Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act - Frequently Asked Questions

B.4.i. - What is assistive technology?

Assistive technology is adaptive equipment that people with disabilities commonly use for information and communication access. See 36 CFR 1194.4. In many cases, the Access Board’s technical provisions require compatibility with assistive technology devices. For example, if an agency is acquiring telecommunications products, the standards require that the EIT either contain a TTY or be compatible with TTYs. If the product doesn’t provide TTY functionality, it must provide a standard non-acoustic connection point for TTYs. See 36 CFR Part 1194.23.

In some cases, the standards require that the acquired EIT be readily usable without the need for assistive devices. This is the case, for example, for self-contained, closed products such as information kiosks. See 36 CFR Part 1194.25.