[blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind and Law School Admissions Council Agree to Settlement

[David Andrews]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org



National Federation of the Blind and
Law School Admissions Council Agree to Settlement


LSAC Will Make its Web Site Fully Accessible to the Blind



Baltimore, Maryland (April 26, 2011): The National Federation of the 
Blind (NFB) today announced that it has settled a lawsuit with the 
Law School Admissions Council, Inc. (LSAC) regarding access to the 
LSAC Web site (<http://www.lsac.org/>www.lsac.org) by blind 
people.  As part of the settlement, LSAC will provide full and equal 
access to its Web site for blind users by September 1, 2011.  Changes 
will be made to the LSAC Web site that will allow blind users 
utilizing screen access technology, which converts what is on the 
computer screen into synthesized speech or Braille, to read and 
interact with it.  The accessibility requirements extend to all parts 
of the Web site on which services or products are made available to 
prospective law school applicants or to LSAT and Credential Assembly 
Service registrants, including, but not limited to, the process of 
applying to law schools through lsac.org and the documents and 
practice tests LSAC makes available online.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, 
said: "Access to Web sites is critical to the full and equal 
participation of blind people in all aspects of modern life.  In this 
instance, access is especially critical, since without it blind 
people experience significant barriers to entering the legal 
profession.  The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to have 
reached a settlement with the Law School Admissions Council and we 
look forward to working with its officials and technical staff in the 
coming months.  It is our sincere hope that other educational 
entities and credentialing organizations that provide vital services 
over the Internet will follow LSAC's example and take affirmative 
steps to provide full access to their Web sites by blind consumers."



Deepa Goraya, a named plaintiff in the suit, said: "As someone who 
has gone through the law school application process and struggled to 
use the Law School Admission Council's Web site, I am pleased to see 
that the Web site will be made fully accessible and the process of 
gaining admission to law school will now be easier for all blind 
people who are interested in entering this noble profession."



Under the settlement, the National Federation of the Blind will 
perform semi-annual accessibility testing of the LSAC Web site until 
September 1, 2012.



The National Federation of the Blind is represented in this matter by 
Daniel F. Goldstein of the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein, and Levy; 
Laurence W. Paradis, Anna Levine, and Karla Gilbride of the Berkley 
firm Disability Rights Advocates; and Scott C. LaBarre of the Denver 
firm LaBarre Law Offices.





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About the National Federation of the Blind



With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind 
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind 
people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives 
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 
encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading 
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's 
blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the 
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in 
the United States for the blind led by the blind.