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Communications - Government-wide Section 508 Assessment Criteria

Communications

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.

Question 37

Indicate how often the reporting entity distributes communications with employees and contractors about digital accessibility. (*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never distributes communications regarding digital accessibility
  2. Approximately 1-2 times a year
  3. Approximately 3-5 times a year
  4. Approximately 6 -8 times a year
  5. 9 or more times a year
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not issue any formal communications (internal or external)

This question assesses the frequency with which the reporting entity disseminates communications regarding digital accessibility policies, issues, best practices, tools, support, and similar topics.

Question 38

Indicate how often the reporting entity utilizes a formal process or plan for creating Section 508 conformant agency official communications (internal and external). (*Required)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time) resulting in little to no Section 508 issues for recipients
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not issue any agency official communications (internal or external)

Agency official communication 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:

  • An emergency notification;
  • An initial or final decision adjudicating an administrative claim or proceeding;
  • An internal or external program or policy announcement;
  • A notice of benefits, program eligibility, employment opportunity, or personnel action;
  • A formal acknowledgement of receipt;
  • A survey questionnaire;
  • A template or form;
  • Educational or training materials; or
  • Intranet content designed as a Web page.

EXCEPTION: 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.

Question 39

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)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time) resulting in little to no Section 508 issues for recipients
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - does not issue any formal internal emergency communications

Question 40

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)

Select one:

  1. Never (0% of the time)
  2. Sometimes but generally on an ad hoc basis (approximately 1%-24% of the time)
  3. Regularly (approximately 25%-59% of the time)
  4. Frequently (approximately 60%-89% of the time)
  5. Almost always (approximately 90% or more of the time) resulting in little to no Section 508 issues for recipients
  6. Unknown
  7. N/A - reporting entity does not issue any formal external emergency communications

Reviewed/Updated: April 2024

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