The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is committed to providing accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to individuals with disabilities, including members of the public and federal employees, by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 United States Code 794d).
Section 508 requires agencies, during the procurement, development, maintenance, or use of ICT, to make sure that individuals with disabilities have access to and use of ICT information and data comparable to the access and use afforded to individuals without disabilities (i.e., “ICT accessibility”), unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. The Section 508 standards are the technical requirements and criteria that are used to measure conformance with the law and incorporate the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
More information on Section 508 and the technical standards can be found on Section508.gov.
Last Update: 02/16/2024
The Accessibility Support Services Program (ASSP) at TSA guides and supports all Department components in removing barriers to information access and employment of qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended).
Information and Communication Technology Accessibility Statement
If you believe that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) used by TSA does not comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, you may file a 508 complaint by following the steps outlined on the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Make a Civil Rights Complaint page.
For general inquiries please email Accessibility@tsa.dhs.gov. To make sure we respond in a manner most helpful to you, please share the nature of your accessibility problem, the best format in which to receive the material, the web address (URL) of the material with which you are having difficulty, and your contact information.
Facility Accessibility Statement
April 2024
The Transportation Security Administration is committed to ensuring that its facilities conform to applicable accessibility standards in accordance with the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. § 4151-57) (ABA), and the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS). Facilities that are designed, constructed altered, or leased with federal funds are required to conform to these accessibility regulations and standards. The U.S. Access Board is the federal agency responsible for enforcement of the ABA and the issuance of accessibility guidelines that are subsequently adopted by agencies as ABA standards.
For more information on the ABA, the ABAAS, or to file a complaint alleging violations of applicable ABA standards, visit the U.S. Access-Board’s website at www.access-board.gov/enforcementor send an e-mail to enforce@access-board.gov .
To report a TSA facility maintenance concern at HQ in Springfield, VA impacting physical accessibility for individuals with disabilities, send an e-mail to HQCustomerService@tsa.dhs.gov or call Customer Support at 571-227-2090.
Overview of Reasonable Accommodation Process
The Human Capital Reasonable Accommodation Program is responsible for the overall management, administration, and compliance of processing requests for disability accommodations. They conduct training for managers, supervisors, and employees on the roles and responsibilities with regards to reasonable accommodations and ensure that all employees are aware of the program's requirements. This Handbook outlines the procedure for providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with a disability, as covered under the Rehabilitation Act.
Point of Contact
Natalie Reynolds
Program Manager
ReasonableAccommodation@tsa.dhs.gov
If you have a hearing or a speech disability, you can dial 7-1-1 to utilize telecommunications relay services (TRS) at no cost. You can learn more about TRS from the Federal Communications Commission’s website
An estimated 48.9 million people, or 19.4% of the non-institutionalized civilians in the United States, have a disability. Of those, an estimated 24.1 million people have a severe disability. It is estimated that 34.2 million people have a functional limitation.
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their Information Communication Technology (ICT) accessible and usable by people with disabilities. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers to information technology, open new opportunities for people with disabilities, and encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. Under 29 U.S.C. 794 d, agencies must give employees with disabilities and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others without disabilities. Section 508 applies to all Federal agencies when they "develop, procure, maintain, or use" ICT products or services.
ICT includes information technology and other equipment, systems, technologies, or processes, for which the principal function is the creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or transmission of electronic data and information, as well as any associated content.
Examples of ICT include but are not limited to:
- Computers and peripheral equipment
- Information kiosks and transaction machines
- Telecommunications equipment
- Customer premises equipment
- Multifunction office machines
- Software
- Applications
- Websites
- Videos
- Electronic documents
This wide range of commonly used products must be accessible to persons with disabilities, including:
- Desktop and mobile telephones and other telecommunications products that interact with users in real time
- Information kiosks and booths that provide information in public places such as Federal buildings and hospitals
- Documents that are posted to the Internet (e.g., PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
- Multifunction machines that scan, fax, print, etc.
- Websites including content accessed from the Internet and on private networks
- Computer software and hardware including desktop systems and mobile systems such as laptops and other mobile computers
Additional Resources:
Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 791)
The Section 501 regulations require that the federal government be a “model employer” with respect to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Annually, covered agencies review their equal employment opportunity (EEO) and personnel programs, policies, and performance standards in accordance with specified criteria to identify where their EEO programs can become more effective and to identify and eliminate barriers that hamper the advancement of any applicants or employees with disabilities.
The stages of the employment process where federal agencies may play a key role in advancing equal opportunity for applicants and employees with disabilities are during recruitment, hiring, and employment.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794)
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits federal agencies, programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance, from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.
The 5th edition of the Federal Communications Commission Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook (Section 504 Handbook) is a collection of guidelines, information, and procedures intended to help Commission personnel in their efforts to ensure that the FCC’s programs and activities are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
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. The Access Board's accessibility standards are available on their website at www.access-board.gov/aba, and information about filing a complaint may be found at www.access-board.gov/enforcement.
Matt Byrne
TSA Section 508 Program Manager
Matthew.Byrne@tsa.dhs.gov
508 Team Email: Accessibility@tsa.dhs.gov