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Basic Information
More Information
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended in 1998) requires all Federal Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) developed, maintained, procured, and used after June 21, 2001 to be accessible to:
- All Employees with disabilities
- All Citizens with disabilities
Congress passed Section 508 in 1998 to ensure Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities have access to the Federal government's electronic and information technology. The Access Board, an independent Federal agency that focuses on accessibility issues for people with disabilities, is responsible for the Section 508 standards. Section 508 applies to all E&IT even if there are no employees with disabilities in the office, branch, or even an entire Agency.
Electronic and Information Technology (EIT)
EIT includes any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment that is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of data or information.
Some examples of EIT include, but are not limited to:
- Telecommunication devices (e.g., a telephones, cell phones, pagers)
- Multimedia and Video products (e.g., televisions, VCRs, DVD players, videotaped productions, including content on a CD or DVD or video cassette)
- Web sites (Internet and Intranet) including access to multimedia, documents, etc.
- Services such as Information Documentation and Support (user guides, technical support)
- Desktop or portable computer (e.g., laptops, PCs, PDAs)
- Software or operating system (e.g., word processing application, accounting software, authoring and document presentation tools)
- Electronic office products and equipment (e.g., photocopiers, calculators, fax machines, printers)
Federal agencies must:
- Ensure all electronic and information technology procured, developed, enhanced, or implemented on or after June 21, 2001 is Section 508 compliant-unless doing so poses an undue burden (significant difficulty or expense). Micro-purchases are no longer exempt as of April 1, 2005.
- Provide access to all Agency programs offered on the Internet or Intranet.
- Document undue burdens and ensure an alternative means of access is available to citizens and employees with disabilities.
- Ensure IT Investment Proposals (300B submissions) include Section 508 requirements.
Congress passed Section 508 in 1998 to ensure Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities have access to the Federal government's electronic and information technology. The Access Board, an independent Federal agency that focuses on accessibility issues for people with disabilities, is responsible for the Section 508 standards. Section 508 applies to all E&IT even if there are no employees with disabilities in the office, branch, or even an entire Agency.
For more information about Section 508, please refer to the Access Board's Section 508 Web site or the Federal Government's Section 508 Web site maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA).
Note: Under Section 508 there is no requirement to retrofit and the enforcement provisions (suit/complaint process) apply only to electronic and information technology (E & IT) procured or developed on or after June 21, 2001. However, per an Executive Memo dated July 27, 2000, Agency programs offered on the Internet or Intranet must be accessible by July 27, 2001 in accordance with Section 508 accessibility guidelines and subject to availability of funds and technology-this requires the retrofitting of Web sites and other technology used by the Agency to conduct business via the Intranet or Internet.
Policies
EPA has established formal policies, procedures, standards, and guidance to ensure its compliance with Section 508 accessibility requirements. Below are links to EPA's Section 508 Policy documents as well as to the agency's Office of Civil Rights guidance for filing Section 508 complaints.
- Policy - CIO Policy 2100.1 Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (PDF) (6 pp, 116KB)
- Procedures - Accessible Electronic and Information Technology Standards, Procedures, and Guidance (PDF) (6 pp, 44KB)
Office of Civil Rights Guidance for Filing Section 508 Complaints
Other Related Government Policy Links
- Section508.gov
Section 508 law, compliance guidance, FAQs, and links to Buy Accessible utility. - Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
The FAR is the primary regulation for use by all Federal Executive agencies in their acquisition of supplies and services with appropriated funds. It was amended in 2001 to implement Section 508 standards as part of the procurement requirements for the Federal government.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
Reasonable Accommodations
Section 508 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are often confused with each other. Section 508 requires that the federal government procure, create, use, and maintain electronic and information technology that is accessible to people with disabilities, regardless of whether or not they work for the federal government. Section 504 covers reasonable accommodations for an individual with a disability that is either an applicant or already works for the federal government. Section 504 covers more than just electronic and information technology for people with disabilities.
The Office of Civil Rights at EPA addresses any Section 508 complaints and establishes the procedures for providing reasonable accommodations to an EPA employees or applicants with disabilities. For more information about reasonable accommodations at EPA, please visit the Office of Civil Rights Web site about reasonable accommodations which includes contact information and frequently asked questions.
Disability Laws
More Information
- Dept. of Justice - Disability Rights Section
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act stipulates that EPA develop, procure, maintain, or use accessible electronic and information technology to ensure that Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities have access to and use of information and data, comparable to that of employees and members of the public without disabilities, unless it is an undue burden to do so. This page describes and provides links to a number of related laws and amendments applicable to this issue.
The following web pages will take you to other federal government web pages about disability laws.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act (also referred to as the Rehab Act) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs receiving Federal financial assistance, in Federal employment, and in the employment practices of Federal contractors. The standards for determining employment discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act are the same as those used in title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Text of the Rehabilitation Act - sections cited below are part of the Rehab Act Title 5 Rights and Advocacy
- Section 501 requires affirmative action and nondiscrimination in employment by Federal agencies of the executive branch. To obtain more information or to file a complaint, employees should contact their agency's Equal Employment Opportunity Office.
- Section 503 requires affirmative action and prohibits employment discrimination by Federal government contractors and subcontractors with contracts of more than $10,000.
- Section 504 states that "no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under" any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency or the United States Postal Service.
Each Federal agency has its own set of section 504 regulations that apply to its own programs. Agencies that provide Federal financial assistance also have section 504 regulations covering entities that receive Federal aid. Requirements common to these regulations include reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities; program accessibility; effective communication with people who have hearing or vision disabilities; and accessible new construction and alterations. Each agency is responsible for enforcing its own regulations. Section 504 may also be enforced through private lawsuits. It is not necessary to file a complaint with a Federal agency or to receive a "right-to-sue" letter before going to court.
- Section 508 establishes requirements for electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal government. Section 508 requires Federal electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public.
An accessible information technology system is one that can be operated in a variety of ways and does not rely on a single sense or ability of the user. For example, a system that provides output only in visual format may not be accessible to people with visual impairments and a system that provides output only in audio format may not be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some individuals with disabilities may need accessibility-related software or peripheral devices in order to use systems that comply with Section 508.
Related Laws & Amendments
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
The FAR is the primary regulation for use by all Federal Executive agencies in their acquisition of supplies and services with appropriated funds. It was amended in 2001 to implement Section 508 standards as part of the procurement requirements for the Federal government.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.
Telecommunications Act (Section 255)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules requiring telecommunications manufacturers and service providers to make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities, if readily achievable. These rules implement Section 255 of the Communications Act. Where it is not readily achievable to provide access, Section 255 requires manufacturers and providers to make their devices and services compatible with peripheral devices and specialized customer premises equipment that are commonly used by people with disabilities, if such compatibility is readily achievable.