[blindLaw] Accommodations for bar exam

Tue Nov 1 18:25:34 UTC 2022

Julie:

Please don't take this the wrong way. I would suggest that you take ownership of the process from the Get-go, while using the assistance as no more than another resource at your disposal. As you can tell, the process can be unpredictable in many jurisdictions, so you want to be sure that you are the one driving the train at all times.

Good luck to everyone preparing to sit for the bar exam in the near future. Stay positive and don't be discouraged by those temporary setbacks.

Rod,

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity via BlindLaw
Sent: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 1:26 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Accommodations for bar exam

Hi Lauren,

I'm reading this thread with interest as I also plan to take the Bar in February of 2024. My plan is to meet with our Office of Academic Excellence in the spring and discuss everything Bar exam with them. I have been told they will help me get everything I need for my accommodations request. Is there an office at school that might help you fill out inaccessible forms/gather materials?

Good luck!

Julie

On 11/1/22, James Fetter via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Have you litigated—or are you aware of—any cases related to 
> accessibility barriers and/or unnecessarily burdensome documentation 
> requirements inthe accommodations process itself or other parts of the 
> bar application (e.g. an inaccessible character and fitness 
> application)? I could see standing being an issue, if the request for 
> accommodations is approved, but it is problematic that some state 
> boards have created so many unnecessary accessibility barriers to aspiring blind attorneys.
>
> from my iPhone
>
>> On Nov 1, 2022, at 11:43 AM, Tim Elder via BlindLaw 
>> <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> We have litigated several cases to establish the right to take the 
>> bar exam in an electronic format with a screen reader.  You should 
>> report any refusal to grant that request immediately.  There is a 
>> long string cite of cases supporting the view that bar exams must be 
>> offered in accessible electronic formats.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Sanho Steele-Louchart <sanho817 at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Monday, October 31, 2022 7:09 AM
>> To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Accommodations for bar exam
>>
>> Ugh. Disappointing, but not surprising, to hear that James had the 
>> polar opposite experience than I did. I wonder if the board of bar 
>> examiners pulled my accommodation documentation directly from my 
>> school. I suspect I signed a release of information somewhere along 
>> the way. In response to Nikki's scantron issue, I just typed my 
>> answers in a Word document that was saved onto a USB and filled out for me after the exam was finished.
>> The essay answers were saved and submitted just as though they'd been 
>> hand-written.
>>
>> Warmth,
>> Sanho
>>
>>> On 10/31/22, Singh, Nandini via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Lauren,
>>>
>>> I second James' documentation recommendations. Demonstrating a 
>>> history of using what is for you a standard set of accommodations 
>>> usually goes a long way (excluding the LSAC) in convincing the 
>>> powers that be to approve accommodation requests. At this point, I 
>>> am not quite remembering my process when I was working on getting 
>>> accommodations for NY. I imagine some forms were involved, with a 
>>> place to submit extra documentation. I also remained in close email 
>>> contact with whoever was the testing accommodations coordinator. 
>>> That individual was fantastic and really helped things go
>>> smoothly: my accommodations were approved, and aside for a 
>>> completely random family emergency the day before, the exam days 
>>> went well. I had an electronic exam, probably Word or HTML. I could 
>>> use JAWS on my own laptop. I also used a Braille note taker to write 
>>> out essays that I uploaded to a Word document via a card reader and 
>>> memory card. I believe that the oddest item was having to announce 
>>> my answers to my proctor/scribe, but it was not a big deal, as I had 
>>> to do this for the MPRE. The proctor, as Sanho similarly described, 
>>> got up from her chair from time to time to check that I was not doing anything untoward.
>>> Most of the time, she read a novel or worked on a crossword to pass 
>>> the many hours in the exam room.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Nikki
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of James 
>>> Fetter via BlindLaw
>>> Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2022 11:46 PM
>>> To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: James Fetter <jtfetter at yahoo.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Accommodations for bar exam
>>>
>>> [EXTERNAL]
>>>
>>> Lauren,
>>> I would suggest doing the following ASAP:
>>> 1. Gather all, and I do mean all, proof of accommodations you 
>>> received on prior standardized tests, in college and law school, and 
>>> whatever else they ask for.
>>> 2. Find someone you trust to help fill out inaccessible forms. Is 
>>> this remotely fair or ADA compliant? No. Do boards of law examiners care?
>>> Also no.
>>> 3. Include in your application a letter detailing your requested 
>>> accommodations and justifying each with reference to accommodations 
>>> you received in the past.
>>> 4. Read, very carefully, any correspondence from your state board. 
>>> And push back hard, if they don’t give you what you need to do your best.
>>> You absolutely should get an accessible electronic exam/Jaws and the 
>>> ability to write essays on your computer, but your MBE answers will 
>>> likely be recorded by a scribe. This is pretty standard.
>>> Good luck! I went through the accommodations process in two 
>>> different states. I still have PTSD from the Kafkaesque process in 
>>> one of these states.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Oct 30, 2022, at 8:53 PM, Lauren Bishop via BlindLaw 
>>>> <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Good evening All,
>>>> Have any of you had success with advocating for an accessible 
>>>> electronic version of your bar exam, and the ability to use jaws? I 
>>>> was looking at the Florida accommodations petition, and I noticed 
>>>> that the only formats that they listed or braille, large, print, or 
>>>> audio CD. The petition doesn’t say anything about the use of a 
>>>> screen reader, and, although I am proficient in braille, I need to 
>>>> be able to type my essays because I’ve never worked with a scribe before.
>>>> Also, I use jaws more than I use braille, and in past standardized, 
>>>> test administrations, I have use the
>>>> screen reader to take the test.   I’m also noticing that none of the
>>>> petition documents are fillable I a person using a screen reader.
>>>> If any of you have information regarding this, I would really 
>>>> appreciate it.
>>>> Lauren.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> He/Him
>>
>>
>>
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--
Julie A. McGinnity
MM Vocal Performance, 2015; American University Washington College of Law, JD Candidate 2023

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