[nfbcs] Inaccessible Employment Qualification Test

[Gary Wunder]

Let me know what you find since I am sure you want to get a 13.

Gary 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Stanzel, Susan - Kansas City, MO
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 8:10 PM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Inaccessible Employment Qualification Test

Hi Gary,

One of the requirements for getting a GS 13 is passing the Java
certification test. I have not yet approached a testing center, but I have
been giving it some thought.

Susie

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Gary Wunder
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2011 1:41 PM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'
Cc: Scott C. LaBarre; Daniel F. Goldstein 
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Inaccessible Employment Qualification Test

Hello Aaron.  At the convention of the National Federation of the Blind, one
of the finest presentations we heard was from Daniel F Goldstein, the
attorney who handles many of our technology access issues.  I am going to
send your note to him and to our good friend Scott LaBarre.  I certainly
believe that the National Federation of the Blind will be interested in
taking action.  These are the very kinds of issues we are targeting.  We
will take on as many of them as we can, and this will largely be determined
by membership support and the willingness of members like you to report
these occurrences.

Warmly,
 
Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Aaron Cannon
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 9:54 AM
To: nfbcs at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbcs] Inaccessible Employment Qualification Test

Hi all.

I am rather frustrated, and I'm wondering if folks can offer any input
on a situation I am having.

I recently had a job interview that I feel went very well.  The
employer seemed reasonably impressed by my qualifications, and seemed
to have no issue with my blindness.  As part of the hiring process,
they asked me to take a PHP test.

This test, along with many other employment qualification tests are
offered by a company known as PreVisor.  Anyway, I went to take the
test, but as you might have guessed, it was not accessible.  The exam
was actually just fine for the first couple of questions, but on one
of the questions, I was asked to look at a section of source code, and
the source code was unreadable by my screen reader.

Here's what I suspect happened.  In order to preserve the security of
the exam, they thought it would be a good idea to make the source code
snippet into an image.  They likely did this so you can't just copy
and paste the text.  Otherwise, I can think of no other reason to do
that.

Now, my (hopefully future) employer has been really great about this.
They have been
working with me, and I'm sure we'll find some alternative means for me
to show them my PHP skills.  However, the inaccessibility of PreVisor
really disturbs me.  What's worse is their seeming complete
disinterest in fixing the problem.

When I contacted them about it, they basically told me that there was
nothing that could be done.  That's just how it was.  When I asked if
they would give me a little extra time to answer each question so the
source code could be read to me, (normally you get only 3 minutes) the
answer was again, "no."

What really upsets me is these people are in many instances the
gatekeepers for jobs.  For a lot of folks, they determine whether or
not a person gets hired.  How many people are going to be shut out of
jobs, or at the very least not considered on the same level as their
sighted co-applicants because of this companies apathy?

I don't know if anything can be done about this, legally or otherwise,
hence my email to this list.  I just know that it seems very wrong to
me, and is something that is likely to harm the job chances of other
blind folks in the future.

As a side note, their testing services appear to be used by many
different companies and organizations, including by the government
(which branch or at what level, I don't know).

Anyway, any thoughts or ideas on this situation would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Aaron

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