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Accessibility at NSF

The U.S. National Science Foundation is committed to making its websites accessible to individuals with disabilities by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508 of the "Rehabilitation Act."

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What is Section 508?

Section 508 is a federal law that requires agencies to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to and use of electronic information and communications technology comparable to those who do not have disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Section 508 applies to all electronic content, including documents, webpages, presentations, data, social media content, blogs, certain emails, systems and IT tools.

You can learn about Section 508 and its technical standards at https://section508.gov.

Our commitment

NSF's accessibility specialists work to ensure that NSF websites are, to the maximum extent feasible, accessible to individuals with disabilities. We aim to comply with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 A/AA).

You should be able to do the following on NSF websites:

  • Use a screen reader to read the content of a webpage by using the tab, space and arrow keys on your desktop, laptop or mobile device keyboard.
  • Easily distinguish pieces of information on a webpage through seeing or hearing.
  • Access all information through HTML or an alternative, accessible format (such as a DOC, XLS or 508-compliant PDF file).

Tell us about an accessibility issue on our site

Please fill out the form below if you:

  • Use assistive technology and have difficulty using an NSF site.
  • Would like to request an accessible alternative to inaccessible website content.
  • Have questions or comments about NSF's accessibility policy.
  • Would like to file a complaint about a violation of Section 508.

NSF Accessibility Feedback Form

Please let us know the details of your accessibility concern. The NSF accessibility team is looking forward to your feedback.
A red asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

You can also contact Katherine Otts, NSF's Section 508 program manager, with questions about the implementation of Section 508 policies or guidelines.

Telecommunications relay services

Individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or have a speech disability who need to contact NSF by phone may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. For more information, visit the 711 Consumer Guide.

Related information

Reasonable accommodation

NSF staff and applicants can visit NSF's Office of Equity and Civil Rights to learn about the agency's Equal Employment Opportunity Program and Reasonable Accommodation policy. You may also contact NSF's disability program manager, Shawn Murray, at rarequest@nsf.gov or (703) 292-8020.

Architectural barriers

The "Architectural Barriers Act" requires access to facilities that are designed, built, altered or leased with federal funds. If you have encountered or are aware of a physical accessibility barrier at an NSF building or facility, you can file a complaint on the U.S. Access Board's website.

Page last reviewed or updated: March 06, 2024