Assistive Technology and Accessibility

New Editions provided Section 508 technical support to HHS’s Office of the Secretary and CDC staff. Our support included Help Desk operations, Section 508 compliance assessments, technical assistance, and document remediation. New Editions staff responded to Section 508 queries related to applicable provisions, acquisition language, accessible application development and process, and VPATs. We provided accessibility compliance audits for IT systems and electronic documents, and recommended best practice remediations for websites and applications.

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.