Making accessibility achievable: HPE, NVIDIA, Kamiwaza and SHI International simplify compliance for governments with AI
New solution from HPE and partners automates Section 508 compliance
- HPE, Kamiwaza and SHI unveiled a new solution with NVIDIA technology designed to automate Section 508 compliance to help ensure federal and state government websites are accessible for every visitor
- An inclusive design ensures that every citizen, regardless of ability, can access essential government services, whether through a website, mobile app, or public kiosk
- The agentic AI solution deploys in weeks, not years, to help organizations achieve compliance faster with continuous monitoring and remediation
The average American spends more than 10 hours online daily whether that be for work, shopping or connecting with friends and family. But for individuals who are hearing- or vision-impaired, online tasks—like submitting a form or watching a video—can become frustrating or impossible.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act ensures that people with disabilities can navigate and access government resources like IRS filings or Social Security updates just like everyone else. Yet, only 23% of top-viewed federal websites are fully compliant, making it hard for millions of users with disabilities to independently access essential information and services.
Aging technology infrastructure, decentralized systems, and limited budgets make it difficult for agencies to implement consistent accessibility standards across digital platforms. To help government agencies remove the hurdles around digital accessibility, today HPE, Kamiwaza and SHI unveiled a new solution with NVIDIA technology designed to automate Section 508 compliance, and help ensure federal and state government websites are accessible for every visitor. Built on HPE Private Cloud AI, the Section 508 compliance solution streamlines accessibility workflows, accelerates deployment, and helps agencies meet digital accessibility standards by leveraging agentic AI.
These requirements aren’t just technical—they’re essential for making digital experiences usable for everyone
Operationalizing Accessibility: The Section 508 Challenge
To understand the situation is to understand Section 508 requirements. The law mandates that all digital communication – be it websites, apps, software, email or multimedia content – must be designed to be accessible to users with disabilities. This includes:
- Providing text alternatives for images and non-text elements (like alt text and transcripts),
- Enabling full keyboard navigation for those who cannot use a mouse,
- Ensuring sufficient color contrast for readability, and
- Including captions and audio descriptions for video and audio content1.
These requirements aren’t just technical—they’re essential for making digital experiences usable for everyone. An inclusive design ensures that every citizen, regardless of ability, can access essential government services, whether through a website, mobile app, or public kiosk.
Despite its critical role in ensuring digital accessibility for all, Section 508 compliance remains a persistent challenge across federal agencies. Manual audits and retroactive fixes are slow, expensive, and often incomplete, leaving organizations vulnerable to lawsuits, reputational damage, and, worst of all, the exclusion of individuals who rely on assistive technologies. And starting April 2026, requirements will become more stringent. For state and local governments serving more than 50,000 residents, all websites and mobile apps must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards under Section 508 and ADA Title II. This sweeping mandate will mark a major shift in digital accessibility, demanding scalable solutions, cross-sector collaboration, and a modernized approach.
A Turnkey Compliance Solution Delivered by SHI, Powered by HPE
Section 508 compliance solution brings to market a complete, AI-powered accessibility compliance program that deploys in weeks, not years, to help organizations achieve compliance faster with continuous monitoring and remediation, leveraging:
- HPE Private Cloud AI - A turnkey AI factory co-developed with NVIDIA, as a part of the NVIDIA AI Computing by HPE portfolio, HPE Private Cloud AI helps organizations deploy AI faster with a single integrated platform, making it easier for public sector agencies to rapidly adopt and operationalize AI-powered solutions.
- ARIA (Accessibility Remediation Intelligence Agent) by Kamiwaza – An always-on AI agent that scans, remediates, and certifies every page, app, or kiosk screen against WCAG criteria; accelerating responsible AI adoption as a strategic contributor within the HPE Unleash AI ecosystem where software innovation and a diverse partner network are essential to delivering enterprise-ready solutions.
- SHI AI Advisory and Integration Services – Expert-led assessment, deployment, training, and ongoing support to ensure rapid value realization and sustained compliance.
Designed for speed, scale, and sustainability, the Section 508 compliance solution empowers public sector organizations to meet federal mandates confidently while improving access for all. For organizations looking for a standalone deployment, the solution is also available on HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12 server with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs – an industry-leading server and the latest NVIDIA accelerators delivering exceptional performance for a range of enterprise workloads including enterprise AI.
AI has the power to drive real, meaningful change – and this collaboration between HPE and its partners to help public sector organizations achieve compliance is a perfect example of AI for good
Unlocking Efficiency Through Accessibility
AI has the power to drive real, meaningful change – and this collaboration between HPE and its partners to help public sector organizations achieve compliance is a perfect example of AI for good. Together with NVIDIA, Kamiwaza and SHI, the Section 508 compliance solution makes accessibility faster, smarter and more achievable. Whether a mid-sized municipality or a large federal agency, agencies can now move beyond reactive, resource-heavy fixes and adopt an agentic solution that delivers continuous compliance.
Beyond meeting the legal mandate and delivering measurable business benefits for governments and public agencies, the solution furthers HPE’s mission to advance the way people live and work. When websites and online services are easy to navigate for everyone—including those using assistive technologies—people can find what they need without calling support lines, sending emails, or filing complaints. That means fewer inbound requests, faster service delivery, and more efficient use of staff time. But the impact goes deeper: residents feel more supported, more confident in their city’s digital infrastructure, and more satisfied with their overall experience – turning accessibility into an advantage.
