The Defense Department’s Computer/Electronics Accommodations Program recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Technology & Evaluation Center, known as CAPTEC.
Located in the Pentagon, CAPTEC allows people seeking solutions to accessibility challenges to view available assistive technologies and compare different solutions.
Stephen M. King, the Computer/Electronics Accommodations Program’s director, described how CAPTEC is an essential part of CAP’s mission.
Promoting Inclusion, Increasing Productivity
“The accommodation solutions provided by the Department of Defense through CAP remove barriers for employees with disabilities and service members, promote inclusion, and increase productivity,” he said.
CAP, the largest centrally funded reasonable accommodation program in the federal government and the largest assistive technology program in the world, continues to have a unique impact on the federal government’s ability to be inclusive, officials said, adding that CAPTEC plays an essential role in that impact.
Mike Young, manager of CAPTEC, describes the center as a “place where our customers realize possibilities.”
“Matching tools to an individual's job requirements and limitations, and giving that individual the opportunity to try the tools on the spot, allows them to maximize their capabilities,” he said.
Since non-DoD agencies began using CAP services in 2000, the Defense Department has provided more than $21 million in assistive technologies to support, equip and empower federal employees at 69 partner agencies.
“Through CAP and our Technology and Evaluation Center, the Department of Defense demonstrates its unwavering commitment to and investment in its people and to individuals with disabilities across the government,” King said. “It is an investment that has paid huge dividends for taxpayers and serves as a shining example of the federal government at its best.”