Oklahoma Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility

Oklahoma is one of several states that has its own law to improve access to electronic and information technology (EIT) by all of its residents. Oklahoma's law is referred to as the Oklahoma Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility law, or EITA.

Oklahoma's Title 62 has four sections that address different aspects of the EITA law in Oklahoma. Read Title 62 in full (RTF file).

• Section 34.28 specifies general rules
• Section 34.29 provides definitions used throughout the legislation
• Section 34.30 establishes the EITA Advisory Council
• Section 34.16 mandates submission of annual EIT a one-year operations plan that includes a number of items

Oklahoma Administrative Code Title 260, Chapter 15 "provides information and establishes procedures to assure state compliance regarding accessibility of information technology for individuals with disabilities". You can find Title 260 on the Oklahoma Office of Administrative Rules online Oklahoma Administrative Code. There are links on the page to View and Search the Oklahoma Administrative Code.

Information about Oklahoma's EITA Law and Standards

1. State Information Technology Accessibility Standards, effective September 8, 2005. From the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), previously Office of State Finance (OSF).
2. Oklahoma EITA Technical Assistance Document (TAD) with more in-depth information about how to abide by Oklahoma's EITA Standards.
3. The Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services Procurement Resources includes information on the following:
   • Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates
   • Procurement Checklist
   • EITA CPO Training Materials
   • Manufacturer VPATs IT Statewide Contracts
4. The Central Purchasing Division also has a information about procuring accessible technology:
   • Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPAT) and accessibility forms. This is the State of Oklahoma's version of the VPAT. Agencies, institutions, and affiliates should provide this to providers of IT services and products if the vendor does not have its own VPAT or other acceptable documentation about accessibility in its products or services. 
     • Procurement Checklist (Form 055) This is an important tool to help agencies procure accessible electronic and information technology products. This form lists allowable exceptions under Oklahoma's EITA statute and provides the space to indicate that appropriate and adequate market analysis was performed prior to purchase.  DCS advises that the form should be complete and on file with other purchasing documentation used in the procurement process. 
     • Undue Burden (Form 056) Undue burden is defined in the law as a significant difficulty or expense.  Undue burden requires extensive justification and is difficult to justify, especially with respect to electronic and information technology.
   • How do I make a 508 determination? from the California State University Accessible Technology Initiative. This resource can help you decide which sections of a VPAT should be reviewed for a complete response from a vendor.

A Short History of the EITA Law in Oklahoma

In April 2004, the Oklahoma Legislature adopted House Bill 2197, modeled after Section 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act. The goal of HB 2197 was to improve the accessibility of electronic and information technology (EIT) to people with disabilities. The law applies to state agencies, post-secondary institutions, and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. 

Oklahoma's EITA law went into effect in 2005. It made Oklahoma one of the few states at the time to have its own law and standards aimed at improving the accessibility of electronic and information technology used by the state. Oklahoma continues to be a leader in providing accessible technology to its citizens. 

Like many other states, Oklahoma works constantly to make its government more transparent, available, and useful. Making State technology resources accessible to people with disabilities helps the State to meet its goal of creating a more transparent government.