Assistive Technology and Accessibility

New Editions provided Section 508 support to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to develop a remediation strategy that achieved Section 508 compliance. This included assessing the current environment and recommending appropriate tools to help NASS implement compliance auditing and remediation. In addition, we developed processes for continuous monitoring and Section 508 audits in the software development lifecycle. New Editions also provided training for NASS staff members on Section 508 standards and the use of assessment tools.

The vast majority of the approximately 10,000 individuals returning to the community from prison each week lack the education and skills required for even entry-level employment. Research from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicates a link between academic failure and delinquency, violence and crime. Those reentering the community after incarceration face a system of silos between corrections, education and the workforce system. This contract sought to support reentry education models based on the best available evidence and theory and build on Department work in this area.

New Editions manages the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s (RSA) National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM) - ncrtm.ed.gov - and technical assistance webinars. The NCRTM is RSA’s gateway to technical assistance and training, providing reliable, up-to-date training materials. It is a venue for information sharing, learning and professional growth for vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals, service providers, researchers, trainers, educators, individuals with disabilities and their support networks.

New Editions supported the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Office of Accessible Systems & Technology’s (OAST’s) Trusted Tester Certification program. The purpose of this program is to increase the capability and capacity of the DHS workforce and other federal agencies to support the Federal government’s mission to comply with Section 508.

New Editions operated AbleData, the premier resource for objective information on assistive technology (AT) products and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources, for the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).

Through a subcontract with IBM, New Editions is helping to ensure TSA's compliance with Section 508 by providing policy support, compliance testing, validation, and verification and technical assistance and training. Under this contract, we perform the following key duties for TSA:

New Editions provided technical and logistical services to support Social Security’s Ticket Program Beneficiary Access and Support Services Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) webinars via a subcontract to Booz Allen Hamilton. WISE webinars are online events held for beneficiaries to learn about the Ticket to Work Program and available Work Incentives through accessible learning opportunities. In addition to logistical services to support the webinars, including researching presenters and topics, New Editions also played a role in content development and promotion.

New Editions provided Section 508 support to the U.S. Coast Guard web team (CG633) by assessing documents and sites for Section 508 compliance. Information Communication Technology (ICT) products are vital to Coast Guard operations, and the Coast Guard is dependent on the Internet to communicate and distribute critical information. We assessed the Coast Guard's public facing websites for accessibility and assisted with remediation of sites that were not compliant. We also assessed documents for accessibility and provided remediation assistance for non-accessible documents.

New Editions provides technical support to the Office of Accessible Systems & Technology (OAST) by addressing the accessibility of electronic and information technology (EIT) under Section 508, and its accommodation responsibilities under Sections 501 and 504. The core of our team, located onsite at the U.S.

Enacted by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Rebalancing Demonstration is part of a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to assist states (in collaboration with stakeholders) to make widespread changes to their long-term care support systems. This initiative assists states in their efforts to reduce their reliance on institutional care, all while developing community-based long-term care opportunities, and thereby enabling the elderly and people with disabilities to fully participate within their communities.