[blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind and Law School Admissions Council Agree to Settlement
David Andrews
dandrews at visi.com
Wed Apr 27 10:28:00 UTC 2011
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.
###
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.
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