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Digital Accessibility at NARA for Users with Disabilities

All National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) museums, research facilities, and Presidential Libraries are accessible (ADA compliant). If you have questions regarding a specific location’s accessibility, please contact the facility directly.

Section 508 & Architectural Barriers Notice of Rights - Notice of Rights Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d and the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. §§ 4151--57)).

Information Communication Technology

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is committed to making its electronic and information technologies accessible to the widest possible audience, including individuals with disabilities. NARA regularly monitors its sites to ensure that they meet and exceed the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998, and the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Our Accessibility Standards

  • We design our web pages to meet or exceed the Section 508 standards, which are the technical requirements that ensure we’re complying with federal Section 508 law.
  • We also conform to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C, the web's governing body) and their Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, which can be found on the W3C website.
  • We meet Level AA standards, which means our content is accessible to most people in most circumstances.

Compatibility

  • Archives.gov content is compatible with major browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
  • Archives.gov content can be viewed on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop.

NARA's Section 508 Program 

NARA's Federal Section 508 Program Manager is the primary point of contact for NARA's efforts to provide individuals with disabilities with equal access to electronic information and data. These efforts pertain to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998.

  •  Section 508 Program Manager: 
    • Sabrina Worthington 
  •  Section 508 Program Coordinator for the Web: 
    • Jocelyn Blakely-Hill
  • Email: 508feedback@nara.gov
    • This mailbox is specifically meant for inquiries related to digital accessibility for individuals with disabilities. 
    • For any other questions, including questions about digital records from the National Archives at St. Louis, please use the Contact Us Form
  • TTY Lines: To access a Telecommunications Relay Service, Dial 711 (more information on TRS services)

Alternate Access to Web Information

If the format of any material on our website interferes with your ability to access the information, contact us at the address above.

To allow us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please let us know:

  1. Nature of your accessibility issue.
  2. Preferred format in which to receive the material.
  3. Web address (URL) of the material you are having difficulty with.
  4. Your contact information.

Documents on our website are in many formats. The primary file types we use are.

HTML and Images

Generally, we use Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). In creating HTML documents, we follow Section 508 standards; for example, we include alternate text to describe graphics.

Adobe Acrobat Reader and PDF Files

Our website also contains documents in Adobe Portable Document Format ® (PDF). Most PDF files will be accessible to those who use assistive technology such as screen readers. Some legacy or software-created PDF files may not be accessible. If you are experiencing difficulty reading any PDF file, please contact us, and we will send you an alternate version.

For detailed, up-to-date information about Acrobat Reader or the PDF format, visit Adobe Systems Inc.

PowerPoint Files

You can view files in Microsoft PowerPoint ® (PPT) format if you have any version of PowerPoint installed on your computer.

Word Files

You can view files in Microsoft Word® (DOC) format if you have Word, version 6.0 or higher, installed on your computer. Word documents can also be viewed with many other word-processing software programs.

 Learn More About Accessibility

Section 508 is a Federal law that requires agencies to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to electronic information and data comparable to those who do not have disabilities 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 within this law. More information on Section 508 and the technical standards can be found on the following sites:

  • Section508.gov provides Federal employees and the public with access to resources for understanding and implementing the requirements of Section 508, including Section 508 tools, resources, standards, and news.
  • The U.S. Access Board's Section 508 Homepage provides information on Section 508 law, frequently asked questions, and standards.
  • The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) homepage provides strategies, guidelines, and resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities.

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