Cloud-Based Document Accessibility Service from Actuate

Cloud-Based Document Accessibility Service from Actuate : Actuate Corporation, Braille Works and Venatôre are collaborating to deliver Cloud508, the industry’s first cloud-based document accessibility service for U.S. federal government agencies. The new Cloud508 service is designed to support Section 508 compliance, while reducing cost and complexity from traditional processes to assist people who are visually impaired.

Today, U.S. federal government agencies are mandated by legislation, such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. There are more than 21 million Americans who report vision loss and have difficulty reading traditional paper-based and modern electronic documents. These documents are often not designed or available in fully-accessible digital formats for the visually impaired.

The collaboration will integrate, Actuate’s patented PDF Accessibility technology, taking high-volume documents and turning them into fully accessible, standards-compliant PDF format, Braille Works’ more than 20 years of accessibility expertise and design best practices and Venatôre’s secure cloud infrastructure and engineering required by government agencies.

Together, this joint offering helps government agencies meet compliance by automating the conversion of some of the most important and broadly used documents such as tax, health and other notices and statements, into accessible PDF, Braille, audio and large print formats to assist and provide equal access to people with visual impairments.

Cloud508 is a unique cloud-based service that automates the remediation of high-volume, widely used government documents such as tax, health and benefits communications and other notices and statements into standards-compliant accessible PDF, braille, audio and large print formats. Cloud508 has been designed to support Section 508 compliance, while reducing cost and complexity from traditional processes to assist people who are visually impaired. Cloud508’s accessible output has been verified by The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB).Cloud508 is available immediately in the U.S. only.

Braille Works was founded in 1994 and is celebrating 20 years of service to the blind and visually impaired community. From humble beginnings; Braille Works now has two company owned buildings on campus with more than 75 full time employees and a third site in Sarasota, FL. Venatôre is a Data Center & Cloud Engineering solutions provider that delivers leading systems, and technical services to support Federal Government mission-critical IT requirements. Venatôre seamlessly blends advanced technology and innovative approaches to deliver world-class IT services and solutions. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

Actuate provides software to more than 3.5 million BIRT developers and OEMs who build scalable, secure solutions that save time and improve brand experience by delivering personalized analytics and insights to over 200 million of their customers, partners and employees. Actuate founded and supports BIRT – the open source IDE – and develops BIRT iHub – the world-class deployment platform – to significantly improve productivity of developers working on customer facing applications.