News-Bite

Pearson VUE partners with Microsoft to bring accessible testing to Austin Lighthouse – Travis Association for the Blind


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.


About Pearson VUE

Pearson VUE has been a pioneer in the computer-based testing industry for decades, delivering more than 16 million certification and licensure exams annually in every industry from academia and admissions to IT and healthcare. We are the global leader in developing and delivering high-stakes exams via the world's most comprehensive network of nearly 20,000 highly secure test centers as well as online testing in over 180 countries. Our leadership in the assessment industry is a result of our collaborative partnerships with a broad range of clients, from leading technology firms to government and regulatory agencies. For more information, please visit PearsonVUE.com.

Media contact

Greg Forbes, Global PR & Communications Manager
+44 (0) 7824 313448
greg.forbes@pearson.com