[blindlaw] Bar Exam Accommodations

[Carrie Ann Lucas]

I took the Colorado exam in July 05.  I was able to take both the MBE and
the essay in electronic format.  I used NCBE's computer for the MBE, and my
own laptop for the essay.  I have a spare laptop, and I gave it to the
Colorado bar examiners a couple of weeks prior to the exam.  I had a clean
hard drive in the computer that only had programs, but no data.  I dropped
the computer off a couple of weeks before the exam so that their technicians
could examine it.  

Carrie Ann Lucas
Attorney/Equal Justice Works Fellow
Center for Rights of Parents with Disabilities
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
655 Broadway, Suite 775
Denver, CO 80203
303.839.1775 (voice
303.839.0015 (TTY and CapTel)
303.839.1782 (facsimile)
800.817.1435 (voice)
877.267.1621(TTY and CapTel)
www.ccdconline.org 

-----Original Message-----
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