WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey, D-Pa., released Unlocking the Virtual Front Door, a report detailing the findings of an 11-month investigation that found widespread failure across the federal government to ensure that federal technology is accessible for people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal technology to be accessible for, and usable by, people with disabilities. However, Casey’s report found that federal websites, particularly within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), are out of compliance — creating barriers for people with disabilities who rely on federal technology for essential services, including health care, employment, Social Security, and more.

Specifically, the report found that:

Casey also released 12 recommendations that set out solutions for the federal government to address these shortfalls. The recommendations call on Congress to consider amending Section 508 in order to adapt to advances in technology, inspectors general to incorporate Section 508 compliance into their oversight plans, and federal departments and agencies to appoint accessibility officers with direct responsibility for adherence to Section 508.

“For years, I have been leading efforts to ensure that federal technology is accessible to people with disabilities and that the public is informed about the government’s efforts to make it accessible. My report shows we still have a long way to go,” said Casey. “The entire federal government needs to wake up to this issue because a whole-of-government approach is what we need to remedy it. We would not ask someone using a wheelchair to walk up the courthouse steps, but we are doing something similar when we ask people with disabilities to use federal websites that are not accessible. My report and recommendations provide those of us in the federal government with concrete steps to take so we can make the much-needed accessibility improvements that people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans deserve.”