[nfb-talk] Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement to Make Law School Application Processes Accessible to Blind Applicants

[Sherri]

This is great and something that NFB has been working towards for a long 
time. See link to article and full article below.

Sherri

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/April/11-crt-519.html#maincontent



Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Justice Department Reaches ADA Settlement to Make Law School Application 
Processes Accessible to Blind Applicants
Agreement also reached with Atlanta's John Marshall Law School
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced today its participation in two 
related settlement agreements involving the accessibility of the Law School 
Admission Council's (LSAC) online application service, which is used by law 
schools nationwide for their application processes.   As a result of these 
agreements, LSAC's online application service, and the online application 
process of the nation's law schools, will be accessible to individuals who 
are blind.



Under the first agreement, which resolves a lawsuit filed against LSAC by 
the National Federation of the Blind, LSAC will take critical steps to 
ensure that its online application website, www.lsac.org , will be fully 
accessible to individuals who use screen readers by the beginning of the 
fall 2012 application cycle.   Application through the LSAC website offers 
several convenient features to applicants-including LSAC's "Common 
Information Form;" bundling of applications into the required LSAC 
Credential Assembly Service, which eliminates the need to obtain multiple 
transcripts, letters of recommendations and evaluations for applicants to 
more than one school; and online payment of the application fee.   The 
department is a signatory to this agreement, which signifies that the steps 
the LSAC will undertake for its website will satisfy, in part, the law 
schools' obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to make 
their application processes equally accessible to individuals who are blind.



The second agreement is between the department and Atlanta's John Marshall 
Law School.   It requires the law school to modify its own website to notify 
potential applicants of a process they may use to apply to the law school 
until the LSAC electronic application process has been made fully 
accessible.   Specifically, the notice will state that LSAC currently 
provides telephone assistance free of charge to individuals completing 
applications.   The law school will also post current policies of 
non-discrimination on the basis of disability on its application website. 
Finally, the law school will cease using the LSAC electronic application 
process for the fall 2012 application cycle if the LSAC website is not fully 
accessible under the terms reached in the agreement involving the National 
Federation of the Blind (NFB), LSAC and the department.   The agreement is 
the result of an investigation following a complaint from the NFB about the 
school's use of the LSAC website.  The department is working with other law 
schools to reach similar agreements.



"Increased use of the Internet or other electronic technologies may enhance 
convenience for law schools and applicants alike, but the rights of 
individuals with disabilities may not be violated in the process," said 
Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. 
"In this case, blind students were denied an equal opportunity to apply to 
law school.  The ADA requires equal access to educational opportunities, and 
the Civil Rights Division is committed to vigorous enforcement of the ADA."



In passing the ADA and the recent ADA Amendments Act, Congress found that 
individuals with disabilities were uniquely disadvantaged in critical areas, 
including education.   The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of 
disability by public accommodations and covers discrimination by private 
educational facilities, including law schools and other post-graduate 
institutions.  Those interested in seeking information about ADA rights and 
responsibilities may access the department's ADA website at www.ada.gov or 
call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 
514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD).   For the full agreements, visit 
www.ada.gov/LSAC.htm and www.ada.gov/john-marshall-lawsch.htm .

11-519
Civil Rights Division

Please check out the link below and help blind people in your local area 
achieve their dreams by visiting
http://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/Sherri.Brun
Thank you.

Character is the side of yourself you choose to show the world. Integrity is 
what you do, what you say and how you act when you think no one is paying 
attention.
Sherri Brun
flmom2006 at gmail.com