GSA showcases disability-friendly technologies

The General Services Administration on Wednesday rolled out its new Assistive-Technology showcase to highlight the federal government's efforts in ensuring that people with disabilities have access to state-of-the-art technologies in the workplace.

The Center for Information Technology Accommodation (CITA) in GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy operates the showcase, which displays technological wares federal agencies and the private sector can use to comply with Section 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 mandated that all government agencies--and companies that conduct business with the government--make their technology disability-friendly. The center is charged with educating federal employees on Section 508 and building the infrastructure needed to comply with the law.

GSA Administrator Stephen Perry said CITA will facilitate forums for technology vendors, people with disabilities, advocacy groups, researchers and those responsible for Section 508 compliance within their business or agency to exchange information and ideas. "It's an effort to quicken the pace of change," Perry said.

The showcase highlights the Bush administration's emphasis on ensuring that the disabled community has access to technology, said Jennifer Sheehy, senior policy adviser to the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities.

"It's an incredible message to send throughout the federal government that this is important, that people with disabilities can make contributions" to society, Sheehy said.

Sheehy said Section 508 is the cornerstone of President Bush's New Freedom Initiative, which was launched in February 2001. The initiative addresses gaps in access to technology, society and the workforce for the disabled. Bush requested $68 million in his fiscal 2002 budget for research and development activities relating to assistive technologies; Congress appropriated $65 million to be administered to states by the Education Department.

Section 508 and the New Freedom Initiative will make the federal government a model employer to show governments and the private sector that the disabled play an important role in the country's competitiveness, Sheehy said.

The showcase provides information and self-guided online demonstrations of software and hardware designed to help eliminate technological barriers for the disabled. Product demonstrations include: screen access for the blind; ergonomic and adjustable keyboards, alternative pointing devices; note takers; and word-prediction software.