Redmond, Wash. (Oct. 25, 2022) The Austin Lighthouse-Travis Association for the Blind serves the visually impaired and blind within Central Texas as a provider of tools, training, and coaching for workforce development. After witnessing a persistently high rate of unemployment in this community, the Association determined that technology might be the remedy.
Austin Lighthouse reached out to Microsoft for assistance and received a grant to grow its IT training program. Microsoft also made its exam content accessible, and Pearson VUE worked closely with both Austin Lighthouse and Microsoft to implement Job Access with Speech (JAWS) software, which enables speech and Braille output for visually impaired candidates.
This program will make Austin Lighthouse the first non-Pearson VUE-owned test center to permanently offer the use of JAWS to test-takers sitting for certification exams. In addition, the exam proctors at the Austin Lighthouse facility will be trained to assist people with disabilities.
