[blindlaw] Accessibility of bar exams and bar review courses

[Elizabeth Rene]

Hi all,

Many of us have recently taken bar examinations, and most likely have used 
bar review courses to prepare for them.  We've all cheered for those who've 
passed, and we all remember the struggles of those who've had to litigate to 
get reasonable accommodations from the NCBE.

I was so pumped up after my February exam (the first in Washington given in 
Braille) that I looked into taking another state's exam just to enhance my 
credentials.

I learned through  the Internet that almost every state requires the 
Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), the Multistate 
Performance Test (MPT), and the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam 
(MPRE).  All of these tests have been developed by the National Conference 
of Bar Examiners (NCBE), but are given by each state along with any local 
components.  A few states have agreed to give the Uniform Bar Exam 
(UBE--which contains all of the above tests) and honor raw data scores from 
each others' examinees, but all other states make would-be lawyers  write 
each exam in the original when applying for their licenses.

Had enough alphabet soup yet?

Starting this July, Washington State will be giving the UBE, along with the 
Washington Law Component (WLC),, a 60-question, online, open book multiple 
choice test self-administered by the examinee, who will be given 15 or so 
subject outlines of Washington law whose approach is unique to our state.

There now, the last spoonful of ABC's , if you've not already choked.

Until now, Washington's test has consisted of 24 timed essays, 18 in 
substantive law and 6 on Washington's professional conduct rules, written 
within a mandatory character count.

I took my bar review course from BARBRI, who gave me Braille subject 
outlines and practice essay questions.  The Braille was pretty sloppy, but 
it was Braille, and I got it on time.  They'd contracted with the Disabled 
Student Services of Southern Illinois University to produce it.

In March, I asked whether Braille was available for the California, Texas, 
or Minnesota bar exams, and learned that there was none.  I'd need a 
warehouse to hold it, I was told, if produced.  Turns out that I'm the only 
person whose asked Barbri for Braille in recent memory.

My Internet searches have turned up no bar review courses that even mention 
the ADA, much less offer Braille.  The NCBE offers study aids and practice 
exams online and through its store, but no reference to Braille is made for 
these.  I do know that NCBE does offer Braille for the bar exams themselves.

So, given all the above, what have each of you done to prepare for and take 
the bar exam?  Whose courses did you use?  Did you get Braille materials, 
use speech alone, study through your smart phones, or use Braille displays? 
Did you answer with your laptop, dictate to your  proctor, or do something 
else?  And how did you judge in advance what time you'd need for the 
performance test?

And why is ExamSoft getting away with making inaccessible test software when 
every law school and state bar association using it has to obey the ADA?

I got sick in mid-April and didn't follow through on my own project.  Now it 
seems I may need to take all those multistate tests anyway,since I've  just 
missed passing Washington's last essay exam.

So would you share your experiences with me, please?  I'm now fascinated 
with this whole subject of across the country lawyer testing, reciprocity 
and lack thereof, and accessibility.

Heartfelt thanks.

Elizabeth