Special 800# Caller Survey and FY 11 SNO Survey

SPECIAL NOTICE OPTION (SNO) SURVEY

FY 2011

Social Security will send all participants a letter advising them they have been selected for the survey and to expect the interviewer’s call. The interviewer will read the introductory language that follows to try to focus the individual on the notice Social Security sent to them in a special format.

Hello, my name is (interviewer first and last name). I work for (insert contractor name) and I’m calling today on behalf of Social Security. Social Security recently sent you a letter explaining that someone would be calling to ask your opinion about the notices you receive from Social Security.

All of your answers will be kept private and won’t be used for any other purpose. You are not required to participate in this survey, but your opinions are very important to Social Security. The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. May we begin now?

The reason I am calling is to find out how satisfied you are with the method you chose for receiving your notices from Social Security.

1. First, how did you learn about Social Security’s special notice option?

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. I received a letter in the mail about it from Social Security

2. A Social Security employee told me about it

3. Family/friends told me about it

4. A nonprofit organization, such as the American Council of the Blind (ACB), told me about it

5. I saw it on Social Security’s website

6. I read about it in the newspaper, magazine, or on the Internet

7. I saw a poster/pamphlet in the local Social Security office

8. Other (Record response)

9. Don’t know/don’t remember

2. Which special notice option did you choose?

(Read responses. Enter one response.)

1. A telephone call to have the information read to you;

2. A compact disc with a Microsoft Word file;

3. A regular print notice sent by certified mail;

4. A Braille notice;

5. A large print notice; or,

6. An audio compact disc

7. Don’t know/don’t remember (Do not read. Go to closing.)

3. Since the time you chose a special option for your notices, do you remember receiving a notice from Social Security?

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes

2. No (Go to closing.)

3. Don’t know/don’t remember (Go to closing.)

4. If question 2 = “a,” read: “Did Social Security call you after that to read the notice to you?”

If question 2 = “c,” read: “Did the notice come by certified mail?”

For all others read: “Did the notice come in the format you requested?”

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes (If question 2 = “a,” skip to question 8. If question 2 = “c,” skip to question 20. All others skip to question 6.)

2. No

3. Don’t know/don’t remember (Go to closing.)

5. I’m sorry to hear that. Could you tell me what happened instead? (Record response then skip to question 20.)

6. How was the condition of the special notice? Did it arrive undamaged and in good condition?

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes (Skip to question 10.)

2. No

3. Don’t know/don’t remember (Skip to question 10.)

7. I’m sorry the notice was damaged. What was wrong with the condition of the notice?

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. The printed notice was ripped

2. The CD was broken

3. The Braille notice was unreadable (partially or completely)

4. The printed notice was missing pages

5. Other (Record response.)

6. Don’t know/don’t remember

(All responders to question 7 skip to question 10.)

8. When the Social Security employee called to read your notice to you, did you ask them any questions about the information in the notice?

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes

2. No (Skip to question 11.)

3. Don’t know/don’t remember (Skip to question 11.)

9. Were they able to answer those questions?

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know/don’t remember

(All responders to question 9 skip to question 11.)

10. If Q6 = “no,” read: “Although it was damaged, did you use the notice in the special format?”

For all others read: “Did you use the notice in the special format?”

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes

2. No (Skip to question 12.)

3. Don’t know/don’t remember (Go to closing.)

11. In addition to (if question 2 = “a,” read “the telephone call,” for all others read “using the notice in the special format”), did you need other help to understand what it said?

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes

2. No (Skip to question 14.)

3. Don’t know/don’t remember (Skip to question 14.)

12. If Q10 = “no,” read: “Since you didn’t use the notice in the special format, who helped you understand the notice?”

If Q11 = “yes,” read: “Who helped you understand the notice?”

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. A Social Security employee

2. A husband, wife, relative or friend

3. A state or local government agency

4. A nonprofit organization that serves people with visual impairments such as the American Council of the Blind (ACB)

5. An attorney or a paid professional

6. Other (Record response.)

7. I didn’t get any help yet

8. Don’t know/don’t remember

13. If Q6 = “no” and Q10 = “no,” read: “Other than the fact that the notice was damaged, why weren’t you able to use the special notice yourself?

If Q6 = “yes” or “don’t know/don’t remember” and Q10 = “no,” read: “Why weren’t you able to use the special notice yourself?”

If Q11 = “yes,” read: “Why did you want that help?”

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. The special notice didn’t meet my visual needs

2. The message was confusing/complicated/I had questions about the message

3. I have limited education

4. Because of my physical impairments/I was too sick

5. My family was there to help/I always have support systems in place

6. Other (Record response.)

7. Don’t know/don’t remember

(If question 10 = “no,” skip to question 20. All others answer question 14.)

14. How easy was it to (if Q2 = “a,” insert: understand the telephone call?); (if Q2 = “b,” insert: read the notice on the CD?); (if Q2 = “d,” insert: read the Braille notice?); (if Q2 = “e,” insert: read the large print notice?); (if Q2 = “f,” insert: understand the audio notice?) Would you say it was:

( Read rating scale. Enter one response.)

1. V

   (Follow skip instructions for “don’t know/don’t remember.)

   
   

   ery easy

2. Somewhat easy

3. Somewhat hard, or

4. Very hard

5. Don’t know/don’t remember (Do not read. If question 2 = “a” or “d,” skip to question 20. If question 2 = “b,” skip to question 18. If question 2 = “e,” skip to question 17. If question 2 = “f,” skip to question 19.)

(Ask only if question 2 = “a” or “f.” All others skip to question 16.)

15. Why did you say it was somewhat or very hard to (if Q2 = “a,” insert: understand the telephone call?); (if Q2 = “f,” insert: understand the audio disc?)

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. Too fast/slow/poor sound quality/garbled words

2. Notice was too complicated to follow/information was hard to understand

3. Something else (Record response.)

4. Don’t know/Don’t remember

(If question 2 = “a,” skip to question 20. If question 2 = “f,” skip to question 19.)

16. Why did you say it was somewhat or very hard to (if Q2 = “b,” insert: read the notice on the CD?); (if Q2 = “d,” insert: read the Braille notice?); (if Q2 = “e,” insert: read the large print notice?)

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. Notice was too complicated to follow/information was hard to understand

2. It wasn’t in a logical format for my screen reader/the Braille notice was not in a logical format/didn’t make sense

3. I wasn’t familiar with the version of Braille (Braille II)

4. My screen reader couldn’t read it/didn’t work with my screen reader

5. The large print was difficult to read

6. Something else (Record response.)

7. Don’t know/Don’t remember

(Ask only if question 2 = “e.” If question 2 = “b,” skip to question 18. If question 2 = “d,” skip to question 20.)

17. Could you tell me if you had any problems with the large print related to:

(Read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. The size of the letters (Font size);

2. The style of the letters (Font type);

3. The print being hard to see against the background (Print contrast); or

4. Something else (Do not read. Record response.)

5. Don’t know/Don’t remember (Do not read.)

(All responders to question 17 skip to question 20.)

18. What type of screen reader did you use to read the notice? Did you use:

(Read responses. Enter one response.)

1. JAWS

2. MAGic with Speech

3. ZoomText

4. Window Eyes

5. NVDA (Non Visual Desktop Access)

6. VoiceOver

7. Safari

8. Other (Do not read. Record response.)

9. Don’t know/don’t remember (Do not read.)

(All responders to question 18 skip to question 20.)

19. How did you play your audio recording of the notice? Did you use a:

(Read responses. Enter one response.)

1. CD player

2. DVD player

3. Computer

4. Other (Do not read. Record response.)

5. Don’t know/don’t remember (Do not read.)

20. Overall, how well did the special notice meet your needs? Would you say the format was:

(Read rating scale. Enter one response.)

1. Excellent (Skip to question 22.)

2. Very good (Skip to question 22.)

3. Good (Skip to question 22.)

4. Fair

5. Poor, or

6. Very poor

7. Don’t know/don’t remember (Do not read. Skip to question 22.)

21. Why did you rate the notice format as (insert response from question 20)?

(Do not read responses. Enter all that apply.)

1. I couldn’t understand the message

2. I did not receive the notice in the format I requested

3. It was not the best option for me

4. I didn’t agree with what the notice said

5. I couldn’t use it in that format/I had trouble with the format

6. Something else (Record response.)

7. Don’t know/don’t remember

22. Do you have any (if question 20 = “d”, “e”, or “f,” insert: “other”) comments or suggestions about the method you chose to receive your mail from Social Security?

(Do not read responses. Enter one response.)

1. Yes (Record response.)

2. No

3. Don’t know/don’t remember

Read: Social Security estimated that this survey would take 10 minutes to complete. If you would like to send comments on this time estimate to Social Security, I can provide you with the mailing address. Would you like this address?

If yes, read the Paperwork Reduction Act statement below, then go to closing:

This information collection meets the requirements of 44 U.S.C. §3507, as amended by section 2 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You may send comments on this 15-minute time estimate to: Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235-6401.

If no, go to closing.

CLOSING: That’s all the questions I have for you today. Thank you for taking the time to be in this survey. Have a good day (afternoon/evening).