[nfb-talk] standardized ttest accessibility

[Amelia Dickerson]

I'm mostly just using this as a forum in which to gripe about being
refused a standardized test in the accessible format I choose, and to
see if anyone has any feedback. I am working on teacher licensure in
Colorado in secondary sociaal studies, part of which requires I take
the PLACE test. I registered and was promptly told I do not have the
option of taking an electronic format of the test. I have discussed
this with the testing company, but they are stone walling and ignoring
my arguments. Fortunately, the Colorado Department of Education has
been much more responsive and will potentially put some pressure on
the testing company. People have been shocked at the idea that I don't
want to license to teach blind students, but instead all secondary
students, although I know there are other mainstream teachers who are
blind in this state. The testing company insists that the only options
I have are to take the test in braille or to use a reader. This is
already a 5 hour test, and I am not going to put 80% of my energy on
test day into reading massive amounts of braille, and I very, very
much prefer to take tests electronically versus with a reader. I can
do these things independently, but they are inssisting I depend on a
human reading the test to me. I struggle to find workk because of
employers' concerns about what I cannot do, but then other people will
not let me just do. I have proper documentation from my doctor,
confirming that I am in deed blind, but I have people asking if my
doctor said that electronic format was the best way for me to take the
test. What does my doctor know about that? She is a family doctor who
can confirm that I am blind, but she doesn't know squat about how I
maneuver the world. What makes her word into gospel truth on a subject
I know far more about than she does? I know, I know, these are old
issues. I'm just always surprised each time I run into situations
where people who are sighted can be so block-headed about letting me
do the wide variety of things I really can do. Oy vey.

-- 
Amelia Dickerson

What counts can't always be counted, and what can be counted doesn't
always count.
Albert Einstein