VA Should Enhance Its Oversight to Improve the Accessibility of Websites and Information Technology Systems for Individuals with Disabilities

Ensuring access to VA’s information and communications technologies is essential to accomplishing its mission. VA is required by law to make information from its websites and data systems accessible to people with disabilities. The OIG conducted this audit to address concerns from Congress and a veterans service organization about the accessibility of VA websites and information systems.

VA also is required to report to Congress the status of its progress in ensuring its internal and public-facing websites comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The OIG found areas where VA’s efforts and monitoring of Section 508 requirements could be improved to ensure websites and information technology systems are equally accessible to all. Specifically, web managers did not routinely maintain the Web Registry as required, and websites were not consistently scanned for compliance until recently. Further, VA officials did not always keep administrations and staff offices apprised of requirements and related procedures, resulting in noncompliant VA information technology systems and an inaccurate VA Systems Inventory. Finally, three directives were not recertified within the required timeline. Until VA addresses all compliance issues, the information access provided to individuals with disabilities may not be comparable to the access provided to those without disabilities.

The OIG made six recommendations to address these shortcomings and safeguard accessibility that included developing and implementing a strategy with milestones for identifying all VA websites, confirming their inclusion in VA’s Web Registry, certifying their accuracy annually or as changes occur, and establishing a mechanism for web communication offices across VA to enforce web policy. System owners should also be educated on policy requirements to request accessibility audits and ensure information technology system accessibility designations are accurate in the VA Systems Inventory, and the three deficient directives need to be updated and republished.