Government agencies overlook disability rule
Few agency IT solicitations include mandatory Section 508 specifications
From: Federal Computer Week - 12/03/2007 - page 45
By: Matthew Weigelt

Agencies often forget about making information technology purchases that meet
the needs of people with disabilities, as shown by the tiny number of
solicitations that include references to accessibility standards.  

Governmentwide, only 3 percent of solicitations for electronic and IT
products properly include Section 508 accessibility standards, according to a
recent General Services Administration assessment of solicitation notices on
the Federal Business Opportunities Web site.  

About 75 percent of IT solicitations failed to mention any of the standards
that reduce barriers for disabled employees, said Terry Weaver, director of
the Office of Technology Strategy’s Information Technology Accessibility and
Workforce Division at GSA.  

Read the entire article at:
http://www.fcw.com/print/13_42/procurement/150930-1.html

Links:
Office of Management and Budget memo on Section 508 compliance
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement/508/electronic_info_technologies.pdf

US Access Board Web site
http://www.access-board.gov/

OMB again reminds agencies to comply with Section 508
http://www.fcw.com/online/news/150793-1.html

Section 508 update to build on existing standards
http://www.fcw.com/online/news/98001-1.html

Section 508: Reconstruction in progress
http://www.fcw.com/print/13_2/news/97369-1.html

Section 508 accessibility
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/forum/forums/22170-2.html

Presto: GSA’s 508 wizard arrives
http://www.gcn.com/print/23_17/26484-1.html?topic=accessibility