CMS Section 508 Tools & Resources

CMS is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of whether they are an employee or a beneficiary, or if they have a disability, has equal or comparable access to the information that we provide.

We have a comprehensive library of tools and resources to assist you with ensuring the content you create, read and develop is accessible.

Tips to Help You Access Content on this Site

Do you have questions about accessing information created and managed by CMS?  Here are some common questions and helpful guidance: 

Q: Is the text on the screen too small or hard to read?

A: If you are having difficulty with reading the text on the screen due to text size or font, you can adjust the screen text size within your browser.  If this does not work, you may need to obtain software that magnifies the text on your screen to make it easier to read.  You can purchase screen magnification software from companies such as Freedom Scientific and ZoomText. 

Q: Are you unable to see the screen? 

A: If this is the case, you can obtain screen reading software that will read text out loud. Windows 10 has a program called Narrator which can read basic screen produced text. Apple products such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers have screen reading software as part of their operating systems. These products read text displayed on screen and allow you to review information at your own pace. 

Q: Are you unable to use a keyboard or a mouse? 

A: If this is the case, you can obtain pointer devices that allow you to access electronic content on your computer with simply using a head movement motion or by blowing into a tube to make the cursor respond to your command. You can also obtain software and a headset that will allow you to dictate instructions to your device. 

Q: Are you unable to hear the audio in a presentation?

A: If this is the case, many presentations contain closed captions which provide text output of the audio that is spoken by the presenter. If you encounter a presentation that lacks this feature, please contact the meeting host or presenter to obtain a written transcript of the materials.