# Presentation: 519190

## Access for Everyone!

**Department of Veterans Affairs’****Section 508 Program Office**

## VA’s Section 508 Program Office

Jacqueline Washington: Program Manager/COTR

 Terri Bean: Test Manager 

Patrick Sheehan: VA’s Section 508 Coordinator 

Robert Volck: Facility Manager 

Fred Royer: Section 504/508 Accessibility Consultant

Matthew Greener, Thomas McKeithan, 
Frank Pierce, Alan Schlank: Test Engineers

**VA’s Section 508 Program Office**
**      **
**Jacqueline Washington: Program Manager/COTR**
** ****Terri Bean: Test Manager **
**Patrick Sheehan: VA’s Section 508 Coordinator **
**Robert Volck: Facility Manager **
**Fred Royer: Section 504/508 Accessibility Consultant**
**Matthew Greener, Thomas McKeithan, **
**Frank Pierce, Alan Schlank: Test Engineers**

## To support the Secretary’s goals in the employment and advancement of people with disabilities

To fully integrate 508 requirements into the development life-cycle and VA’s E&IT procurement and review processes

To increase awareness of accessibility issues and programs to internal and external VA stakeholders by providing outreach services;

- To support the Secretary’s goals in the employment and advancement of people with disabilities
- To fully integrate 508 requirements into the development life-cycle and VA’s E&IT procurement and review processes
- To increase awareness of accessibility issues and programs to internal and external VA stakeholders by providing outreach services;

## IT’S THE LAW

**SECTION 508**

**IT’S THE LAW**

## The Rehabilitation Act 1973,  Section 508 Amendment (1998)
Requires that any electronic and information technology (EIT) procured, developed, used or maintained by Federal agencies must be accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Section 508 was enacted to:
eliminate barriers in information technology
make available new opportunities for people with disabilities
encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.

**THE LAW**

- The Rehabilitation Act 1973,  Section 508 Amendment (1998)
- Requires that any electronic and information technology (EIT) procured, developed, used or maintained by Federal agencies must be accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.
- Section 508 was enacted to:
- eliminate barriers in information technology
- make available new opportunities for people with disabilities
- encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.

##     Electronic and information technology: Includes information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, which is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of data or information. 
	The term electronic and information technology includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World Wide Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines. 

-     Electronic and information technology: Includes information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, which is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of data or information.
- 	The term electronic and information technology includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World Wide Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines.

## 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems 
1194.22 Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications 
1194.23 Telecommunications Products (If it is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) or software then it may also include 1194.21 and/or 1194.22) 
1194.24 Video and Multimedia Products (If implemented on the web will also require 1194.22)

- 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems
- 1194.22 Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications
- 1194.23 Telecommunications Products (If it is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) or software then it may also include 1194.21 and/or 1194.22)
- 1194.24 Video and Multimedia Products (If implemented on the web will also require 1194.22)

## 1194.25 Self Contained and Closed Products (Ex: Copiers, Fax and Kiosks) 
1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers
1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria (Must be accessible with assistive technology)
1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support (Must also be accessible)

- 1194.25 Self Contained and Closed Products (Ex: Copiers, Fax and Kiosks)
- 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers
- 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria (Must be accessible with assistive technology)
- 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support (Must also be accessible)

## VA Directive and Handbook 6221, Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (EIT)

VA Directive and Handbook 6201, Internet/Intranet Services

- VA Directive and Handbook 6221, Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (EIT)
- VA Directive and Handbook 6201, Internet/Intranet Services

## Contracting Officers or Specialists 
Ensure that the accessibility requirements are included in the proposal 
GSA Buy Accessible Wizard
Ensure that a completed Determination and Findings and Section 508 Exemptions Certification Documents are part of the procurement package
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a vendor tool

- Contracting Officers or Specialists
- Ensure that the accessibility requirements are included in the proposal
- GSA Buy Accessible Wizard
- Ensure that a completed Determination and Findings and Section 508 Exemptions Certification Documents are part of the procurement package
- Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a vendor tool

## Web Masters, Content Managers, Vendors and Internal/External Developers
Illinois Accessible Web Publishing Wizard for  Microsoft Office
Adobe Acrobat Professional v. 7.0 or higher
Corda (Charts)
HiSoftware – AccMonitor Accessibility Module 
Deque - WorldSpace

- Web Masters, Content Managers, Vendors and Internal/External Developers
- Illinois Accessible Web Publishing Wizard for  Microsoft Office
- Adobe Acrobat Professional v. 7.0 or higher
- Corda (Charts)
- HiSoftware – AccMonitor Accessibility Module
- Deque - WorldSpace

## MS Word – Protocols for successful conversion.  How to make a Section 508 compliant MS Word file and convert to Adobe Acrobat PDF.

 Tables, Images, Use of Color – Overview of the desired Section 508 qualities in Word and PDF.

- MS Word – Protocols for successful conversion.  How to make a Section 508 compliant MS Word file and convert to Adobe Acrobat PDF.
-  Tables, Images, Use of Color – Overview of the desired Section 508 qualities in Word and PDF.

##  Excel – Conversion tips for tables.

 Text Alternatives – How to make a text file (MS Word) out of a PDF file.  Accessible textual alternatives are acceptable as alternatives to Excel and PDF. 

-  Excel – Conversion tips for tables.
-  Text Alternatives – How to make a text file (MS Word) out of a PDF file.  **Accessible **textual alternatives are acceptable as alternatives to Excel and PDF.

## Department of Veterans Affairs’ Section 508 Program Office

VA’s Section 508 Program Manager: Jacqueline Washington – 202-461-5197 or Jacqueline.Washington@va.gov 

VA’s Test Manager: Terri Bean – 202-461-6350 or
Terri.Bean@va.gov

Room C10A
810 Vermont Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20420
Email:  Section508@va.gov 
http://www.va.gov/accessible/

**Department of Veterans Affairs’ Section 508 Program Office**
**VA’s Section 508 Program Manager: Jacqueline Washington – 202-461-5197 or **_[Jacqueline.Washington@va.gov](mailto:Jacqueline.Washington@va.gov)__ _
**VA’s Test Manager: Terri Bean – 202-461-6350 or**
- _[Terri.Bean@va.gov](mailto:Terri.Bean@va.gov)_
**Room C10A**
**810 Vermont Ave. NW**
**Washington, DC 20420**
**Email:  **_[Section508@va.gov](mailto:Section508@va.gov)__ _
- _[http://www.va.gov/accessible/](http://www.va.gov/accessible/)_