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RE: Question on monitoring Section 508 compliance

for

From: Christoffersen Lyn
Date: Jan 11, 2006 12:47PM

Thanks Deborah, this is very helpful!


Lyn Christoffersen
Visual Communication Services

Booz Allen Hamilton
230 Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta GA, 30303
PH: 404-658-8045



________________________________

From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Deborah Buck
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 2:32 PM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List'
Subject: RE: [WebAIM] Question on monitoring Section 508 compliance



Federal agencies are also required to report annually to the Department of Justice regarding their efforts to comply with Section 508. In the past, questions regarding web site accessibility compliance were a part of the survey and agencies had to respond to specific questions regarding accessibility of an identified number of their pages. In addition, I believe that the US Office of Management & Budget requires agencies to address their efforts relative to 508 as part of their plan to implement e-government initiatives. I don't know if these requirements/strategies have been changed in the last year or so. Excerpt from the legislation below- the underline is mine.





'(c) AGENCY EVALUATIONS.-Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998,

the head of each Federal department or agency shall evaluate the extent to which the electronic and information technology of the department or agency is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities described in subsection (a)(1), compared to the access to and use of the technology by individuals described in such subsection who are not individuals with disabilities, and submit a report containing the evaluation to the Attorney General.

'(d) REPORTS.-

'(1) INTERIM REPORT.-Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, the Attorney General shall prepare and submit to the President a report containing information on and recommendations regarding the extent to which the electronic and information technology of the Federal Government is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities described in subsection

(a)(1).

'(2) BIENNIAL REPORTS.-Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, and every 2 years thereafter, the Attorney General shall prepare and submit to the President and Congress a report containing information on and recommendations regarding the state of Federal department and agency compliance with the requirements of this section, including actions regarding individual complaints under subsection (f ).

'(e) COOPERATION.-Each head of a Federal department or agency (including the Access Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the General Services Administration) shall provide to the Attorney General such information as the Attorney General determines is necessary to conduct the evaluations under subsection (c) and prepare the reports under subsection (d).

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 29 U.S.C.