Section 508 Self-Evaluation
Component Questionnaire

Directions : This form is provided for your convenience. Use it to gather information, then enter your data on the Internet web page designed for this purpose: "www.508.org." You must use a government computer when entering enter your data on the Internet site; for security reasons, the page is designed to reject entries from non-governmental users whose home Internet address does not end in the suffix ".gov" or ".mil." You will be given an opportunity to review your answers on-line before submitting them. Once you have entered your data on the Internet, print a copy for yourself and for your Designated Agency Official. Follow all directions on the publication, "Directions for Component Contacts," which accompanies this form. If you have any questions, you may contact us as follows:

Section 508 Coordinators:
1-202-305-8304 (voice)
1-202-353-8944 (TTY)

by e-mail to: sec508.questions@usdoj.gov

Component Contact Information

Component/Agency:
Name:
Title:
Address:
Telephone Number(s):
Fax Number:
E-mail address:

A. Procurement Policies and Procedures

1. Does your component use any disability-related language in contracts for electronic and information technology?

a. Choose the most appropriate answer: i. always
ii. often
iii. sometimes
iv. seldom
v. never

b. If your component uses any standard disability-related language in your contracts, give the language: [space for response]

2. How does your component ensure that acquisition of electronic and information technologies will be conducted in a manner that assures users with disabilities will have equal access to and use of the same data bases, operating systems, application programs, and telecommunication systems as their non-disabled colleagues?

Choose the most appropriate answer:

a. My component has an Information Technology ("IT") office that follows an approved reviewing process that meets this objective.

b. My component has a reviewing process but no established IT office to meet this objective.

c. My component is in the process of approving a draft reviewing process and assigning an IT office to be responsible for the reviews to meet this objective.

d. My component is drafting a review process to meet this objective.

e. My component addresses this issue on an ad hoc basis.

3. How does your component identify the requirements of users with disabilities in order to achieve integrated solutions during acquisition planning and procurement?

Choose the most appropriate answer:

a. My component has a policy in place to involve users with disabilities or persons knowledgeable about disability access issues in the planning phase of acquisitions to assist in the procurement process by defining requirements and establishing Functional Performance Specifications (FPS) to appropriately describe the desired deliverables and access strategies. My component also involves users with disabilities in the evaluation of proposed solutions.

b. My component uses the FPS, however it has not established this as an official policy.

c. My component is developing policies and procedures to address this matter.

d. My component is reviewing alternative strategies to address this matter, including (explain): [space for response].

e. My component addresses this issue on an ad hoc basis.

4. Does your component maintain a list of programs that provide training for management, procurement, and technical personnel on how to meet the accessibility needs of end users with disabilities and the many methods available to meet those requirements?

Choose the most appropriate answer:

a. Yes, my component maintains such a list. The list is updated periodically and is made available to all employees.

b. No, however, my component is in the process of announcing such a list in the near future.

c. No, however, my component is obtaining the information required to develop a list of this nature and the list will be announced when this data gathering is completed.

d. No, however, my component has plans to develop such a list.

e. No, however, my component is reviewing alternatives to developing such a list.

f. No, however, my component identifies appropriate training sources as needed.

5a. Are your agency's acquisitions subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)?

Choose the most appropriate answer:

a. Yes. Our agency's acquisitions are subject to FAR.

b. Our agency's acquisitions are not governed by FAR, but we use it (formally or informally) as guidance for procurement policies and procedures.

c. No. Our agency has established policies and procedures that are independent of the FAR.

5b. If your agency's acquisitions follow the FAR (formally or informally), has your component established a strategic plan for meeting its electronic and information technology needs -- including, among other things, accommodations for individuals with disabilities -- pursuant to OMB Circular A-130, as required by section 39.101 of the FAR?

a. Yes, my component has an established strategic plan which addresses accessibility issues, that has been approved and distributed to all appropriate offices. Prior to the acquisition of any electronic and information technology the RFP's are reviewed for compliance.

b. Yes, my component has an established strategic plan which addresses accessibility issues but there is no review process to ensure that RFP's are in compliance.

c. No, however, my component does have a draft strategic plan that will meet the stated objectives when approved.

d. No, however, my component is developing and drafting a strategic plan which will meet the stated objectives.

e. No, however, my component is in the process of defining its electronic and information technology needs and, when this is defined, accessibility guidelines will be addressed.

f. No, however, even though my component does not have a strategic plan, we address accessibility issues on an ad hoc basis.

g. Not applicable. Our agency's acquisitions are not subject to FAR.

B. Telecommunications

1. Does your component provide telephonic access to members of the public who have speech or hearing impairments and who use TTY's (text typewriter, sometimes also called a "TDD," or "telecommunication device for deaf persons) by advertising and maintaining dedicated TTY telephone lines that are staffed in a manner equal to that of your standard telephone lines or by ensuring TTY access to your standard lines for incoming callers?

(choose one)

Yes No N/A

2. Is your incoming call sequencing system, if any, able to acknowledge a TTY call, send a "wait" message to the caller, and accept the call in sequence?
Yes No N/A

3. Do all employees who communicate telephonically with members of the public or with other Federal employees have access to TTY's or equivalent technology at their workstations to receive calls placed by TTY users?
Yes No N/A

4. Have all employees who communicate telephonically with members of the public or with other Federal employees who do not have access to TTY's or equivalent technology at their workstations received specific training on how to make and receive calls through the Telephone Relay Service?
Yes No N/A

5. If your component uses any automated information services with prerecorded voice messages, for each such service, is the same information available in a text messaging mode that would support equivalent information access by TTY users?
Yes No N/A

6. Do the TTY's (or equivalent technology) used by your component support other types of signals other than Baudot tones?
Yes No N/A

7. If your component uses pagers, is the system designed to handle both audible and visual display pagers?
Yes No N/A

8. If your component uses pagers, is there an non-audible alternative to a "beep" notification for incoming pages, such as a vibration signal?
Yes No N/A

9. If provided, are the following enhanced features of your component's telephone system accessible to persons with visual impairments or can they easily be made accessible using compatible assistive technology?

(a) caller ID
Yes No N/A

(b) message waiting notification
Yes No N/A

(c) all other visual information or status cues
Yes No N/A

10. If your component operates any telephone lines that requires serial choices for proper connection, ( e.g. , "press 1 for [blank], press 2 for [blank], etc."), or if the system requires a caller to spell a person's name with the telephone keypads for connection purposes, answer the following:

(a) Is there always an option to press O to connect with an operator for assistance?
Yes No N/A

(b) If "yes," are the operators available at all times the lines are in use?
Yes No N/A

(c) If timed defaults are used, is there a way for the caller to set the default time?
Yes No N/A

(d) Is there a voice-operated option for persons who cannot press telephone keypads?
Yes No N/A

(e) Is the system accessible to TTY users?
Yes No N/A

11. What is the best description of the overall extent to which your telecommunication systems are accessible to and useable by persons with disabilities?

Choose the most appropriate answer:

a. major applications are universally accessible;

b. generally accessible (a few problems exclude some persons with disabilities from "fringe" areas of our major applications, but generally all people with disabilities can use and navigate all major applications appropriately);

c. problems with some of our major applications exclude one or more communities of people with disabilities from using them, but other major applications are generally accessible; or

d. major applications are generally inaccessible to one or more communities of persons with disabilities.

C. Major Software Applications

1. List your component's ten most widely used software applications on the charts on the next page. For each such application:

In the "Developer" row, list the name of the software developer. The web site on which you will enter this data includes a drop-down list of many commonly-used developers, as well as a space to identify "other" developers.

In the "Customization" row, identify whether the software is:
(a) commercial off-the-shelf software (used "as is")
(b) commercial software, but modified for agency use
(c) custom software developed under contract
(d) custom software developed in-house

In the "Description" row, choose the best description:
(a) word processor
(b) spreadsheet
(c) database
(d) groupware
(e) e-mail
(f) Internet browser
(g) other Internet access
(h) online database access
(i) other (describe)

In the "Public Usage" row, give the approximate number of members of the public who use the software on a weekly basis.

In the "Employee Usage" row, give the approximate number of Federal employees who use your component's software on a weekly basis.

2. For each major application identified above,

a. Evaluate it using the "Software Accessibility Checklist," available at Tab A; and

b. test the application by running it with a sampling of the common assistive technologies used by persons with disabilities (including, at a minimum, screen readers, and, if possible, alternate input devices, screen enlargement software, and voice recognition software and devices).

3. On the chart below, record your component's responses to each question from the Software Accessibility Checklist. Use the "Title/Version" number from your response to question 1, above, to identify each software application.

4. Clearly label and attach the written descriptions from question 30 of the Software Accessibility Checklist. You will need to type these into the space provided on the web site.

5. Summarize the accessibility successes and problems you encountered while running your component's major software applications with assistive technologies commonly used by persons with disabilities including, but not limited to, screen readers, and describe your plans to address any problems: [space provided for answer]

D. Pages on the World Wide Web

1. List all of your component's Web pages, up to twenty, on the chart below. If you have more than twenty pages, list the twenty pages that are retrieved most frequently. If you do not have a way to track usage, identify the top twenty pages in order of hierarchy, that is, the twenty pages that can be accessed with the fewest number of links from your component's Web home page. For each such Web page:

In the "Description" row, indicate the most appropriate description:

(a) online form for services or benefits
(b) other online form
(c) instructions for receipt of services or benefits
(d) description of activities
(e) employment postings
(f) inherently graphical content (e.g., map or photograph)
(g) other (describe)

In the "No. of Hits" row, estimate the average number of times the page is used on a weekly basis.

2. For each Web page identified above:

a. evaluate it using the "Web Page Accessibility Checklist" a copy of which is available at Tab B of this Questionnaire; AND

b. run it using a text-only browser, such as Lynx, a public domain text browser that is available at:

http://www.usdoj.gov/cgi-bin/outside.cgi?http://lynx.browser.org/

3. Using the charts on the next two pages, record your component's responses to each question from the Web Page Accessibility Checklist (chart 1: Web pages 1-10; chart 2: Web pages 11-20). Use the number from the row labeled "URL/URI Address" from the chart in question 1, above, to identify each Web page.

4. Clearly label and attach the written descriptions from question 25 of the Web Page Accessibility Checklist. You will need to type these into the space provided on the web site.

5. Summarize the accessibility problems and successes you encountered while running your component's Web pages with the text browser, as well as your plans for addressing any problems: [space provided for answer]

E. Information/Transaction Machines

Information/Transaction Machines -- or ITM's -- are an increasing feature of our society. ITM's include, but are not limited to, ATM's (automated teller machines), ticket vending machines, computer kiosks, electronic building directories, point of sale card payment systems, and fare machines

1. On the following two charts, identify ten of your component's most widely-used ITM's by type ( e.g. , automated teller machine or automated building directory), manufacturer, model, software title and designer, number, and location. Include those used by your component's employees as well as ITM's used by your component to transact or communicate with members of the public.

In the "Type" row, pick the best description from the following list:
(a) automated teller machine (ATM)
(b) ticket vending machine
(c) information or computer kiosk
(d) electronic building directory
(e) point of sale card payment system
(f) fare machine
(g) other (describe)

In the "Software" row, identify by title and designer the software on which the ITM runs.

In the "Number Used" row, identify the number of units of that particular manufacturer and model of ITM which is operated or used by your component.

In the "Public Usage" row, indicate approximately how many times it is used by members of the public on a weekly basis.

In the "Employee Usage" row, indicate approximately how many times it is used by Federal employees on a weekly basis.

In the "Availability" row, pick the closest approximation of the ITM's availability:
(a) 24 hours a day, seven days a week
(b) normal business hours, weekdays only
(c) normal business hours, 7 days a week
(d) extended business hours, weekdays only
(e) extended business hours, weekdays and some weekend hours

2. For each ITM identified above:

a. evaluate it using the "ITM Accessibility Checklist," a copy of which is available at Tab C of this Questionnaire; and

b. have users with a wide range of disabilities test each of the models for accessibility.

3. On the chart below, record your component's responses to each question from the ITM Accessibility Checklist. Use the number in the first column of the chart in question 1, above, to identify each ITM.

4. Clearly label and attach the written descriptions from question 19 of the ITM Accessibility Checklist. You will need to type these into the space provided on the web site.

5. Summarize the accessibility successes and problems encountered by users with disabilities while testing your component's ITM's, including your plans to address any problems: [space provided for answer]

F. Other IT Equipment

1. List your ten most-used models of other IT equipment, including, but not necessarily limited to, printers, fax machines and copiers, by manufacturer and model. Include equipment used by component employees, as well as those provided for use by members of the public transacting or communicating with your component.

In the "Type of Equipment" row, choose the best description from the following list:
(a) printer
(b) fax machine
(c) copier
(d) other (describe)

In the "Number" row, identify how many of this model are operated or used by your component.

In the "Public Usage" row, indicate approximately how many times it is used by members of the public on a weekly basis.

In the "Employee Usage" row, indicate approximately how many times it is used by Federal employees on a weekly basis.

In the "Availability" row, choose the most appropriate description:
(a) 24 hours a day, seven days a week
(b) normal business hours, weekdays only
(c) normal business hours, 7 days a week
(d) extended business hours, weekdays only
(e) extended business hours, weekdays and some weekend hours

2. For each such model:

a. evaluate it using the "IT Equipment Accessibility Checklist," a copy of which is available at Tab D of this Questionnaire; and

b. have users with a wide range of disabilities test each model for accessibility.

3. On the chart below, record your component's responses to each question from the IT Equipment Accessibility Checklist. Use the numbers on the chart above to identify each kind of IT equipment evaluated.

4. Clearly label and attach the written descriptions from question 12 of the IT Equipment Accessibility Checklist. You will need to type these into the space provided on the web site.

5. Describe the accessibility successes and problems encountered by users with disabilities while testing your component's IT equipment, as well as your plans for addressing any problems: [space provided for answer]

G. Conclusion

After you have gathered all of the data requested in this Component Questionnaire, please enter it on the Internet web site designed for that purpose: "www.508.org." Be sure to print a copy of your submission and give it to you Designated Agency Official.

For persons with disabilities, additional copies of this document are available on computer disk and in alternate formats including large print, Braille, and audio cassette, by calling the following numbers at the U.S. Department of Justice:

Section 508 Coordinators:
1-202-305-8304 (voice)
1-202-353-8944 (TTY)

ADA Information Line:
1-800-514-0301 (voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)

Alternate format copies for persons with disabilities may also be requested via e-mail to: sec508.questions@usdoj.gov

This document is available on the Section 508 Home Page of the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/508home.html