“Teaming up with Criterion provided us with in-depth Section 508 compliance technical expertise, which allowed us to modify our systems and processes in order to produce Section 508 compliant output during our high-volume production runs.”
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires the federal government to ensure that its electronic and information technology is accessible to persons with disabilities (29 U.S.C. § 794d). It also requires the Department of Justice to issue a report every two years to the President and to the Congress on the federal government's compliance with Section 508's requirements.
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has begun distribution of the 2003 Section 508 Survey. The survey is now available for "Designated Agency Officials" to begin entering data. You can view the survey online, along with the Memo to the Heads of All Agencies and Departments.
The survey will capture information related to agency compliance with Section 508 after June 21, 2001, the effective date of the standards.
This year's survey is organized into the following four sections:
Each federal department or agency, including the US Postal Service, is subject to Section 508 and is required to respond to the survey. Each agency is responsible for providing an aggregated, department-wide response that includes information from all component organizations.
Agencies can submit responses to the survey electronically at GSA's Section508.gov website. This GSA website will start receiving electronic submissions on January 7, 2004. It is requested that all agencies complete their submissions by March 19, 2004.
Yes, federal vendors who are interested in understanding how federal agency's Section 508 compliance efforts are measured by the DOJ will find the survey a valuable source of information.