Most fax machines, copiers, printers, and other IT office equipment contain barriers to access by people with disabilities. For instance, most copiers give error messages on liquid crystal display (LCD) screens that are generally inaccessible to people who are blind or who have low vision. Many LCD screens are angled so that they are difficult or impossible for people who use wheelchairs to read them.

When  IT office equipment that is attached to a local computer network, many of these barriers are eliminated. Most networked office equipment is designed to communicate with the user while he or she is at his or her workstation. Desktop computers can be easily equipped with assistive technology, such as screen readers, for people with disabilities.

For these reasons, the 508 CC recommends the following:
 

1. Instructions. Many times, office machines contain accessible features, such as a volume control mechanism on a fax machine, but instructions on how to use these features are missing or inadequate. Each unit should survey its fax machines, copiers, and printers and, if appropriate, contact vendors for a full list of accessible features. The agency should provide clear instructions in accessible formats.
2. Networked IT Office Equipment. The extent to which copiers and fax machines are accessible is greatly enhanced when the user can send commands from an attached desktop computer terminal (such terminals may be easily outfitted with the appropriate assistive technology to meet an individual's needs). Each unit should, in appropriate circumstances, seek out network solutions over stand-alone machines when such solutions would provide a greater degree of accessibility for employees and members of the public with disabilities.