI (Accessible Name & Description Inspector) and the Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA). The exam tests tool usage directly — don't skim this.
The core of the certification. You learn the exact DHS test process — 25 test conditions, which tools to use for each, and how to document findings. This is 40%+ of exam weight.
Audit your own knowledge. Flag any test conditions where you aren't 100% certain. Review WCAG 2.2 AA new criteria (9 new success criteria added vs. 2.1). Study the section508.gov guidance documents.
Passing threshold is 85%. Target 90%+ on practice before sitting the real exam. Each wrong answer reveals a knowledge gap — treat every miss as a study assignment.
Day 59: Light review only — no new learning. Rest. Day 60: Take the certification exam when fresh (morning). Must score 85%+ to earn Trusted Tester status.
| SC # | Name | Level | Added In | What It Requires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4.11 | Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) | AA | NEW 2.2 | When a UI component receives keyboard focus, the component is not entirely hidden by author-created content (e.g., sticky headers). Partial obscuring is allowed at AA. |
| 2.4.12 | Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) | AAA | NEW 2.2 | No part of the focused component is hidden. Full visibility required. Stronger than 2.4.11. |
| 2.4.13 | Focus Appearance | AAA | NEW 2.2 | Focus indicator must have a minimum area (perimeter of component × 2 CSS pixels) and minimum contrast ratio of 3:1 against unfocused state. |
| 2.5.7 | Dragging Movements | AA | NEW 2.2 | All functionality requiring dragging can also be operated with a single pointer (no dragging required). Drag-to-reorder lists must have an alternative. |
| 2.5.8 | Target Size (Minimum) | AA | NEW 2.2 | Target size of pointer inputs is at least 24×24 CSS pixels. Exceptions for inline, user-agent default, or essential cases. (AAA version 2.5.5 requires 44×44.) |
| 3.2.6 | Consistent Help | A | NEW 2.2 | If a page provides a help mechanism (chat, phone, contact form, self-help FAQ), it must appear in the same location relative to other content across pages. |
| 3.3.7 | Redundant Entry | A | NEW 2.2 | Information previously entered or provided by the user that is required again in the same process must be auto-populated or available for the user to select. Reduces cognitive load. |
| 3.3.8 | Accessible Authentication (Minimum) | AA | NEW 2.2 | Authentication processes must not require a cognitive function test (e.g., memorizing a password, solving a puzzle) unless an alternative is provided or objects/content can be used to solve it. |
| 3.3.9 | Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) | AAA | NEW 2.2 | No cognitive function tests in authentication at all — even with alternatives. Stricter version of 3.3.8. |
| 4.1.1 | Parsing | — | REMOVED in 2.2 | Previously required valid HTML parsing. Removed because modern browsers and AT handle parsing errors consistently — the criterion is now obsolete and always passes. |
| SC # | Name | Level | Added In | Quick Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3.4 | Orientation | AA | 2.1 | Content does not restrict view to a single orientation (portrait/landscape) unless essential. |
| 1.3.5 | Identify Input Purpose | AA | 2.1 | Input fields collecting user info must identify purpose via autocomplete attributes (name, email, phone, etc.). |
| 1.4.10 | Reflow | AA | 2.1 | Content can reflow to single-column layout at 320px width without horizontal scrolling or loss of content. |
| 1.4.11 | Non-text Contrast | AA | 2.1 | UI components (button borders, input fields, icons) and graphical objects need 3:1 contrast ratio vs adjacent colors. |
| 1.4.12 | Text Spacing | AA | 2.1 | No loss of content when overriding: line-height ≥1.5×, letter-spacing ≥0.12em, word-spacing ≥0.16em, paragraph ≥2em. |
| 1.4.13 | Content on Hover or Focus | AA | 2.1 | Additional content triggered by hover/focus must be dismissible, hoverable, and persistent. |
| 2.1.4 | Character Key Shortcuts | A | 2.1 | Single-char keyboard shortcuts must be remappable, turn-off-able, or only active on focus. |
| 2.5.1 | Pointer Gestures | A | 2.1 | Multi-point/path-based gestures (pinch-zoom, swipe) must have single-pointer alternatives. |
| 2.5.3 | Label in Name | A | 2.1 | For components with visible text labels, the accessible name must contain the visible text. |
| 4.1.3 | Status Messages | AA | 2.1 | Status messages (errors, confirmations, alerts) must be programmatically determined so AT can announce them without focus. |
Accessible Name & Description Inspector. The primary TT tool. Bookmarklet developed by SSA. Inspects accessibility properties of interactive elements.
Standalone desktop tool by TPGi. Used to test foreground/background contrast ratios when ANDI's built-in checker isn't sufficient (e.g., images of text, gradients).
Built-in browser inspector (F12). Used to examine HTML/CSS source, verify ARIA attributes, check DOM structure, and confirm programmatic relationships.
No tool — just Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, Arrow keys, and Escape. Required to verify keyboard operability, focus order, and focus visibility manually.
TT does not require AT (screen reader) testing — but understanding how NVDA/JAWS interpret ARIA helps you reason about why certain failures matter.
Test results must use DHS conformance reporting format. Each finding is either: PASS, FAIL, DNA (Does Not Apply), or N/A. Know these precisely.
Every exam question ties back to a specific test condition in the TT Process. If you can recite each condition's requirement and the correct ANDI module to use, you'll cover ~60% of exam points.
Know which ANDI module answers which question: Focusable Elements → tab order; Structures → headings/landmarks; Images → alt text; Links/Buttons → accessible name; Color Contrast → contrast ratio.
Many wrong answers come from confusing DNA with PASS or FAIL. DNA = the type of content doesn't exist on the page. PASS = it exists and meets the requirement. FAIL = it exists and fails.
Five SC are "non-interference" — they must not block page use even in non-conforming content: 1.4.2, 2.1.2, 2.3.1, 2.2.2. Know these — they appear on exams and have special handling.
Normal text: 4.5:1. Large text (18pt+ or 14pt bold): 3:1. Non-text UI components (1.4.11): 3:1. Focus indicators (2.4.13 AAA): 3:1. These appear constantly.
A page passes heading tests if the heading hierarchy is logical (H1→H2→H3, no skips) and headings describe the section — even if styled differently. The programmatic structure is what TT tests.
Decorative images: alt="" (empty, not missing). Informative: descriptive alt text. Functional (button/link image): alt text describes the function. Complex images: short alt + long description. Images of text: alt = the text.
Don't just read — do. Test 5 different government sites with the full TT process before exam day. The muscle memory of opening ANDI, running each module, and documenting findings will pay off in scenario questions.
Based on TT curriculum emphasis: (1) Forms & inputs, (2) Images & alt text, (3) Keyboard/focus, (4) Tables, (5) Headings & structure, (6) Color contrast, (7) Links & buttons. These cover ~75% of test conditions.