Language Access Plan 2011 

Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity 

September 2011 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

3

Table of Contents            Page

Executive Summary               4

Policy Statement               5

Introduction          6

NASA’s Language Access Implementation Plan          7

Officials Charged with Implementing the Plan       7

Agency Level

Center Level               9

Services, Benefits, and Activities Provided Directly to the Public:

How NASA Interacts with LEP Communities          9

Communications and Public Outreach         9

Educational Programs and Activities         10

International and Interagency Relations         11

NASA Visitors’ Centers             11

Identification and Assessment of LEP Communities       11

Estimate of Eligible LEP Individuals           11

Determining the Frequency with Which LEP Individuals Interact  

with NASA               15

Language Assistance Services           16

Resources Management           16

Translation                 18

Interpretation                 19

     

Notice to LEP Persons             20      

   

      Collaboration with LEP Communities and Other Stakeholders                         20

      

      Staff Training on Policies and Procedures           21

      Monitoring and Updating of the Plan         21

        

      Objectives and Timeframes              23

   

Conclusion                 23

Appendix A.  Self‐Assessment Tool           24

Appendix B. Names and Contact Information of NASA LEP Coordinators 33
4

Executive Summary

Under Executive Order 13166, ““Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” (2000)

NASA, as a Federal agency, is required to take steps to provide meaningful access to its programs and activities to

members of the public who are limited in their English proficiency (LEP). At NASA, this would include: NASA onsite

Visitors’ Centers; emergency evacuation signage; education and awareness opportunities, for example, programs

designed to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers, such as astronaut appearances and

remarks at schools; international partner delegations; and guided tours of NASA Centers.

NASA has developed this Language Access Plan (LAP), an update to its 2000 LAP, to meet the objectives of

Executive Order 13166.  NASA has appointed the Director, Program Planning and Evaluation Division (PPE), Office

of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) to serve as the Agency’s Language Access or LEP Coordinator and lead

for an Agency LEP Working Group. The following Agency organizations (and their Center counterparts) are deemed

key Agency stakeholders because of their roles and responsibilities in Agency programs and activities most likely to

include LEP program participants:  

 Office of the Chief Information Officer

 Office of Communications

 Office of Education

 Office of International and Interagency Relations

Each NASA Center also has named an LEP Coordinator who is responsible for working in partnership with Center

stakeholders, e.g., communications and information technology (IT). Just as at the Agency level, the Center

Coordinator, in partnership with stakeholders, will be responsible for developing and overseeing implementation

of a Center LAP, consistent with the Agency LAP, except that Centers are not required to form formal LEP Groups.  

The Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) Resources Management Division manages the Agency‐

wide interpretation/translation service and visa processing contract.  With appropriate funding, use of this

established interpretation/translation contract service is available to HQ and all NASA Centers to support these

requirements.

It is anticipated that, through interpretation and translation services, NASA will take steps to ensure meaningful

access for LEP persons to the following programs and activities, among others:  

 NASA Web site pages, with special emphasis given to mission‐oriented information, for example, current

missions and planning.  

 Visitors’ Centers written information (i.e., signage relating to exhibits, displays, and emergency evacuation

procedures).

 Notices advising prospective participants in NASA‐conducted educational and training programs and activities

of the availability of language assistance services.     

NASA has prepared this LAP and will implement it in the spirit of Executive Order 13166.  That is, the Agency will

hold to the same standards as Federal civil rights laws, and with an eye toward serving an ever‐growing and ever

more diverse population.

6

         Introduction

Under Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” (2000)

NASA, as a Federal agency, is required to take steps to provide meaningful access to its programs and activities to

members of the public who are limited in their English proficiency (LEP).  It is noteworthy that NASA’s charter

uniquely requires the Agency to provide the widest possible dissemination of information on its activities. (Section

203 (a)(3) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended)  Therefore, accommodation of the

language assistance needs of LEP persons is not only consistent with the requirements of the Executive Order, but

it also helps NASA to meet its obligations under the Space Act of 1958.

Throughout its 53‐year history, NASA has enjoyed great success in communicating with the public.  Scientific

breakthroughs and space exploration achievements have been publicized through a variety of media, from radio,

newspapers, and television, to today’s social networking sites and online publications.  As we move forward in this

new millennium, a changing world has expanded NASA's charter for public outreach.  Executive Order 13166

challenges us to ensure greater access to our programs and, indeed, to our story as an Agency.   

The primary purpose of the Executive Order in regards to Federally conducted programs is to better ensure that

people for whom English is not a first language, people who may be said to be “limited” in their English

proficiency, may still enjoy meaningful access to the programs and services offered by Federal agencies.   

NASA has developed this LAP to meet the objectives of Executive Order 13166.  The plan is consistent with U.S.

Department of Justice (DOJ) guidance emphasizing that, to avoid discrimination against LEP persons on grounds of

national origin, Federal agencies must take adequate steps to ensure that people who are not proficient in English

can effectively participate in and benefit from its conducted programs and activities.   

Furthermore, the Executive Order makes it clear that persons should expect to receive the language assistance

necessary to afford them meaningful access to Federally conducted programs and activities, free of charge.  The

concern is not with employees or contractors of Federal agencies but rather with members of the public affected

by or seeking to participate in a program or service provided by the Agency.  At NASA, this might mean any

number of programs or activities provided by the Agency.  Some examples would include:

‐ NASA onsite Visitors’ Centers  

‐ Educational and awareness opportunities  

‐ NASA officials’ remarks or appearances

‐ Guided tours of NASA Centers

This LAP update has been prepared in the spirit of the Executive Order’s challenge to Federal agencies and with a

goal of serving an ever‐expanding and diverse population.
7

NASA’s Language Access Implementation Plan  

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) guidance on language access assessment and planning under Executive Order

13166 identifies the key components of language access self‐assessments and implementation plans.1

  The

elements of the self‐assessment roughly approximate the key components of a language access implementation

plan, as identified by DOJ.2

  NASA utilized this guidance shaping the Language Access Plan that follows.  

1. Officials Charged with Implementing the Plan

a. Agency Level

i. Agency LEP Coordinator

The Director, Program Planning and Evaluation Division (PPE), Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO),

shall serve as the Agency’s Language Access or LEP Coordinator.  The PPE Director reports directly to the Agency’s

Associate Administrator (AA) for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, the highest ranking diversity and Equal

Opportunity (EO) official at NASA. In turn, the AA, ODEO, reports directly to the NASA Administrator.

The Agency LEP Coordinator has the following main roles and responsibilities:

 Development and oversight of Agency language access policy directives, plan, and procedures to provide

meaningful access to LEP persons.

 Oversight, performance, and implementation of the language access plan.  

 Coordination of an Agency‐level LEP Working Group of key stakeholders (as defined in this section) to

assist in creating and implementing language access procedures for the Agency.  

 Interface and coordination with the Office of International and Intergovernmental Relations on the

Agency’s management of its interpretation and translation services.

The following Agency organizations (and their Center counterparts) are key Agency stakeholders because of their

roles and responsibilities in Agency programs and activities most likely to include LEP program participants:  

 Office of the Chief Information Officer

 Office of Communications

 Office of Education

 Office of International and Interagency Relations

 

1 U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Federal Compliance and Coordination Section,  

“ Language Access Assessment and Planning Tool for Federally Conducted and Federally Assisted Programs,” (May 2011)

(Language Access Planning Tool).   2 The six elements are as follows: 1) Understanding how LEP Individuals Interact with the Agency; 2) Identifying and Accessing

LEP Communities; 3) Providing Language Assistance Services; 4) Training Staff on Policies and Procedures;  

5) Providing Notice of Language Assistance Services; and 6) Monitoring, Evaluating and Updating. DOJ, Language Access

Planning Tool, Sec. II, p. 3.  
8

ii. Agency Chains of Command for Authority

The chains of command for authority and oversight are shown in the chart below. The organizational chart shows

coextensive responsibility and coordination with other agencies, NASA Agency offices, and Centers.*

Agency LEP

Coordinator/LEP

Working Group Lead

(Director, Program

Planning and Evaluation

Division, ODEO)

Associate

Administrator for

Diversity and Equal

Opportunity

NASA Administrator

Chief

Information

Officer

Associate

Administrator

for Education

Associate

Administrator for

International and

Intergovernmental

Relations

Associate

Administrator

for

Communications

Assistant Attorney

General for Civil Rights

(External Oversight and

Coordination)

LEP Working

Group

Designee

LEP

Working

Group

Designee

Center LEP Coordinators

LEP Working

Group

Designee

LEP Working

Group

Designee

NASA Center

Directors

* Each Center Plan shall include a similar organization chart.
9

b. Center Level

Each NASA Center has named an LEP Coordinator (see Objectives, Timeframes, and Benchmarks below).3 Center

LAPs should detail the chains of command for authority and oversight. Center LEP Coordinators are responsible

for:

 Developing and overseeing implementation of a Center LAP, consistent with the Agency LAP.

 Communicating with the Center Director and other top Center management on the development and

implementation of the plan.

 Seeking the needed resources for plan deployment.

 Identifying qualified interpreters and translators to be included in an interpreter database.  

 Interfacing with the Agency Office of International and Intergovernmental Relations, Resources

Management Division, which administers the Agency’s interpretation/translation services contract to

make the necessary arrangements to support proposed LEP activities, on an as‐needed basis.

 Ensuring appropriate training is provided to Center staff with roles and responsibilities under the plan.

 Monitoring the Center plan’s progress and periodically reporting to the Agency LEP Coordinator.

2. Services, Benefits, and Activities Provided Directly to the Public:  How NASA Interacts with

LEP Communities:   

NASA’s conducted programs and activities generally fall under four main areas:  Communications and Public

Outreach, Education Programs and Activities, International and Interagency Relations, and NASA Visitors’ Centers,

each associated with the Agency organization each identified as a key stakeholder, i.e. a member of NASA’s LEP

Working Group.   

a. Communications and Public Outreach

NASA communicates with the public through a variety of media, with the Agency’s Web sites serving as a pre‐

eminent means of informing and engaging the public on our missions and resulting accomplishments.  The Office

of Communications is responsible for shaping NASA’s public messaging, including NASA TV.  The Office of the Chief

Information Officer is responsible for access to information technology at NASA.  A number of other Agency offices

are responsible for development of key public documents and other materials of public interest residing on NASA’s

Web pages.

The plan identifies the main areas of focus for the Agency LEP Working Group in improving LEP access in the

communications arena, both from compliance and a “promising practices” perspective:

i. NASA News Events and Public Outreach Activities.  This includes press releases, fact sheets, status reports, and

significant events reports, responses to media requests from non‐English language news organizations, written

 

3 For names and contact information of NASA’s LEP Coordinators, see App. B.
10

language components of displays of space artifacts and other exhibits, Speaker’s Bureau and related activities, e.g.,

public lectures, national conferences, technical symposia, IMAX movies, and community events.

ii. Mission Oriented Materials and Information. This includes material residing on NASA’s Web pages, specifically

information about current NASA missions and achievements, including robotic and human spaceflight programs,

important developments in aeronautics, and other fields of science and technology; for example, NASA “SPINOFF”

publications.  The LEP Working Groups will focus on the NASA Home Page and links to that page.

iii. Agency Performance and Accountability Documents.  These include the Agency’s Performance and

Accountability Plans and Reports, which are intended to provide the Administration, Congress, and most

importantly, the American public, with a detailed and transparent accounting of NASA’s activities.  

iv. NASA TV Programming. NASA TV provides video on Center news releases (where appropriate) to Headquarters

to post via satellite to television networks for news broadcasts.  It also provides daily satellite video to television

stations across the country to use in news story development and arranges interviews with the press and "live

shots" for scientists on national and local television news programs. The NASA TV staff works with television

producers or motion picture industry personnel who are writing or filming space productions, publishers verifying

NASA facts, and toy and game manufacturers producing facsimiles of NASA products.  They also work with video

and photo organizations to disseminate aerospace footage, satellite imagery, aerial views of Earth, and digital

images of other planets taken by our latest planetary probes.

v. Ciencia@NASA (Science@NASA).  This Spanish language Web site is maintained by NASA Heaquarters.  Spanish

was selected based on the demand expressed by visitors to the NASA Web site and the size of the potential

national population that would benefit.  The stories are aimed at an adult science‐attentive audience and are

written at the high school senior/first year college level.  The stories focus on some of the more exciting aspects of

NASA science and are available in both written and audio versions.  Between May 1, 2010, and May 1, 2011,

Ciencia@NASA published 71 stories.  The total annual readership was 1,382,000 with a monthly average of

115,000.  

b.  Education Programs and Activities

NASA Education is comprised of numerous components across the Agency. NASA’s Centers, Mission Directorates,

and the Office of Education (OE) are the primary organizations encompassing the Agency’s education community.

The community also includes all NASA staff that help educate the public on the Agency’s missions and scientific

and technological advances.  

The Agency’s current Education‐related Strategic Goal is to “share NASA with the public, educators, and students

to provide opportunities to participate in our Mission, foster innovation, and contribute to a strong national

economy.”4

  This goal encompasses national objectives that clearly impact LEP individuals, particularly elementary

and secondary school students.  For example, these objectives include providing NASA educational experiences

that inspire student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

disciplines and informing, engaging, and inspiring the public by sharing NASA’s missions, challenges, and results. In

both areas, NASA strives to be inclusive of underrepresented and underserved communities.

 

4 2011 NASA Strategic Plan (February 2011), p. 30.
11

Based on its strategic goals and objectives, the NASA Education Program’s encounters with LEP populations may

include:

 Educational briefs to K‐12 students and teachers.

 Educator guides.

 Brochures, wall sheets, lithographs, slide sets.

 Videos that include teacher guides.

 CDROM collections and interactive Web sites.  

 Information regarding NASA’s international programs, including the International Global Learning and

Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program.

c. International and Interagency Relations

The Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) provides executive leadership and coordination for all

NASA international activities and partnerships, including directing NASA’s international relations and managing

foreign travel by NASA employees among a host of other roles and responsibilities. The OIIR Resources

Management Division manages the Agency‐wide interpretation/translation service and visa processing contract.  

With appropriate funding, use of this established contract is available to HQ and all NASA Centers to support this

initiative (see also Section 4(a)(i), p. 16).

d. NASA Visitors’ Centers   

Each NASA Center has a Visitors’ Center near or onsite that is open to the public.  The Visitors’ Centers provide a

host of information and interactive experiences relating to NASA missions, including displays, exhibits, and guided

tours. Thousands of visitors tour NASA's ten Centers every day, learning about and experiencing the excitement of

aerospace.  This includes thousands of guests who have viewed Space Shuttle launches and over two million

people who visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitors’ Complex annually. The focus from an LEP perspective is on

ensuring meaningful access to all of these programs and activities, including information posted on Visitors’ Center

Web sites and emergency evacuation signage at the Centers.

3. Identification and Assessment of LEP Communities

The Agency’s assessment of its LEP communities is based on the element of DOJ’s model Self‐Assessment,

“Identification and Assessment of LEP Communities.”  Consistent with DOJ’s guidance, this plan outlines, from an

Agency perspective, an estimate of the percentage of LEP individuals who are eligible to receive each service,

benefit, or activity.  At the Center level, LEP Coordinators shall work with key stakeholders (including the Center

EO Office, if the Coordinator does not reside in that office) to develop Center plans based on the model

established below (see also Objectives, Timeframes, and Benchmarks for this section).  
12

a. Estimate of Eligible LEP Individuals  

This Plan shows the analysis conducted to assess the number or proportion of LEP persons from each language

group in the Agency’s service area, i.e., the whole country.  Data for each geographic area in which a NASA Center

is located is provided.  For the Agency or national assessment, NASA relied on the American Community Survey

(ACS) language data on the American FactFinder Web site, www.factfinder.census.gov, the U.S. Department of

Education Civil Rights Data Collection at http://ocrdata.ed.gov/, the National Center for Education Statistics,

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=96, and the Federal Interagency Working Group on Limited English

Proficiency Website at http://www.lep.gov/demog_data.html

NASA is a Federal agency headquartered in Washington, D.C. with ten Centers located in virtually every region of

the country.  Three NASA Centers are located on the West Coast, Ames Research Center (California), Dryden Flight

Research Center (California), and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (California).  Goddard Space Flight Center (Maryland),

Kennedy Space Center (Florida), Langley Research Center (Virginia), NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. are

located on the East Coast.  In the Southeast, we have Marshall Space Flight Center (Alabama), NASA Shared

Services Center (Mississippi), and Stennis Space Center (Mississippi). In the Mid‐west, we have Glenn Research

Center (Ohio).  Johnson Space Center (Texas) and its White Sands Laboratory (New Mexico) are located in the

Southwest.  As mentioned, it will be necessary for each Center to conduct its own analysis of the number and

proportion of LEP persons it serves or is likely to encounter in its own region of the country.   

At the Agency level, we can, however, make some preliminary observations about the scope of NASA’s compliance

responsibilities nationwide.  To begin with, English is the predominant language of the United States.  According to

the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) data for 2005‐2009, 91.4 percent of all U.S. residents

age five or older speak English “very well.” Eighty percent of all U.S. residents speak only English, and 19.6 percent

speak a language other than English. Of these, 8.6 percent speak English less than “very well.”  

According to the 2007 ACS data, 1.6 percent of all U.S. residents age five or older speak English “not at all.”  This

population totaled approximately 4,494,991, or 8 percent of the total population of persons five or older whose

primary language was other than English.5

  These individuals cannot speak, read, write or understand the English

language at a level that would permit them to benefit from NASA‐conducted programs and activities.

Of speakers of languages other than English, there are some clear trends.  Over 61 percent of all speakers of other

languages are Spanish speakers. While 71 percent of these also speak English “well” or “very well,”  over 29

percent speak English “not well” or “not at all.”  A similar trend is true for speakers of Chinese, the second most

widely spoken language other than English (70 percent of Chinese speakers also speak English “well” or “very

well,”  but 30 percent speak English “not well” or “not at all.”)  The trend does not hold, however, for the third

most common non‐English language spoken in the U.S.:  Tagalog.  Only seven percent of speakers of Tagalog speak

English “not well” or “not at all.”  The chart on the following page shows the percentages of the top 25 languages

other than English spoken in the United States.

 

5 ACS Language Census 2007, Table 1, “Population 5 Years and Older Who Spoke a Language Other Than English at Home by

Language Group and English‐Speaking Ability: 2007” in Language Use in the United States: 2007, Issued April 2010.
13

From ACS Language Census 2007, Table 1, “Population 5 Years and Older Who Spoke a Language Other Than English at Home

by Language Group and English‐Speaking Ability: 2007” in Language Use in the United States: 2007, Issued April 2010

Languages other than English spoken in the states in which NASA has Centers follow similar trends in general, with

Spanish being the most widely spoken language in most cases. In Texas, Florida, and California, Spanish speakers

make up an overwhelming majority of speakers other than English speakers, at 86 percent, 73 percent, and  

67 percent, respectively. Louisiana is the only state in which NASA conducts programs where Spanish is the

majority non‐English language, but only by a small margin. Spanish is still the majority, at 35 percent, but is closely

followed by French, at 34 percent. The following table illustrates the top ten languages other than English spoken

in each state in which NASA conducts programs or outreach to the public, by both number of speakers and

percentage of total speakers of languages other than English.

Population 5 Years of Age and Older Who Spoke a Language Other Than English
14

Prevalence of non‐English Languages spoken in U.S., by State, Number of Speakers, and Percentage of Total

Speakers of Languages other than English, 2008‐2010

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

State NASA Center Language

AL MSFC,

Huntsville

Spanish German French Chinese Vietna‐

mese

Korean Arabic Hindi Japanese African

lang.s

107,842 10,019 7,543 6,971 5,484 4,546 3,930 3,283 3,043 2,687

60% 6% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 1%

CA ARC‐  

San Francisco/

San Jose;   

DFRC‐

Edwards/

LACA

Spanish Chinese Tagalog Vietna‐

mese

Korean Persian Armenian Japanese Russian Arabic

9,531,256 926,918 706,785 460,203 347,778 180,269 174,358 143,291 142,278 129,813

67% 6% 5% 3% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%

DC HQ –

Washington

Spanish French African

languages

Amharic Chinese German Italian Portuguese Arabic French

Creole

40,766 8,036 6,606 3,337 2,675 2,332 1,417 1,318 1,175 1,152

51% 10% 8% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1%

FL KSC‐ 

Cape

Canaveral

Spanish French

Creole

French Portu‐

guese

German Italian Tagalog Vietnamese Chinese Arabic

3,206,922 295,218 110,231 85,380 72,578 56,803 51,064 47,261 44,730 42,668

73% 7% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%

LA SSC‐ NSSC‐ 

MS;  

New Orleans,

LA

Spanish French Vietna‐

mese

Cajun Chinese Arabic French

Creole

German Tagalog Italian

117,240 115,194 22,995 22,867 7,415 6,935 6,297 5,480 2,778 2,605

35% 34% 7% 7% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1%

MS Spanish French Choctaw Vietna‐

mese

German Chinese Arabic Tagalog Hindi African

languages

53,166 4,939 4,917 4,377 3,705 3,682 2,660 2,625 1,495 1,350

56% 5% 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 1%

MD GSFC‐

Greenbelt

Spanish African

languages

Chinese French Korean Kru, Ibo,

Yoruba

Tagalog German Russian Vietna‐

mese

299,225 60,515 54,869 47,573 38,832 29,528 24,686 21,988 19,102 16,813

38% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2%

OH GRC‐

Cleveland

Spanish German Other

West

Germanic

languages

Chinese French African

languages

Pennsyl‐

vania

Dutch

Italian Other

Slavic

languages

Russian

220,860 56,444 33,120 31,106 30,891 23,983 23,306 19,876 18,251 14,829

34% 9% 5% 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2%

TX JSC‐ 

Houston

Spanish Vietna‐

mese

Chinese German Tagalog French Urdu Korean Arabic Hindi

6,338,224 160,434 83,298 73,455 57,427 55,723 49,176 49,123 45,461 42,238

86% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%

VA LARC‐

Hampton

Spanish Korean Chinese Vietna‐

mese

Tagalog French Arabic German Persian Urdu

422,188 53,200 44,610 42,036 40,080 34,357 29,256 25,887 22,794 21,087

44% 6% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2%

From “Detailed Languages Spoken at Home and Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over:  2006‐2008,” U.S.

Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2006 ‐ 2008
15

NASA Centers’ Closest School Districts: LEP Student Enrollment Data by Race/Ethnicity 

State Center School District American 

Indian or 

Alaska 

Native 

Asian or 

Pacific 

Islander 

Hispanic Black White Two or 

more 

Total 

AL MSFC, 

Huntsville 

Huntsville City # of 

students 

5 135 855 25 35 0 1055

% of 

total 

students 

0.0% 0.6% 3.7% 0.1% 0.2% 0.0% 4.6%

CA ARC - San 

Francisco 

San Francisco 

Unified 

# 30 7,705 5,985 110 560 0 14,385

% 0.2% 14.1% 11.0% 0.2% 1.0% 0.0% 26.3%

CA DFRC - 

Lancaster 

Lancaster # 5 265 6,330 40 140 0 6,780

% 0.0% 0.5% 11.7% 0.1% 0.3% 0.0% 12.5%

DC HQ - 

Washington 

District of 

Columbia 

Public Schools 

# 5 300 2785 425 165 0 3675

% 0.0% 0.6% 5.7% 0.9% 0.3% 0.0% 7.6%

FL KSC - Cape 

Canaveral 

Orange # 50 1640 21375 4940 1600 0 29,61

0

% 0.0% 0.9% 12.3% 2.9% 0.9% 0.0% 17.1%

LA SSC – 

NSSC -New 

Orleans 

Orleans Parish 

School Board 

# 0 280 120 40 60 0 500

% 0.0% 2.7% 1.2% 0.4% 0.6% 0.0% 4.8%

MS Bay St. Louis 

Waveland 

# 0 10 5 0 0 0 15

% 0.0% 0.6% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.9%

MD GSFC - 

Greenbelt 

Prince 

George's 

County Public 

Schools 

# 25 895 10,575 1,550 105 0 13,150

% 0.2% 0.7% 8.3% 1.2% 0.1% 0.0% 10.4%

OH GRC - 

Cleveland 

Cleveland 

Municipal City 

# 0 120 2,190 25 100 170 2,605

% 0.0% 0.2% 4.0% 0.0% 0.2% 0.3% 4.7%

TX JSC - 

Houston 

Houston 

Independent 

# 115 1740 58550 935 880 40 62265

% 0.1% 0.9% 28.9% 0.5% 0.4% 0.0% 30.7%

VA LARC - 

Hampton 

Hampton 

County Public 

Schools 

# 0 105 90 30 35 0 260

% 0.0% 0.5% 0.4% 0.1% 0.2% 0.0% 1.2%

From the U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, head counts and percentages of students

currently enrolled in a school LEP program, 2009.

b. Determining the Frequency with Which LEP Individuals Interact with NASA

Determining the frequency with which LEP individuals interact with NASA will be accomplished through a Center‐

by‐Center analysis to be conducted by each Center in the development of its own LAP.  It is expected that each

Center will then use the data in Sec. 3(a) above as a point of departure for determining appropriate language

assistance services for its geographic service area and describe additional analysis, e.g., frequency of contact with
16

LEP populations. The Agency Working Group will conduct a similar analysis for Agency‐level programs located at

NASA Headquarters, for example, NASA Office of Education programs and activities.   

   

4. Language Assistance Services

The Agency LEP Working Group, which is comprised of key Agency stakeholders or Agency Organizations with LEP

related roles and responsibilities, and each NASA Center shall consider the appropriate balance of written

translations and oral language assistance needed to ensure meaningful access to the Agency’s services, benefits,

and activities.   

a. Agency‐wide Translation Contract  

i. The Office of International and Interagency Relations

The Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) provides executive leadership and coordination for all

NASA international activities and partnerships, including directing NASA’s international relations and managing the

NASA Export Control Program and foreign travel by NASA employees, among a host of other roles and

responsibilities.

The OIIR Resources Management Division is responsible for OIIR’s internal operations, including budget,

personnel, IT, space planning, and administrative support for NASA’s overseas representatives. This Division also

Frequency Related Self‐Assessment Questions and Guidance  

1. What are the language groups with which your Center is likely to have the most

frequent contact based on the data provided above? [Note: It is just as important to

focus on those language groups in the local area of your Center with the largest

percentages reporting that English is spoken “not well” or “not at all” as it is to focus

on the largest language groups in general.]

2. How frequent are those contacts relative to the programs and activities identified in

Section 2 above, i.e., what are the points of contact where LEP persons interact with

the Agency or Center the most frequently?

3. Does the frequency of contact vary by language group?  If so does this make a

difference in program delivery? How?

4. Do the Center’s public outreach efforts have an impact on the number of LEP persons

participating in the Center’s programs?  If so, what is the impact?  What are the

implications for ensuring meaningful access to programs and activities, if any?

5. What language assistance, e.g., interpretation, translation, needs to be provided to

LEP persons for each point of contact? (See Section 4 below.)
17

manages the Agency‐wide interpretation/translation service and visa processing contract.  The current NASA

interpretation/translation service is through a contract with Schreiber Translations, Inc. (STI) to provide

translation, interpretation, and Russian visa processing services.   

The services are available to HQ and all NASA Centers. Use of the service is subject to availability of funding for the

Agency Organization or Center requesting the service.  The Agency LEP Working Group shall take appropriate steps

to ensure that the need for funding for such services is fully communicated to top Agency leadership and that

efforts are made to secure increased funding, as needed.  However, Centers should address the following

questions in their plans:

 What resources are needed to provide the language assistance services?

 What is the funding source?  

 Are efforts to obtain additional funding necessary?  If so, what steps will need to be taken?  

Procedures for Utilizing Translation and Interpretation Services  

To obtain translation and interpretation services, the requesting organization or

Center completes a NASA Form 1681, Request for Interpretation/Translation Services,

specifying exactly what form of interpretation or translation is needed. Once the OIIR

Resources Management Division receives the completed NF 1681 and the necessary

funding arrangements are confirmed, it will work with the requesting Agency

organization or NASA Center to process the request as quickly and efficiently as

possible.  

To the extent that NASA Centers use language‐assistance resources that are not

provided by the Agency, Center LAPs should explain the procedures for accessing

these services and the steps taken to ensure the competency of interpreters and

translation services used. The Center LAP should address:

1. Which Center staff may need to access language assistance services and when,

for example, badging office personnel, Visitors’ Center staff?

2. How and through whom does Center staff access the language assistance

services?

3. How the acquisition of services is coordinated (for example, will one staff

member coordinate language services for the Center or will it be the

responsibility of each organization to handle language assistance)?  
18

ii. Johnson Space Center

Johnson Space Center (JSC), home of the Agency’s Astronaut Program, has a separate contract with TechTrans

International (TTI). TTI provides expert translators, interpreters, language instructors, and logistics specialists to

support JSC’s language assistance needs. The use of TTI’s services is subject to availability of funding for the JSC

component requesting the service.   

b. Translation  

Translation is the replacement of written text from one language to another.  With due consideration to DOJ’s

Self‐Assessment and Planning Tool guidance, Agency organizations and NASA Centers shall make decisions about

what documents or publications to translate and in what languages.

c. Interpretation   

Addressing Translation Needs

The Agency and Center LEP Working Groups will provide support and guidance to Agency

organizations and Center organizations in determining translation related priorities.  As a general

matter, however, Agency organizations and Centers shall give priority consideration to the

following:

1. Signs or posters announcing (both onsite and online as appropriate) the availability of language

assistance services for prospective participants in Agency events attended by members of the

public and at NASA Visitors’ Centers.  For example, notices advising prospective participants in

NASA‐conducted educational and training programs and activities of the availability of

language assistance services (see also Section 5 below).

2. Updated content on Agency or Center Web sites is also updated in non‐English languages

(priority consideration should be given to content referenced above, e.g., information of

interest to the general public regarding NASA missions, strategic and performance

accountability reports, and languages most likely to be encountered in the U.S.)

3. Translation of hard‐copy Agency or Center publications, including Agency and Center plans,

reports, and publications highlighting NASA’s missions and accomplishments. (Ideally, the

translated version of a document should be released when the English language version is

released.  If this is not possible or would substantially delay release of the English version, the

translated version should be distributed as soon as possible after the distribution of the English

language version.)  

4. Visitors’ Center‐related written information, especially signage relating to exhibits, displays,

and emergency evacuation procedures.

5. Close coordination with partners in Agency or Center events held onsite or offsite at which LEP

individuals are likely to be participants to determine whether translation services will be

needed for written materials associated with the event and if so, in which languages translation

is needed.

6. Translations are performed consistent with this LEP Plan.  For example, a NASA Form 1681,

Request for Interpretation/Translation Services is filed with the OIIR Resources Management

Division, specifying exactly what translation is needed.   

7. Support and assistance are requested from the Agency or Center LEP Coordinator, as needed.
19

Interpretation is the rendering of a message spoken in one language into one or more languages and can take

place in person, telephonically, or via internet or video interpreting.  With due consideration to DOJ’s Self‐

Assessment and Planning Tool guidance, Agency organizations and NASA Centers shall make decisions about when

to provide interpretation assistance and how to provide that assistance in a timely and effective manner,

appropriate to the circumstance.  Each organization shall take appropriate steps to ensure that it makes

reasonable efforts to provide language assistance as needed for in person contact with LEP individuals.

   

Addressing Interpretation Needs

The Agency and Center LEP Working Groups shall provide support and guidance to Agency

organizations and Center organizations in determining interpretation related priorities.  As a general

matter, however, Agency organizations and Centers shall give priority consideration to the following:

1. LEP persons who are:

a. part of official delegations seeking assistance in badging or other official business onsite

b. patrons of the Visitors’ Center

c. participating in Center tours

d. participating or wanting to participate in NASA‐sponsored educational events

e. contacting the Center telephonically

2. A standardized process in place to ensure timely and effective responsiveness to LEP persons

seeking verbal assistance or information.  In general the process to be used will be that stated in

Section 4(a)(i) (p. 17) of this plan. However, if special circumstances arise in which those

procedures will not suffice, it is the obligation of the Agency Organization or Center organization to

contact the Agency or Center LEP Coordinator for assistance.

3. Coordination with partners in Agency events held onsite or offsite at which LEP individuals are

likely to be participants to determine whether interpretation services will be needed for the event

and if so, in which languages interpretation is needed.

4. Support and assistance is requested from the Agency or Center LEP Coordinator, as appropriate.

5. Give consideration to:

a. Determining the language of callers by providing prompts for the callers in several languages

that direct the callers to an operator that speaks their language.  Another possibility is

providing bilingual or multilingual receptionists.   

b. Determining the native language of unexpected visitors by using language identification

cards (or “I speak cards”), which invite LEP persons to identify their language needs to staff.  

The Federal Government has made these cards available at

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/13166.htm.  Also, there is a host of information and services

available through http://www.lep.gov/.
20

5. Notice of Availability of Free Language Service to LEP Persons

Each NASA Center, including Headquarters, shall inform the target audiences of its conducted programs and

activities, through oral or written notice in the relevant primary language, that free language assistance is

available.  

   

6.  Collaboration with LEP Communities and Other Stakeholders   

Organizations external to NASA that have significant contact with LEP persons, such as schools, religious

organizations, community groups, and groups working with new immigrants, can potentially be very helpful in

linking LEP persons to the Agency’s programs and its language assistance services.

   

Providing Notice of LEP Services

In deciding how notice will be provided to intended beneficiaries, Agency organizations and

Centers should consider:

1. How will your organization or Center notify intended beneficiaries of the availability of

services, benefits, and activities in their native language?

2. What is the appropriate mix of written and oral notices?  Please consider that although

most languages have a written form, some languages, such as Hmong, are primarily spoken

and, therefore, the most effective means of communication may be oral.

3. Related to the above question is, what is the appropriate mix of print, television, internet,

or other media for notices?  Possible avenues for notices include public‐service

announcements, specific announcements for specific events, internet‐provided notice, and

written onsite notices in other languages.

4. Are there local organizations that assist LEP persons who may want to work with your

organization to assist in communicating the availability of services to LEP individuals?  

Working with organizations representing the interests of LEP individuals, including

community‐based organizations, may be one of the measures that organizations use to

make the availability of language services known to LEP individuals.

LEP Collaboration

Here are some self‐assessment type questions designed to help you in gathering feedback and

involving outside entities or individuals in your language access review process.  

1. Who within your Agency organization or Center interacts with LEP communities and other

stakeholders, such as advocacy groups, civil rights organizations, and other Federal agencies?

2. Which stakeholder groups or individuals have you consulted with?  What feedback have you

received?

3. How have you utilized the feedback to enhance the effectiveness of your language access program

and the language assistance services you provide?
21

7.  Training Staff on Policies and Procedures

Agency and Center staff with LEP roles and responsibilities as identified in this plan must be aware of their

obligation to provide meaningful access for LEP persons to Agency services, benefits, and activities. As stated, this

will include, at a minimum, the NASA Diversity and Equal Opportunity, Education, Office of the Chief Information

Officer, Communications, and Office of International and Interagency Relations communities.  However, other

staff, for example, security staff in the NASA Center badging offices may potentially interact or communicate with

LEP individuals.  Therefore, training in some form is necessary at both the Agency and Center levels, and should be

reflected in Center plans.

8. Monitoring, Continuous Assessment, and Updating LEP Plans

NASA’s approach to monitoring for this plan is as follows.

 The Agency ODEO in collaboration with the Agency LEP Working Group will annually monitor Center

Plan Performance in regards to the accessibility and quality of language assistance activities for LEP

persons in the Center’s conducted programs and activities.  This will be accomplished with annual written

Training Considerations

1. Is staff aware of the Agency/Center LEP plan and its policies and procedures?

2. Is information on language access policies and LEP issues included in mandatory

training curriculum for new supervisors, managers, and employees?  

3. Has necessary training been provided to staff that are most likely to interact with LEP persons in

the course of carrying out their normal roles and responsibilities?  Does staff know who to

contact when they need language assistance?  The more frequent the contact with LEP persons,

the greater the need for in‐depth training.   

4. Training should explain how staff can identify the language needs of an LEP individual, access

and provide the necessary language assistance services, work with interpreters, request

document translations, and track the use of language assistance services.  

5. While individuals with little or no contact with LEP persons may only have to be aware of the

Agency and Center LEP plans, management staff should be fully aware of and understand these

plans so that they can reinforce the plans’ importance and ensure their proper implementation

by staff.

6. To the extent that a Center utilizes bilingual staff members to communicate "in‐language" with

LEP individuals, or who serve as interpreters or translators, in a collateral duty role, should be

assessed and receive regular training on proper interpreting and translation techniques, ethics,

specialized terminology, and other topics as needed. Without periodic assessment and training,

bilingual staff may not be able to provide the language assistance services necessary to ensure

LEP individuals have meaningful access to the Agency’s programs.  
22

requests to the Centers to provide information and outcomes regarding each of the Agency plan

elements, e.g., providing language services, collaborating with LEP communities, etc.    

 The Agency ODEO will modify this plan based on input and feedback from the Agency and Center LEP

Working Groups, additional guidance from DOJ on Executive Order 13166 in the conducted programs

context, and other information received that the Agency views as critical to enhancing this plan’s

effectiveness.  

    

Plan Monitoring: Annual Self‐Assessment

Each Agency organization and Center shall determine annually the effectiveness of its LEP plan

and whether new documents, programs, services, and activities need to be made accessible for

LEP persons.  Each organization should consider:

1. Does your Center have a written language access policy or procedures (in addition to the

Agency’s policy)? [This may be in the form of a policy statement from the Center Director or

a Center policy directive.]

2. Who is responsible for reviewing the LEP plan for your organization?

3. Are staff with LEP roles and responsibilities under your Center plan aware of the plan and

how to implement it?

4. Are additional resources needed to improve access to LEP persons?  If so, how will those

resources be obtained?  

5. When new programs, services, and activities are instituted, what steps do you take to

ensure that LEP persons are provided meaningful access to these programs, services, and

activities?  How are prospective or actual program participants notified that new programs,

services, and activities are available?

6. How will changes in the LEP populations served, frequency of encounters, and other

potential changes be determined?  A vital resource in this evaluation process will be the

procedures developed to identify LEP persons who need language assistance.  In addition,

you may need to obtain feedback from LEP persons on the access they were provided.

7. Do you obtain feedback from the LEP communities you serve on the effectiveness of your

language access program and the language assistance services you provide?  

8. How often do you update plan data on the LEP communities in your service area?  

9. Do you monitor the system for collecting data on beneficiary satisfaction and/or

grievance/complaint filing?  

10. Have you received any complaints because your Center did not provide language assistance

services?  

11. Overall, based on responses to the foregoing, is existing language assistance providing

meaningful access for LEP persons? Is there any room for program enhancement? If so,

please describe.
23

9. Objectives and Timeframes

The objectives and timeframes reflected below are a broad rendering of the first‐year actions envisioned under

this plan.   

Conclusion

NASA has prepared this LAP and will implement it in the spirit of Executive Order 13166. That is, the Agency will hold

the same standards as Federal civil rights laws, and with a goal of serving an ever‐growing and ever more diverse

population.

Objective Timeframe

Agency LEP Coordinator Named July 2011

Center LEP Coordinators Named July 2011

NASA Agency and Center “Pre‐Plan ” Self‐

Assessments

August 2011

Agency LAP Finalized September 15, 2011

Center LAP Development September ‐ December 2011

Agency LEP Working Group Convened October 2011/Quarterly  

Working Group Charter and First‐year Agenda

Established

December 2011

Center LAPs Finalized December 15, 2011

Training Provided to all Staff with LEP Roles and

Responsibilities

January 2012
24

Appendix A. Self‐Assessment Tool: Services to Limited English Proficient (LEP) Populations  

NASA Center: __________________________________________________

1. Understanding How LEP Individuals Interact with Your Center

The following series of questions helps agencies understand how an LEP individual may come into contact

with your Center:

1. Are there individuals at your Center who might

interact or communicate with LEP individuals?

Yes  No  

2. Please describe the manner in which your

Center interacts with the public or LEP

individuals.

 In person  

 Telephonically  

 Electronically (e.g., E‐

mail or Web site)  

 Via Correspondence  

 Other: (please specify)  

3.   [Note: Questions 3‐4 ONLY apply to Centers

whose Visitors’ Centers are run through private

concerns receiving NASA grants, Space Act, or

Cooperative Agreement awards. Contact ODEO if

you believe this to be the case.] Does your Center

provide federal financial assistance to any non‐

Federal entities? (Federal financial assistance

includes grants, training, and use of equipment,

donations of surplus property, and other

assistance. Recipients of Federal funds can range

from state and local agencies, to nonprofits and

other organizations.)  

Yes  No  
25

4. If your Center does provide Federal financial

    assistance to non‐Federal entities:

a. Do you have an active program in place to require

your recipients of Federal financial assistance to

comply with Title VI and language access

standards?

b. Does your Center inform recipients of Federal

financial  assistance that they should budget for

language assistance services?

c. Does your Center inform recipients of Federal

financial assistance about which grants can be used,

in whole or in part, to improve language access?

a.  Yes

b.  Yes  

c.  Yes

a.  No

b.  No  

c. No

2. Identification and Assessment of LEP Communities

   The following series of questions aims to identify the LEP population you serve:

The following series of questions aims to identify the

LEP population you serve:  

1. How does your Center identify LEP

individuals? (Select all that apply)

 Assume limited    Based on written

English proficiency material submitted

if communication to the Center (e.g.,

seems impaired complaints)

 Respond to  We have not

individual requests identified non‐ 

for language English speakers or

assistance services LEP individuals

 Self‐identification  Other :(please specify)

by the non‐English

speaker or LEP

individual

 Ask open‐ended

questions to

determine language

proficiency on the

telephone or in

person

  Use of "I Speak"

language

identification cards

or posters

specify):
26

2. Does your program have a process to collect

      data on:

a. The number of LEP individuals that you serve?

b. The number of LEP individuals in your

        service area?

c. The number and prevalence of

        languages spoken by LEP individuals in your

service area?

a.  Yes

b.  Yes  

c.  Yes

a.  No

b.  No  

c. No

3.  How often does your Center assess the

language data for your service area?

 Annually  Not Sure

 Biennially  Other: ________  

4.  What data does your Center use to  

     determine the LEP communities in your  

     service area? (Select all that apply.)

 Community Organizations  

 Intake information  

 Other:_________

 Census  

 U.S. Dept. of Education  

 U.S. Dept. of Labor  

 State Agencies  

5. Do you collect and record primary language

data from individuals when they first contact

your programs and activities?

Yes  No  

6. If you collect and record primary language data,

where is the information stored?

7. What is the total number of LEP individuals?

8. How many LEP individuals attempt to access

your programs or services each month?

9. How many LEP individuals use your programs

or services each month?

10. Specify the top six most frequently

encountered non‐English languages by your

program and how often these encounters   

occur (e.g., two to three times a year, once a

month,  once a week, daily, constantly).

Language  

1.  

2.  

3.  

4.  

5.  

6.  

Frequency of

Encounters  

1.  

2.  

3.  

4.  

5.  

6.  
27

3. Providing Language Assistance Services

The following set of questions will help you assess how well your Center is providing language

assistance services to LEP individuals:

1. Does your Center currently

have a system in place for

tracking the type of language

assistance services it provides to

LEP individuals at each

interaction?  

 Yes    No  

2. What data, if any, do you

maintain regarding language

assistance services? (Select all

that apply.)  

 Primary language of persons

encountered or served  

 Use of language assistance

services such as interpreters and

translators  

 Funds or staff time spent on

language assistance services  

 Number of bilingual staff  

 Cost of interpreter services  

 Cost of translation of materials

into non‐English languages  

 Other: (please specify):  

3. Does your Center have a

system to track the cost of

language assistance services?  

 Yes    No  

4. What types of language

assistance services does your

Center provide? (Select all that

apply.)  

 Bilingual staff  

 In‐house interpreters (oral)  

 In‐house translators

(documents)  

 Contracted interpreters  

 Contracted  

 Language bank or dedicated pool

of interpreters or translators  

 Volunteer interpreters or

translators  

 Interpreters or translators

borrowed from another Center

 Telephone interpretation services  

 Video interpretation services  

 Other (Please specify):

______________  
 

5. Does your Center:

a) have a certification or

assessment process that staff must

complete before serving as

interpreters or translators for LEP

individuals?  

b) Does the process include use of

standardized language proficiency

exams?  

a.  Yes

b.  Yes  

a.  No

b.  No  

6. Does your Center ask or allow LEP

individuals to provide their own

interpreters or have family members

or friends interpret?  

 Yes    No  

7. Does your Center have contracts

with language assistance service

providers (in person interpreters,

telephone interpreters, video

interpreters, or translators)?  

 Yes    No  

8. Does your Center provide staff

with a list of available interpreters

and the non‐English languages they

speak or information on how to

access qualified interpreters?  

 Yes    No  

9. Does your Center identify and

translate vital documents into the

non‐English languages of the

communities in your service area?  

 Yes    No  

10. Which vital written documents

has your Center translated into non‐

English languages?  

 Consent forms  

 Complaint forms  

 Intake forms  

 Notices of rights  

 Notice of denial, loss, or

decrease in benefits or services  

 Notice of disciplinary action  

 Applications to participate in

programs or activities or to

receive benefits or services  

 Other: (please specify).

28
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

29

11. Does your Center translate signs

or posters announcing the

availability of language assistance

services?  

 Yes    No  

12. When your Center updates

information on its Web site, does it

also add that content in non‐English

languages?  

 Yes    No  

4. Training of Staff on Policies and Procedures

The following series of questions will help you identify whether staff receive appropriate

training on your language access policies and procedures:

1. Does Center staff most likely to interact with LEP

persons receive initial and periodic training on how

to access and provide language assistance services to

LEP individuals?  

 Yes    No  

2. Who receives staff training on working with

LEP individuals? (Select all that apply.)     Management or senior staff  

    Employees who interact with or are

responsible for interactions with non‐English

speakers or LEP individuals  

   Bilingual staff  

   New employees  

   All employees  

   Volunteers  

   Others: (Please specify) ______________  

   None of the above  

3. Are language access policies and LEP issues

     included in the mandatory training curriculum

     for staff?

 Yes    No  

4. Does your Center staff procedural manual or  

     handbook include specific instructions related

     to providing language assistance services to

     LEP individuals?

 Yes    No  
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

30

5. Does staff receive periodic training on how to   

     obtain and work with interpreters?  Yes    No  

6. Does staff receive periodic training on how to

     request the translation of written documents

     into other languages?

 Yes    No  

7. Do staff members who serve as interpreters

     receive regular training on proper interpreting

     techniques, ethics, specialized terminology,

     and other topics?

 Yes    No  

8. Do staff members who serve as interpreters

      receive interpreter training from competent

      interpreters or other trainers familiar with the

      ethical and professional requirements of an

      interpreter?

 Yes    No  

5. Providing Notice of Language Assistance Services

The following series of questions will help you assess how you provide notice of language

assistance services to the LEP population in your service area:

1. How do you inform members of the public

about the availability of language assistance

services? (Select all that apply.)

   

 Frontline and outreach multilingual staff  

 Posters in public areas  

 “I Speak” language identification cards

distributed to frontline staff  

 Web site  

 Social networking Web site (e.g., Facebook,

Twitter)  

 E‐mail to individuals or a listserv  

 Other: (Please specify) _____________  

 None of the above  

2.  Do your translated program outreach

      materials inform LEP individuals about the

      availability of free language assistance

      services?

 Yes    No  

3. Does your Center regularly advertise on non‐ 

      English media (television, radio, newspaper,

      and Web sites)?

 Yes    No  
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

31

4. Does your Center inform community groups

      about the availability of free language

      assistance services for LEP individuals?

 Yes    No  

5. Does your Center inform current applicants

      or recipients about the availability of

      language assistance services?

 Yes    No  

6. Does the main page of your Center Web site

      include non‐English information that would

      be easily accessible to LEP individuals?

 Yes    No  

7. Does your Center have multilingual signs or

      posters in its offices announcing the

      availability of language assistance services?

 Yes    No  

6. Monitoring and Updating a Language Access Procedures, Policy, and Plan

The following set of questions will help you assess whether you have an effective process for monitoring

and updating your language access policies, plan, and procedures:

1. Does your Center have a written language

     access policy?  Yes    No  

2. If so, is a description of this policy available

     to the public?    Yes    No  

3. How often is your Center's language access

     policy reviewed and updated?

 Annually  

 Biennially  

 Not Sure  

 Other: (Please specify) _________  

4. When was the last time your Center's

      language access policy was updated?   Month Year

5. How often does your Center update its data

      on the LEP communities in your service area?

 Annually  Not Sure

 Biennially Other

6. Does your Center have a language access

      coordinator?  Yes    No  

7. Does your Center have a formal language

     access complaint process?  Yes    No  

8. Has your Center received any complaints

     because it did not provide language assistance

     services?

 Yes    No  
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

32

9.   Do you monitor the system for collecting data   on   

       beneficiary satisfaction and/or

       grievance/complaint filing?

 Yes    No  

10. Do you obtain feedback from the LEP

       community on the effectiveness of your

       language access program and the language

       assistance services you provide?

 Yes    No  
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

33

Appendix B. Names and Contact Information of  

NASA LEP Coordinators (as of September 2011)

Miguel A. Torres

Agency LEP Coordinator

202‐358‐2128

Mtorres@nasa.gov

Carolina Blake

Ames Research Center (ARC) LEP Coordinator

650‐604‐0893  

Carolina.blake@nasa.gov

Gabriella Olson

Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) LEP Coordinator

661‐276‐2472

Gaby.olson‐1@nasa.gov

Renee Batts

Glenn Research Center (GRC) LEP Coordinator

216.433.3081

Renee.j.batts@nasa.gov

Michael Hartman

Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) LEP Coordinator

301.286.5715

Michael.j.hartman@nasa.gov

Claudia Silver

Headquarters (HQ) LEP Coordinator

202‐358‐0936

Claudia.silver‐1@nasa.gov

Deborah H. Urbanski

Johnson Space Center (JSC) LEP Coordinator

281‐483‐0603

Deborah.h.urbanski@nasa.gov

Rob Grant

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) LEP Coordinator

321.867.9169

Milton.r.grant@nasa.gov
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

34

Janet E. Sellars

Langley Research Center (LaRC) LEP Coordinator

757‐864‐9321  

Janet.e.sellars@nasa.gov

Audrey D. Robinson

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) LEP Coordinator

256‐544‐0026

Audrey.d.robinson@nasa.gov

Ruth McNeil

NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) LEP Coordinator

228‐813‐6055

Ruth.mcneil‐1@nasa.gov

Jo Ann Larson

Stennis Space Center (SSC) LEP Coordinator  

228.688.2079

Joann.m.larson@nasa.gov
NASA Language Access Plan 2011

 

35

THIS LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WAS PREPARED

BY

THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY  

Brenda R. Manuel

ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY  

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

HEADQUARTERS

ROOM 4W31

300 E STREET, SW

WASHINGTON, DC 20546

FOR ADDITIONAL COPIES

PLEASE CALL (202) 358‐2167