[acb-hsp] Clinical testing problem

Laura Glowacki orangebutterfly87 at gmail.com
Wed May 18 23:53:53 GMT 2011 

Darian,

I am preparing to enter the LSW process but haven't gotten as far 
as you have.  I have study materials that are accessible from 
another blind woman who took a test in a different state from me, 
but I believe it's materials for the LSW, not LCSW.  I'm very 
curious to see if the LSW practice exam is also inaccessible? 
Did you obtain your LSW before your LCSW, and what was the 
process like for you?

I am very interested to continue to follow your progress with 
this as it certainly is an access issue.  I'll doublecheck to see 
if I have any lcsw study materials in accessible format and email 
you offlist if I find something.

Laura Glowacki
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Darian Slayton Fleming" <darehart56 at hotmail.com>
To: "'Discussion list for ACB human service professionals'" 
<acb-hsp at acb.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 2:43 PM
Subject: Re: [acb-hsp] Clinical testing problem


Thanks for
your comments, Jennifer.

I don’t know how the ASWB knows the practice exam is not 
accessible.  They didn’t explain how they know thiis, and I 
wondered the same thing.  Perhaps they have had to deal with this 
question on other occasions.

When I called the candidate registration center to order it they 
said it was not accessible.  I talked with two separate people.

Then I talked with Tanya Carpenter, the person who arranges 
accommodations for the testing sites.  She said she doesn’t 
handle accommodations regarding their web site.

I spoke with my contact at the Oregon Board of Clinical Social 
Workers, and she referred me back to Tanya Carpenter.

I am unwilling to spend $75 to find out the practice exam is not 
accessible.  I am barely making ends meet at this point and don’t 
want the hassle of trying to get my money back if the practice 
exam is truly not accessible.

I have started my resolution process by inquiring on this list 
about others’ experiences with this issue.  I have also emailed 
Eric Bridges and spokekn  to a couple of people locally.

I appreciate your ideas.  I will contact the NASW.

I have received some other comments which I will also follow-up 
on.

I’ll keep you all posted.

Thanks for your support.  This is a perfect example of how this 
list, and the ACB-HSP can function to assist professionals in the 
human service professionals who are blind.

Darian
From: Jennifer Harnish
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 12:02 PM
To: 'Discussion list for ACB human service professionals'
Subject: Re: [acb-hsp] Clinical testing problem

    You say two different things that I  wanted to clarify. First 
you stated that the exam is not accessible by your screen reader 
but then you stated that they do not have the means to test the 
accessibility of the exam . So I  am wondering how you or they 
know for sure that the exam is not accessible? I  ask this 
because one possible solution would be for them to hire the 
developer of your screen reader to test the accessibility of the 
exam in order to confirm its accessibility or not. Their concern 
may be that the content needs to be kept secure like any testing 
material, but if they hire the independent source, would this not 
be a  reasonable first step?

I  have also been led to understand that the NASW is supportive 
of therapists with disabilities. Perhaps they can refer you to an 
LICSW who has taken this exam recently using a  screen reader if 
you cannot find someone on this list or thru other contacts.
What a  frustrating place to find yourself in after working so 
hard to get to this final step in the process. Especially if you 
have studied for this exam, time is certainly critical here.
I  will ask around my area about LICSW's who may have dealt with 
this issue.
Jennifer Harnish


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org [mailto:acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org] On 
Behalf Of Darian Slayton Fleming
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 2:37 PM
To: acb-hsp at acb.org
Subject: [acb-hsp] Clinical testing problem


Hi List,

I am preparing to take the clinical exam to obtain my license as 
a clinical social worker (LCSW).

I was approved to take the exam, and when I attempted to order 
the practice exam, which is administered on line at the 
Associated Social Work Boards’ web site (aswb.com), they told me 
the practice exam is not accessible with screen readers.  It 
costs $75 to purchase; then you get a user name and password, 
take the exam and it is scored on line.

They have told me it is not accessible with screen readers.  They 
say they don’t have the means on site to test the exam with 
screen readers.  When I explained that I thought their IT people 
needed to resolve this issue, they told me there were other 
testing products on the market that I could purchase, I asked 
them to recommend one or two.  I was told that they could not 
endorse products that were not their own.  I suggested that I 
thought it was a reasonable accommodation that they should be 
able to recommend other products to me if they could not 
accommodate me with their products.  They also informed me that 
they do offer accommodations such as providing readers and extra 
time at their testing sites.  I believe they also have to make 
their practice exam accessible.  If they claim undue hardship, it 
seems to me they should have to recommend other products that are 
accessible.

They then instructed me to send them an email stating these 
points.

Through my investigation I have learnd that this is a Title III 
issue and that the ASWB must comply with web site accessibility. 
Even though parts of the web site are accessible, so should be 
the practice exam process on their web site.

I am wondering, has anyone on this list or someone you know run 
into this issue?  If yes, how did, or did you resolve the issue? 
Were you able to take a practice exam as part of your study 
process?

Did you file a complaint with the DOJ?  If so, what is the status 
of your complaint?

Do you know of any other practiceexam products that are 
accessible?

I am copying my message ehre to my clinical supervisor.  I am 
also sending a summary of this message to the person at the ASWB 
who asked for it.  Thanks for any information you might share 
with me.

Darian Slayton Fleming
ACB-HSP President
darehart56 at hotmail.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3645 - Release Date: 
05/18/11



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
acb-hsp mailing list
acb-hsp at acb.org
http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-hsp



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


_______________________________________________
acb-hsp mailing list
acb-hsp at acb.org
http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-hsp

More information about the acb-hsp mailing list