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Justice Department Releases Section 508 Report Based on a Survey of All Federal Departments and Agencies

Justice Department Releases Section 508 Report Based on a Survey of All Federal Departments and Agencies

On September 12, 2012, Justice Department issued a press release announcing the release of its “Section 508 Report to the President and Congress: Accessibility of Federal Electronic and Information Technology.” The report, authorized under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, provides findings based on a survey of federal agencies on the accessibility of their electronic and information technology (EIT) and the procedures used to implement the requirements of Section 508.

Section 508 requires federal agencies to make their EIT accessible to people with disabilities, unless certain exceptions apply. EIT includes telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, websites, multimedia, and office equipment, such as copiers and fax machines, computers, software, firmware and similar products and services. Specifically, Section 508 requires federal agencies to ensure that EIT they develop, procure, maintain, or use allows employees with disabilities and members of the public seeking information or services to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that available to people who do not have disabilities. Section 508 also requires the attorney general to report and offer recommendations periodically to the President and Congress on the state of federal agency compliance with Section 508.

In 2010-2011, the Department partnered with the General Service Administration to create survey instruments and solicited answers from federal agencies about their implementation of Section 508. The survey requested data in four important areas:  procurement, general processes for implementing Section 508, administrative complaints and civil actions, and website compliance.

For more information, you can visit the Department’s Section 508 home page at www.ada.gov/508.