WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached a settlement with a California test prep company over allegations the company did not make its online courses and tutoring sessions accessible for the deaf or hard of hearing.
The DOJ reached the settlement with Teachers Test Prep Inc., (TTP), which it alleges violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This stems from a complaint that the company's online video courses did not display closed captions for deaf individuals or accommodations for one-on-one online tutoring.
According to the DOJ complaint, a person enrolled in the course so that she could pass the CBEST as required by her employer could not complete the course because TTP offered no accessibility for deaf individuals.
“Exam preparation courses should be provided in a manner that is accessible to individuals with disabilities,” Civil Rights Division acting attorney general John Gore said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will work to ensure that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing have an equal opportunity to participate in such courses.".
According to the DOJ, the settlement includes TTP paying the complainant $5,000 and a free course as well as adopting ADA course modifications and ADA training for its staff. TTP will also add captioning on its online videos and post information on its website where requests for sign language interpreters and auxiliary aids can be made.