Contents

1 Introduction 1

1-1 The Postal Service's Mission in the 21st Century 1

1-2 Removing Barriers 1

1-3 An Ongoing Postal Service Commitment 2

2 About This Handbook 3

2-2 Postal Service Functional Organizations and Personnel 3

2-3 Suppliers 4

2-4 Enterprise Architecture and Information Infrastructure 4

3 Full Integration: The Steward Model 5

3-1 Roles and Responsibilities 5

3-2 Vice President/Chief Technology Officer 5

3-3 Section 508 Program Manager, Information Technology 6

3-4 Technical Stewards 7

3-5 IT Portfolio Managers 8

3-6 Vice President, Labor Relations 8

3-7 Vice President, Supply Management 8

3-8 Vice President, General Counsel 9

3-9 Vice President, Consumer Affairs 9

3-10 Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications 9

3-11 All Postal Service Officers 9

3-12 All Functional Organizations 9

3-13 Section 508 Stewards - Liaisons for Accessibility 10

3-14 Importance of Compliance 10

4 Guiding Steps for the Purchase of an EIT Business Solution 13

4-1 The Six Steps 13

4-2 Technical Standards and Functional Performance Criteria 15

4-3 About Exceptions and Undue Burden 15

5 About the Section 508 Technical Standards 17

5-1 Software and Operating Systems Accessibility 17

5-1.1 Technical Steward 17

5-1.2 General Requirements 17

5-2 Web–based Information and Application Accessibility 19

5-2.1 Technical Steward 19

5-2.2 General Requirements 19

5-3 Telecommunications Products Accessibility 21

5-3.1 Technical Steward 21

5-3.2 General Requirements 21

5-4 Video and Multimedia Products Accessibility 22

5-4.1 Technical Steward 22

5-4.2 General Requirements 22

5-5 Self–Contained, Closed Products Accessibility 23

5-5.1 Technical Steward 23

5-5.2 General Requirements 23

5-6 Desktop and Portable Computers Accessibility 24

5-6.1 Technical Steward 24

5-6.2 General Requirements 24

5-7 Information, Documentation, and Support Accessibility 25

5-7.1 General Requirements 25

6 Summary of Section 508 Resources 27