[blindlaw] Questions Regarding Bar Exam for Braille Readers

[Shelley Richards]

Hi,
I took the bar exam in an electronic format. I found it very convenient in that particular format. Although I did not ask for braille because I did not think I would be able to read the exam fast enough in braille. Taking the multistate performance test in electronic format was not a Challenge for me, I felt it was very similar to writing a memo using electronic research materials which I did all throughout law school.  I had no difficulty with the essays in electronic format either, although this is how I took all of my law school exams as well. I also had all of my books for law school in electronic form, I got very little brailled  materials throughout college and law school although I did have a lot of them in high school. Because I used electronic method so often in law school I felt it was probably the best for the exam. Now in practice most of the materials I deal with are also electronic so it worked out well to have done it that way. For the exam. I was however unable to get the MBE in an electronic format, and I had to do it with an audio cd and giving my answers to a transcriber tefillin. Although they let me use my computer to type my answers and read them back after each 50 questions to describe that way I could doublecheck with her that we had the same answers.  I found this method for multiple choice questions very difficult because skipping back-and-forth and re-reading questions or answers with an audio CD was complicated and a little confusing at first, when I did the New York essay questions they were in electronic format and it was much much easier to do multiple choice in electronic rather than audio format.  I was however granted permission to use whatever accessibility features of my computer were necessary for me to read the electronic version of the test, I would assume that that would've included a braille display had I wanted to use one. If you really do feel more comfortable with braille I would check to see whether not you were able to use a braille display to read the electronic version of the exam on your personal computer.  You should definitely check with them as soon as possible though to find out if you can use the braille display. You don't want to practice the exam in one way and then get there and find out you can't use the braille display and now you have to take it in electronic format with a screen reader. If you do get permission to do with the braille display I would practice as much as you can using your computer with the braille display.  If you do not have permission to use the braille display then I would recommend not practicing with the braille display as much as possible as well. I had to take the exam twice and I found that once I practiced it exclusively in the method I'd be using on the exam I did significantly better, and passed the last time by a considerable margin.  It was largely the audio format for the MBE that messed me up the first time around, but when I practiced as much as possible with audio formatted questions the second time around I did a whole lot better. My score went from 130.2 to 146.1.   That is a fairly large jump in  points for this test.  I very much believe that the improved performance was due to the fact that I practiced the test in the format that I had to take it in rather than practicing in the format I preferred.  I also took a review course that I felt was better suited for me then Barbri, but I felt so much more comfortable because I practiced the format so much more that I really think that was the bigger improvement.  Good luck, and I hope this helps you. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 23, 2015, at 14:39, Al Elia via blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> For the essay portion, you're permitted to use your own computer. That means you should be able to use a braille display… I know that's not the same as paper, but it might be preferable if you're more comfortable with braille. Were you also given electronic as the accommodation for the MBE?
> 
> Best,
> 
> Al, who is brusquer than usual because he's typing on an iPhone.
> 
>> On May 23, 2015, at 12:34 PM, Tai Tomasi via blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hello all. I just received the contract from my state's bar examiners
>> listing my approved accommodations for the July exam.  I had requested the
>> exam in Braille, but that accommodation was not granted. Instead, the exam
>> will be provided in electronic format. I am uncertain whether I would find
>> brailled or electronic exam materials most efficient, especially on the
>> multi-state performance and essay exams. To those of you who have used both
>> Braille and electronic formats for exams during your education, which do you
>> think would be most efficient for the bar exam? I would be interested in
>> hearing from individuals who took the bar exam using Braille and/or
>> electronic formats. I have just begun my bar prep course, so it is difficult
>> to decide which might be best at this point. I have taken exams in both
>> formats throughout my academic career. I am a very fast Braille reader. Any
>> feedback is appreciated.
>> 
>> Best,
>> 
>> Tai Tomasi
>> _______________________________________________
>> blindlaw mailing list
>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/al.elia%40aol.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blindlaw mailing list
> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/shelleyrichards9%40gmail.com