GSA offers training on making IT accessible to the disabled

Federal managers and webmasters can get free training on how to comply with a new law that requires agencies to make information technology accessible to disabled employees, thanks to an effort undertaken by the General Services Administration.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires agencies to ensure that federal employees with disabilities have access to information and to computers and networks comparable to the access enjoyed by employees without disabilities, unless it would cause an undue burden on an agency. Agencies have until May 31 to comment on proposed new standards for enforcing the law, and must comply with the standards by Aug. 7.

GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy, which is coordinating the Section 508 compliance effort, recently asked all agencies to appoint a compliance coordinator and set a July 26 deadline for most essential federal Web sites to be accessible to the disabled.

In light of the looming deadlines, GSA has taken steps to help the newly appointed coordinators get the ball rolling at their agencies. A new Web site on the law, www.section508.gov, has been launched, and GSA will conduct several briefings for agency coordinators next month.

GSA will invite the coordinators to half-day trainings session offered on June 8 or 9. Agency webmasters can choose among training sessions offered twice a day periodically from May through August. Registration for the webmasters' course is available online at GSA's IT policy Web site. The training session is free to agencies.

Once the contracting regulations for the new law are in place, GSA will also offer orientation and training for procurement officials.

Not everyone is happy about the quick turnaround time. The Information Technology Association of America has complained that the Aug. 7 deadline does not give companies enough time to make changes to their products.