Marissa interviews Kaleigh Brendle, a high school senior in New Jersey who learned in March that the College Board would not provide paper, Braille copies of her AP exams. They discuss the legal action Kaleigh took and share self-advocacy tips.
Kaleigh Brendle is a Justice & Peace studies major at Villanova University. She directs the Sing for Serenity Choir, an international online choir for blind and visually impaired vocalists, and released her first album, Karma, in 2021. She is also the President of the New Jersey National Association of Blind Students.
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Connect with Kaleigh Brendle!
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4B5ArolwW72GiMxJSsndwQ?feature=gws_kp_artist&feature=gws_kp_artist
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kaleighbrendle/?hl=en
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XIPvIm5qYnteMQJNPmTYe?autoplay=true&source_application=google_assistant
Apple Podcasts - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kaleigh-brendle/1586133796
Twitter - https://mobile.twitter.com/livewithkaleigh
Key Points:
2:30 - Sing for Serenity Choir
4:55 - What accommodations do you typically receive for tests? And how did the college board change them at the start of the pandemic?
10:10 - What actions did you take after speaking with the College Board?
13:09 - How did it feel to connect with other members of the blind community throughout this process?
15:47 - Did you ever feel discouraged throughout the process and how did you deal with those feelings?
19:51 - How can blind people advocate for themselves in their daily life?
Resources:
https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/blind-students-and-advocates-resolve-dispute-college-board-over-ap-exams
https://www.foxnews.com/media/exclusive-student-files-complaint-claiming-the-college-board-ap-exams-are-discriminating-against-blind-blinds-and-deaf-students
https://navigatingblindness.com/2020/07/13/we-are-not-blind-to-injustice-the-2020-college-board-experience/
https://nypost.com/2020/05/21/student-files-complaint-claiming-ap-exams-discriminate-against-blind-and-deaf/
Resources & Transcript - https://www.blondeblind.com/post/2-not-blind-to-injustice
