Access Board: the Access Board is an independent federal agency that develops and maintains, among other things, accessibility guidelines and standards, provides technical assistance and training on the guidelines and standards, and enforces accessibility standards for federally funded facilities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires the Access Board to publish standards setting forth a definition of electronic and information technology, also referred to as information and communication technology, ICT, and technical and performance standards. The Access Board’s official name is the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
Accessible. The term accessible was defined in the proposed rule in terms of compliance with the standards in this part, as is common with other accessibility standards. As proposed, if a product complies with the standards in this part, it is "accessible"; if it does not comply, it is not accessible.
Agency: Any Federal department or agency, including the United States Postal Service.
Alternate formats: Alternate formats usable by people with disabilities may include, but are not limited to, Braille, ASCII text, large print, recorded audio, and electronic formats that comply with this part.
Alternate methods: Different means of providing information, including product documentation, to people with disabilities. Alternate methods may include, but are not limited to, voice, fax, relay service, TTY, Internet posting, captioning, text-to-speech synthesis, and audio description.
Assistive technology: Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
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Electronic and information technology: Includes information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of data or information. The term electronic and information technology includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World-Wide-Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines. The term does not include any equipment that contains embedded information technology that is used as an integral part of the product, but the principal function of which is not the acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. For example, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) equipment such as thermostats or temperature control devices, and medical equipment where information technology is integral to its operation, is not information technology.
Equivalent facilitation: A recognition that technologies may be either developed or used in ways not envisioned by the technical provisions in Subpart B but still result in the same or better functional access as would be provided by strictly meeting the provisions in Subpart B.
Exceptions, Exemptions and Accommodations: A condition under which a product or part of a product is allowed to be noncompliant with one or more technical standards of Section 508. Section 508 allows for National Security Exemptions1 , Contractor Incidental Exemptions, "Back Office" product Exemption, Fundamental Alteration Exemptions, Commercial Non-availability Exceptions, and Undue Burden Exceptions. The NIH is not known to have any areas that would qualify for the exemption of national security.
- HHS has also created an Accommodations category for EIT which cannot be made accessible in a meaningfully manner. To be used, the NIH OCIO must receive, review and approve any requests for an "Accommodation" waiver for Section 508 non-conformance with Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) prior to implementation. These requests are distinct from approved for non-conformant EIT should not be confused with Reasonable Accommodations, which are provided in response to an individual employee’s request
Information technology: Any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. The term information technology includes computers, ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources.
PAT: Government Product/Service Accessibility Template is a solicitation documentation tool produced by the Buy Accessible Wizard to assist federal contracting and procurement officials in fulfilling the market research requirements associated with Section 508 regulations.
Non-Compliance and Non-Conformance: Non-compliance is defined as any action or activity by a Federal agency associated with EIT which fails to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794(d)) or fails to conform to the standards as promulgated by the US Access Board. Non-conformance is defined as any electronic or information technology (EIT) product or service which fails to conform to the Standards as promulgated by the US Access Board under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794(d)).
Undue burden: Undue burden means significant difficulty or expense. In determining whether an action would result in an undue burden, an agency shall consider all agency resources available to the program or component for which the product is being developed, procured, maintained, or used.
VPAT: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is a tool used to document a product's conformance with the accessibility standards under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The purpose of the VPAT is to assist federal contracting officials and other buyers in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial information and communication technology products and services with features that support accessibility.