After several years of litigation, TRE Legal Practice and co-counsel Disability Rights Advocates have helped the National Federation of the Blind and three of its members who rely on screen readers to reach a settlement agreement with the California Department of Insurance (CD) and their licensing examination vendor, PSI Services LLC (PSI).
Under the recent public settlement agreement, the defendants have agreed to stop requiring blind or low-vision test-takers to first provide medical documentation before being allowed to use their screen access software. PSI will further ensure its online testing technology is independently usable by blind and low-vision users in accordance with digital access standards. PSI will also train its test proctors on the use of screen reader technology during online proctored exams.
Blind and low-vision test-takers will now have access to the same examination scheduling options and online conveniences as those offered to others without disabilities.
The pandemic saw a radical increase in the number of licensing and high stakes exams that were being administered online. Many professional exam services kept this convenient online offering well after the pandemic had subsided. This agreement helps ensure that the online testing industry remains accessible to those who depend on assistive technology such as screen readers.