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<DIV dir=ltr class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
chapter-presidents-bounces@nfbnet.org
[mailto:chapter-presidents-bounces@nfbnet.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Freeh,Jessica
(by way of David Andrews <dandrews@visi.com>)<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday,
May 05, 2010 10:13 AM<BR><B>To:</B> david.andrews@nfbnet.org<BR><B>Subject:</B>
[Chapter-presidents] Law Schools Discriminate Against
BlindApplicants<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT size=4
face="Helvetica, Helvetica"><B>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR><BR></FONT><FONT size=5
face="Helvetica, Helvetica"> <BR><BR></FONT><FONT
face="Helvetica, Helvetica">CONTACT:<BR><BR></B>Chris Danielsen<BR><BR>Director
of Public Relations<BR><BR>National Federation of the Blind<BR><BR>(410)
659-9314, extension 2330<BR><BR>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<BR><BR><A
href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</A><BR><BR> <BR><BR><BR></FONT>
<DIV align=center>
<H1><B>Law Schools Discriminate Against Blind
Applicants<BR><BR><BR><BR></B></H1></DIV>
<H2><B>National Federation of the Blind Files Complaints Against Nine Law
Schools</B></H2><FONT size=5
face="Helvetica, Helvetica"> <BR><BR></FONT><B>Baltimore, Maryland (May 5,
2010):</B> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation�s oldest and
largest organization of blind people, announced today that it has filed
complaints with the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division,
requesting investigations of nine prominent law schools for violating the civil
rights of blind and other print-disabled law school applicants. The NFB
filed the complaints because the law schools require applicants who wish to have
the convenience of applying online to use a centralized Internet-based
application process provided by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) through
its Web site (<A href="http://www.lsac.org/" eudora="autourl">www.lsac.org</A>)
that is inaccessible to blind law school applicants. While sighted law
school applicants can use the LSAC system to submit multiple law school
applications at once, blind students must seek sighted assistance to use the
LSAC system. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires
these law schools to offer equal access to their programs and services.
The nine law schools named in the complaints are The University of Chicago Law
School, Yeshiva University�s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Atlanta�s John
Marshall Law School, University of Denver�s Sturm College of Law, Washington and
Lee University School of Law, University of Miami School of Law, William
Mitchell College of Law, Gonzaga University School of Law, and Northeastern
University School of Law. The complaints ask the Justice Department to
require these law schools to suspend use of the LSAC application system until it
is accessible to blind and other print-disabled students and to require each law
school to provide the same application process in a format available to all
students. The NFB already has a lawsuit pending against the LSAC for violating
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />California law by maintaining
an inaccessible Web site.<BR><BR> <BR><BR>Blind people access Web sites on
computers equipped with screen access software that converts what is on the
screen into synthesized speech or Braille. The keyboard is used instead of
a mouse to navigate the Web site and click on selected links or buttons.
If a <BR><BR>Web site is improperly coded, however, blind computer users cannot
access or interact with the site. The LSAC application process does not
present information to screen access software and thus requires blind users to
resort to sighted assistance. <BR><BR> <BR><BR>Dr. Marc Maurer,
President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: �The National
Federation of the Blind expects those who control admission to the practice of
law to obey the law. Forcing blind law school applicants to use a separate
and inherently unequal application process violates both the letter and the
spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.
Accessibility standards for Web-based forms like those used in the Law School
Admissions Council�s application system have been in place for years and have
been successfully implemented by many other Web sites, so there is no reason why
the LSAC cannot make its application service available to blind law school
applicants. That is why we have asked the United States Department of
Justice to act swiftly and decisively to ensure that blind law school applicants
are treated the same as their sighted peers.�<BR><BR> <BR><BR>The National
Federation of the Blind is represented in this matter by Daniel F. Goldstein and
Mehgan Sidhu of the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein, and Levy; Laurence W.
Paradis, Anna Levine, and Karla Gilbride of the Berkley firm Disability Rights
Advocates; and Scott C. LaBarre of the Denver firm LaBarre Law
Offices.<BR><BR> <BR><BR> <BR><BR>
<DIV align=center><B>###<BR><BR></B></DIV> <BR><BR> <BR><BR><B>About
the National Federation of the Blind<BR><BR></B>With more than 50,000 members,
the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential
membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB
improves blind people�s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology,
and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the
leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's
blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind
Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States
for the blind led by the blind. <BR><BR></BODY></HTML>