[blindlaw] Inaccessible exam software

[Matthias L. Niska]

All,

I agree with Derek that indignity about programs like ExamSoft being inaccessible is spot-on in principle, but that in practice typing my exam answers in Word and then having someone at Disability Services copy it into ExamSoft and make sure it was formatted like all the other exam answers caused me absolutely no harm or extra stress and if anything was an advantage. Moreover, I think that software like ExamSoft, whose primary function as I understand it is to lock down all other programs/operations on a computer to create a secure testing environment, might present that extremely rare case in which the "fundamental alteration" defense actually has some merit.

In sum, while I agree that in a perfect world all software, including exam-taking software in law school, would be accessible out of the box, and maybe we will get there someday, there are so, so many other examples of inaccessible technologies out there that are actually harming blind students and employees that I think we have no shortage of battles to fight.

Best,
Matthias