The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to providing accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to individuals with disabilities, including members of the public and federal employees, by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d)
Section 508 requires agencies, during the procurement, development, maintenance, or use of ICT, to make sure that individuals with disabilities have access to and use of ICT information and data comparable to the access and use afforded to individuals without disabilities (i.e., “ICT accessibility”), unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. The Section 508 standards are the technical requirements and criteria that are used to measure conformance with the law and incorporate the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
More information on Section 508 and the technical standards can be found on Section508.gov.
The Office of Accessible Systems & Technology (OAST) guides and supports all Department components in removing barriers to information access and employment of qualified individuals with disabilities in accord with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended). OAST is part of both the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Chief Information Officer.
If you believe that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) used by DHS does not comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, you may file a 508 complaint by following the steps outlined on the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Make a Civil Rights Complaint page, and using the optional DHS Technology Accessibility Issue Reporting Form.
For general inquiries please email [email protected]. To make sure we respond in a manner most helpful to you, please share the nature of your accessibility problem, the best format in which to receive the material, the web address (URL) of the material with which you are having difficulty, and your contact information.
If you believe that a physical facility that is designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds by the Department of Homeland Security does not comply with the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), refer to the US Access Board’s website under ABA Enforcement – File a Complaint.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794)
DHS is committed to strengthening and supporting full inclusion and equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in its programs and activities, through enforcement and compliance with requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, including Section 504. DHS Section 504 Policy and resources
Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. §§ 4151--57)
The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) requires access to facilities that are designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds. The Access Board is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the ABA. The Access Board's accessibility standards are available on the US Access Board website.
Office of Accessible Systems & Technology
Department of Homeland Security
245 Murray Lane, SW
Suite 2020, Mailstop (0137)
Washington, DC 20528
Phone: 202-447-0440
Fax: 202-447-0582
By e-mail:
[email protected]