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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">that gave me the opportunity to be a virtual fly on the wall for one of sessions for their </span></span></p>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">The
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General Services Administration (GSA)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> and <span style="text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
Office of Management and Budget hosted </span>the </span></span>Annual Interagency Accessibility Forum recently. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">The
<a href="https://www.section508.gov/iaaf/archives/agenda-2023/">agenda</a> is online and while the sessions are not available there are some materials you can download that may be useful. </span></span><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"></span></p>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">One item discussed to note is that by the start of 2024 The Federal OMB </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">is
expected to release</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">expanded
guidance to agencies to ensure all federal software, hardware and digital services (both public-facing and internal) meet Section 508 standards for accessibility. It is expected that the expanded digital accessibility guidance will build on their 9/22/2023
memo,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/M-23-22-Delivering-a-Digital-First-Public-Experience.pdf"><span class="s2">“digital-first
public experience”</span></a>.</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"></span></span></p>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">This initiative is separate from DOJ and HHS rule making, a response to</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"><a href="https://www.itdashboard.gov/federal-website-metrics"><span class="s2">data
collected</span></a> by GSA and OMB. However, the<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/M-23-22-Delivering-a-Digital-First-Public-Experience.pdf"> memo</a> and the guidance when it is released provide some insight and context on
how the pending regulations may roll out and be enforced. </span></span><span class="s2"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">Clare Martorana</span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">,
Federal Chief Information Officer, emphasized the importance of building accessibility into digital services from the beginning to cultivate</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">a
culture of inclusion and respect.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif">She
added</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span class="s3"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody",serif">that</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody",serif"> </span></span></p>
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<span class="s3"><i><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody",serif">“You can’t manage what you can’t measure. So, in order to ensure we’re meeting those standards and providing equal opportunities for all users to interact with
digital content in a meaningful way, we must test and measure our work.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"UICTFontTextStyleBody",serif"> </span></span><span style="font-size:16.0pt"></span></p>
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