The National Science Foundation has an interagency agreement with the Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) making its employees with disabilities, including telecommuters, eligible for CAP services.

CAP pays for and provides a wide variety of assistive technology for people with hearing, visual, dexterity, cognitive or communication disabilities, e.g. teletypewriters (TTY's), captioning for training videos, print enlargers, screen readers, alternative keyboards, pointing devices, and speech recognition software. CAP also funds sign language interpreters, readers, and personal assistants for Federal employees needing to attend technology-related training sessions.

CAP's Technology & Evaluation Center (CAPTEC) is a demonstration and assessment facility located in the Pentagon. People seeking solutions to accessibility challenges can visit CAPTEC to see assistive technology (AT) and compare different solutions.

ABOUT CAP

The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness established CAP in 1990 as the centrally funded reasonable accommodations program for employees with disabilities in the DoD.

Following the National Defense Authorization Act of October 2000, Congress granted CAP the authority to provide assistive technology, devices and support services free of charge to Federal agencies that have a partnership agreement with CAP.

On October 17, 2006, the National Defense Authorization Act provided the authority for members of the armed forces who are provided assistive technology by CAP to retain the technology upon separation from active service.

Their mission is to provide assistive technology and accommodations to support individuals with disabilities and wounded, ill and injured Service members throughout the Federal Government in accessing information and communication technology.

For more information about CAP services and solutions, please visit their website, https://www.cap.mil/Default.aspx, or contact NSF's Office of Equity and Civil Rights.