Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that federal departments and agencies make reasonable efforts to provide information via systems that are equally accessible to the disabled and, if they cannot do so, it requires that they provide individuals with disabilities with an alternative means for equivalent access to the information and data that those information systems provide.
Section 508 and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Notice of Rights
Notice of Rights Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d)
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 508) requires all electronic and information technology (also referred to as information and communication technology or ICT) that is developed, procured, maintained, or used by a federal agency to be accessible to people with disabilities. Examples of ICT include websites, telephones, multimedia devices, and copiers. Access available to individuals with disabilities must be comparable to access available to others. Standards for Section 508 compliance are developed and maintained by the United States Access Board. Further information about the Access Board's standards and Section 508 generally may be found at www.section508.gov.
If you have questions about the USPTO’s Section 508 program, please contact Mark Reumann at (571) 272-6473 or via e-mail at mark.reumann@uspto.gov
For information about filing a complaint against the USPTO under Section 508, contact:
Deputy Director/Director, Administration and Special Projects Division
Office of Civil Rights
Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Rm 6058
Washington, DC 20230
E-mail: ocr@doc.gov, Subject Line: Section 508 Complaint
To file a complaint against the USPTO for a Section 508 violation, you may also contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity (OEEOD) at (571) 272-8292 or via email at oeeod@uspto.gov.
Notice of Rights Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. §§ 4151–57)
The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) requires access to facilities that are designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds. The Access Board is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the ABA. See the U.S. Access Board's website for details about the ABA Accessibility Standards, and information on how to file an Architectural Barriers Act Complaint.