Communications - Government-wide Section 508 Assessment Criteria

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Government-wide Section 508 Assessment Criteria </h1> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div id="main-content" class="usa-layout-docs usa-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <aside class="usa-layout-docs__sidenav desktop:grid-col-3 padding-bottom-4"> <nav id="sec-nav" aria-label="Secondary Navigation"> <ul class="usa-sidenav menu"><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/manage/" >Policy and Management</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" class="header-menu-text" aria-label="Management - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Management</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" aria-label="Manage a 508 Program - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Manage a 508 Program</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/roles/">Accessibility Roles</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/improve-digital-dashboard-scores/">Improve Digital Dashboard Accessibility Scores</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/publish-accessible-content/">Publish Accessible Content</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/teach-staff-about-accessibility/">Teach Staff about Accessibility</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/track-report-conformance/">Track and Report Conformance</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/program-manager-responsibilities/">IT Accessibility/508 Program Manager Responsibilities</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/program-roadmap/">Revised 508 Standards Roadmap</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/deia-guidance/">DEIA Accessibility Guidance</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/benefits-of-accessibility/">Practical Reasons for Digital Accessibility</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/how-508-standards-benefit-pwd/">How 508 Standards Benefit Persons With Disabilities</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" aria-label="Accessibility for IT Program & Project Manager - 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Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Annual Section 508 Assessment</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/">Instructions</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" aria-label="Assessment Criteria - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Assessment Criteria</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-01/">General Information</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-02/">IT Accessibility Program Office</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-03/">Policies, Procedures, and Practices</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item active usa-current "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-04/">Communications</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-05/">Content Creation</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-06/">Human Capital, Culture, and Leadership</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-07/">Technology Lifecycle Activities</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-08/">Testing and Validation</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-09/">Acquisition and Procurement</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-10/">Training</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-11/">Conformance Metrics</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/faq/">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/support/">Support</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/definition-of-terms/">Definition of Terms</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/manage/section-508-assessment/annual-reports/">Annual Reports</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/manage/agency-508-reporting-requirements/" >Agency Section 508 Reporting Requirements</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/manage/accessibility-faq/" >ICT Accessibility Frequently Asked Questions</a> </li></ul> </nav> </aside> <main class="usa-layout-docs__main desktop:grid-col-9" id="content-section"> <div class="usa-graphic-list"> <h2 id="communications">Communications</h2> <p>Questions in this section ask about your reporting entity's internal and external communication accessibility considerations. If your reporting entity's does not release communications, please select N/A as needed. </p>  <div class="margin-y-3 margin-x-1"> <button id="expand-all" class="usa-button">Expand All</button> <button id="collapse-all" class="usa-button">Collapse All</button> </div> <div class="usa-card-group">  <div id="q37" class="usa-card tablet:grid-col-12"> <div class="usa-card__container border-top"> <div class="usa-card__header"> <h3 class="usa-card__heading"> Question 37</h3> </div> <div class="usa-card__body"> <p><strong>Indicate how often the reporting entity distributes communications with employees and contractors about digital accessibility. (*Required) </strong></p> <p>Select one: </p> <ol type="a"> <li>Never distributes communications regarding digital accessibility</li> <li>Approximately 1-2 times a year</li> <li>Approximately 3-5 times a year</li> <li>Approximately 6 -8 times a year</li> <li>9 or more times a year</li> <li>Unknown</li> <li>N/A - reporting entity does not issue any formal communications (internal or external)</li> </ol> </div> <div class="border-top-05 border-primary margin-top-1"> <div class="usa-accordion"> <h4 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button understand_button padding-left-3 radius-bottom-lg" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="u37"> Understanding Question 37 </button> </h4> <div id="u37" class="usa-accordion__content understand_content usa-prose padding-x-3 padding-y-0 bg-primary-lighter text-primary-darker border-top-05 border-primary radius-bottom-lg"> <div class="margin-x-auto margin-y-0"> <p>This question assesses the frequency with which the reporting entity disseminates communications regarding digital accessibility policies, issues, best practices, tools, support, and similar topics.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="q38" class="usa-card tablet:grid-col-12"> <div class="usa-card__container border-top"> <div class="usa-card__header"> <h3 class="usa-card__heading"> Question 38</h3> </div> <div class="usa-card__body"> <p><strong>Indicate how often the reporting entity utilizes a formal process or plan for creating Section 508 conformant agency official communications (internal and external). (*Required) </strong></p> <p>Select one: </p> <ol type="a"> <li>Never (0% of the time)</li> <li>Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)</li> <li>Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)</li> <li>Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)</li> <li>Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time) resulting in little to no Section 508 issues for recipients</li> <li>Unknown</li> <li>N/A - reporting entity does not issue any agency official communications (internal or external)</li> </ol> </div> <div class="border-top-05 border-primary margin-top-1"> <div class="usa-accordion"> <h4 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button understand_button padding-left-3 radius-bottom-lg" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="u38"> Understanding Question 38 </button> </h4> <div id="u38" class="usa-accordion__content understand_content usa-prose padding-x-3 padding-y-0 bg-primary-lighter text-primary-darker border-top-05 border-primary radius-bottom-lg"> <div class="margin-x-auto margin-y-0"> <p><a href="https://www.access-board.gov/ict/#E205.3" target="_blank" class="usa-link--external">Agency official communication</a> is defined by the U.S. Access Board as electronic content that is not public facing, constitutes official business, and is communicated by an agency through one or more of the following:</p> <ul> <li>An emergency notification;</li> <li>An initial or final decision adjudicating an administrative claim or proceeding;</li> <li>An internal or external program or policy announcement;</li> <li>A notice of benefits, program eligibility, employment opportunity, or personnel action;</li> <li>A formal acknowledgement of receipt;</li> <li>A survey questionnaire;</li> <li>A template or form;</li> <li>Educational or training materials; or</li> <li>Intranet content designed as a Web page.</li> </ul> <p><strong>EXCEPTION</strong>: Records maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) pursuant to Federal recordkeeping statutes shall not be required to conform to the Revised 508 Standards unless public facing.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="q39" class="usa-card tablet:grid-col-12"> <div class="usa-card__container border-top"> <div class="usa-card__header"> <h3 class="usa-card__heading"> Question 39</h3> </div> <div class="usa-card__body"> <p><strong>Indicate how often the reporting entity provides Section 508 conformant information and associated resources to employees in response to an emergency (e.g., Continuity of Operations, Active Shooter, pandemic-related, etc.). (*Required) </strong></p> <p>Select one: </p> <ol type="a"> <li>Never (0% of the time)</li> <li>Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)</li> <li>Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)</li> <li>Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)</li> <li>Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time) resulting in little to no Section 508 issues for recipients</li> <li>Unknown</li> <li>N/A - does not issue any formal internal emergency communications</li> </ol> </div> </div> </div> <div id="q40" class="usa-card tablet:grid-col-12"> <div class="usa-card__container border-top"> <div class="usa-card__header"> <h3 class="usa-card__heading"> Question 40</h3> </div> <div class="usa-card__body"> <p><strong>Indicate how often the reporting entity provides Section 508 conformant mission-related emergency communications to external stakeholders (e.g., public safety, law enforcement, disaster-related, weather-related, etc.). (*Required) </strong></p> <p>Select one: </p> <ol type="a"> <li>Never (0% of the time)</li> <li>Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)</li> <li>Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)</li> <li>Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)</li> <li>Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time) resulting in little to no Section 508 issues for recipients</li> <li>Unknown</li> <li>N/A - reporting entity does not issue any formal external emergency communications</li> </ol> </div> </div> </div>  </div> <div id="prev-next-section"> <a class="prev-page" title="Go to previous page" href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-03/"> < Previous</a> <a class="prev-page" title="Go to next page" href="/manage/section-508-assessment/criteria-05/"> Next > </a> </div> <p><strong>Reviewed/Updated:</strong> April 2024</p>  <script> $("#expand-all").on("click", function (){ $(".understand_button").attr("aria-expanded", "true"); 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