Section 508

On July 13, 2000, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794D), as amended, was written into law. Section 508 applies to the Federal government when developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology (EIT). Under Section 508, Federal departments and agencies must ensure that, the EIT allows individuals with disabilities (Federal employees and members of the public) access to and use of information and data that is comparable to individuals without disabilities, regardless of the type of medium of technology.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is committed to ensuring the accessibility of its websites, software, hardware, multimedia, and telecommunications.  If an individual believes that a bureau or office has failed to procure EIT conforming to Section 508, that individual has the right to file a complaint under Section 508.

The procedure for filing a complaint under Section 508 shall be the same as described in 43 CFR §17. 570(c) for filing a complaint under Section 504 or resolving allegations of discrimination in a federally conducted program or activity.  Complaints under Section 508 must be filed with the Departmental Section 508 Coordinator at the following address:

U.S. Department of the Interior
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Attn: Section 508 Coordinator
1849 C Street, N.W.
MS-7456
Washington, D.C. 20240

Phone: (202) 208-3387

• Policies: List of the DOI's Section 508 policies and guidelines.
• Contacts: List of the bureau and office Section 508 contacts.
• Reference Websites: A collection of links to Section 508-related resources available on the Web.