[Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

Fri Jun 14 17:29:22 UTC 2024

Funny you should mention Access Board standards.  I actually submitted a resolution on elevators this year and am hoping NFB will make it a priority to urge Access Board to do something.

Ronza M. Othman (she/her/hers), Director, EEO Compliance Group, Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - 7500 Security Blvd, N3-22-16, Baltimore, MD 21244 - 410-786-3274 (o); 443-380-5044 (f)

CMS aspires to create: a culture that values and recognizes our employees' unique identities and perspectives; an environment that provides all employees with equitable access to opportunities for growth and development; and a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

From: Timothy Elder <telder at trelegal.com>
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2024 1:28 PM
To: List for blind government employees <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>; kaye.j.zimpher at gmail.com
Cc: Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) <Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov>
Subject: RE: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

I totally agree with this sentiment.  The WCAG technical criteria are adopted by 508 so that we have consistent design that is as accessible as possible.  An unlabeled button violates the technical criteria and is a violation even if the form is usable with a JAWS double twist backflip.

On Ronza's observations about destination elevators below, we really need the Access Board to adopt a standard.  I've also noticed that some of these systems have a universal accessibility mode that creates a major delay with doors slowly opening and closing to allow wheelchair access and flashing lights for those who cannot hear.  Thus a blind person might greatly slow down everyone else in the elevator car and create a light show without need.  While well-meaning, there needs to be some serious thought about best practices for destination elevator accessible design.  An Access Board regulation on this point would be ideal.

Timothy Elder
Attorney
TRE Legal Practice
1155 Market Street, Tenth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 873-9199
Fax: (415) 952-9898

E-mail: telder at trelegal.com<mailto:telder at trelegal.com>
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From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) via Blind-Gov
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2024 10:08 AM
To: kaye.j.zimpher at gmail.com<mailto:kaye.j.zimpher at gmail.com>; List for blind government employees <blind-gov at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) <Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov<mailto:Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov>>
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

This is what we call technically accessible but functionally inaccessible.

I recently encountered an elevator with a touch screen keypad inside the car.  There is a single button you press for accessibility, which activates an audio menu.  It verbalizes all of the floors, and says, "Press the accessibility button when you hear your floor.  [30 second pause] For floors 1 - 10, press the accessibility button.  [30 second pause]  For floors 11 - 20, press the accessibility button. [30 second pause]  For floors 21 - 30, press the accessibility button. [30 second pause]  For floors 31 - 40, press the accessibility button.  [30 second pause].

So let's say I'm going to floor 39.  I press the button when they read the 31 - 40 one.  Then, here's what happened.

For floor 31, press the accessibility button. [30 second pause]  For floor 32, press the accessibility button. [30 second pause] and so on.

It took me 6 full minutes to get to floor 15.  Imagine if I was trying to go to 39 or 40.

Is it technically accessible?  Yes.  Is it functionally accessible?  Absolutely not.  It shouldn't take 6 or 16 minutes to do something that it'd take a sighted person half a literal second to do.

Ronza M. Othman (she/her/hers), Director, EEO Compliance Group, Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - 7500 Security Blvd, N3-22-16, Baltimore, MD 21244 - 410-786-3274 (o); 443-380-5044 (f)

CMS aspires to create: a culture that values and recognizes our employees' unique identities and perspectives; an environment that provides all employees with equitable access to opportunities for growth and development; and a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Kaye Baker via Blind-Gov
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2024 12:41 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Kaye Baker <kaye.j.zimpher at gmail.com<mailto:kaye.j.zimpher at gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

Wow, I just did not have any of these issues. I did happen to notice that after each question, there are radio buttons for the  choices, and then the choices such as strongly agree, agree,  neither agree or  disagree or agree were written out without buttons. While that is odd and one has to arrow  through it,  I did not find it inaccessible. My agency specific questions were choices with radio buttons just like the rest of the survey. I wonder then, since there have been issues among other agency employees if the tests/surveys differ drastically from agency to agency.
Interesting for sure.

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) via Blind-Gov
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:14 AM
To: List for blind government employees <blind-gov at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) <Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov<mailto:Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov>>
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

Hi Folks,
In addition to Nathaniel's issues as he described them, there are also some questions whose radio buttons are not associated with the text options, having been coded as separate items.  That means it appears to a screen reader user that there are two options for each item on the Lockard scale (very good, good, etc.).  In addition, several agencies have included specific questions at the end that are ranking and rating, which can only be answered by dragging and dropping using a mouse.  There is no way to answer these questions using keyboard commands.

I am using Jaws 2024 with the latest version of Chrome.  Just to be sure I wasn't having a bad technology day, I asked OPM to reset and re-open my FEVS, and I experienced the same issues the second time around as well.

Hope this helps.

Ronza M. Othman (she/her/hers), Director, EEO Compliance Group, Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - 7500 Security Blvd, N3-22-16, Baltimore, MD 21244 - 410-786-3274 (o); 443-380-5044 (f)

CMS aspires to create: a culture that values and recognizes our employees' unique identities and perspectives; an environment that provides all employees with equitable access to opportunities for growth and development; and a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Nathanael T. Wales via Blind-Gov
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2024 8:47 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Nathanael T. Wales <ntwales at omsoft.com<mailto:ntwales at omsoft.com>>
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

All,

I've found that the most noticeable issue with this year's FEVS is the consistency of the format of the forms with the questions and the form regarding demographics. For example, on one page with several questions a user of text-to-speech may be able to use a form control keystroke (letter "F") to move from one radial button to the next, but on another page the user must tab between questions and scroll down with the arrows to select an answer. On several of the pages that have the format requiring tabbing from one question to the next, the question is not readily read, and the user can easily lose her or his place to read questions (first, second, and third) before then tabbing through the first, second, and third question to select answers and remember the order of the questions. Also, on at least two pages the formatting can cause a screen reader to skip the last question unless the user goes backwards on the page to check. These were not problems in previous years.

As data points, both this year and last year (when there were no issues), I was using a Windows PC with JAWS 2023 and Crome. To help OPM fix this problem-if it can be motivated to, would:
--Kay: Please share which browser you used.
--Cody: Please share what browser and screen reader you were using.

Best,
Nathanael

From: Blind-Gov [mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of CODY GREISER via Blind-Gov
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2024 8:26 PM
To: List for blind government employees
Cc: CODY GREISER
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

Hello All,

I also have completed the FEVS recently and found no accessibility issues.

Cody Greiser

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of rothmanjd--- via Blind-Gov
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2024 9:02 PM
To: blind-gov at nfbnet.org<mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: rothmanjd at gmail.com<mailto:rothmanjd at gmail.com>
Subject: [Blind-Gov] Action Alert: Federal Employee ViewPoint SSurvey (FEVS) Accessibility Issues

Folks,
Several individuals have shared concerns about the 2024 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) in terms of lack of accessibility and 508 compliance issues.  The National Association of Blind Government Employees is asking for your help:

  1.  Please prioritize taking the FEVS as soon as you can (we understand most agencies are now in the open period, but some may be on a later schedule);
  2.  Please note any accessibility or 508 challenges you experience;
  3.  Please share those challenges with me via email to rothmanjd at gmail.com<mailto:rothmanjd at gmail.com>;
  4.  Please consider filing a 508 complaint with OPM and your employing agency (it's helpful to file in both places).  You can file with OPM using the email address FEVS at OPM.gov<mailto:FEVS at OPM.gov>.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Regards,
Ronza

Ronza Othman, President
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
443-426-4110
Pronouns: she, her, hers

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back

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