[blindlaw] Bar Exam Accommodations

[Ford, Tim (DHS-OLS)]

You can install JAWS on several machines under your own license.  I
think it is something like five separate installs.  So how about having
them install your JAWS on their computer?  You could just send them your
JAWS CD or bring it with you to the test site and have them install it
then.   

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of AZNOR99 at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 3:49 PM
To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] Bar Exam Accommodations


Hi Everyone,
 
I wondered if those of you who've already taken the Bar Exam can give me

some advice.  I'm scheduled to sit for the exam this February in
Illinois.  
Until recently, all the plans for accommodations seemed to be  going
fine.  Last 
week, the Board of Admission to the Illinois Bar rep who  handles ADA
matters 
contacted me to let me know that I would be allowed to use  my
Jaws-enabled 
laptop to write the essay portion of the exam with the condition  that
my 
computer be wiped of everything except one word processing program and
Jaws.  I 
wrote back to ask her to be more specific about their  requirements.
For example, 
who would be doing the wiping - the Board or  myself?  Do they literally
want 
everything wiped and all programs  uninstalled, or do they want to just
make 
sure I don't have any BarBri/PMBR  documents or law school files that
would be 
useful for cheating purposes?   Obviously, I am not willing to waste
valuable 
study time to wipe my computer,  and I certainly lack the expertise to
figure 
out what is crucial and what is not  for my laptop to operate.  Also, I
don't 
think I want to wipe five years of  work and programs for one day's use.
If 
they want to do the wiping, I'm  not sure I trust anyone with the
personal 
information I have on my computer, and  again, depending on how long
they need to 
do it, it might interfere with  valuable study time.
 
In Illinois, the Board gives students who don't need accommodations the

option to type the essay portion of the exam using software called
SofTest.  The 
software works as a word processing program, and it also  lockes all
other 
applications so the user can't access anything but  SofTest.  I can't
use SofTest 
because it would lock Jaws out and also  because there are concrete time

limits on each exam, meaning I would not have  extended time. 
 
As an alternative, I suggested the Board get a copy of Jaws and install
it  
on one of their own machines so they'd be able to regulate what is on
the  
machine themselves.  The rep said they'd consider that option, but they
believe 
that it would probably be cost prohibitive.  
 
What did you all do about the essay portion?  I've never used a live
reader 
before on an exam, and I don't think the Bar Exam is an appropriate time
to 
experiment with one.  If I had concrete examples of how other states
deal with 
this issue, it might help convince Illinois to find a sollution that
works 
for all of the parties involved.  
 
Thanks,
Ronza