Hi. Just to add, I'm going to try for the Comptia Network+ certificate next. My accommodations are valid for another year or so. How much of the exam will be visual in nature, I'm not sure yet. Imagining questions like identify this connector. Which will be tricky. I tried Cisco CCNA years ago but that was in a test centre and not ideal having someone describe diagrams... Anyway, I'll let you know all how that goes but it will probably be a month or 2 before I take it. Regards Chris. -----Original Message----- From: Samuel Barnes via Blind-sysadmins <blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Sent: 24 February 2026 12:34 To: Mailing list for blind system administrators <blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Cc: Samuel Barnes <samuellbarnes@gmail.com> Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Re: Experience with taking Comptia test online with PearsonVUE But you still have to plod through Pearson's nonsense, correct? I tried using their online system in 2022. I took the practice exam that tests your system while the magnifier was running and it didn't flag anything . That's what made me start studying for the ENCOR. Then in the spring of 2023 when I was ready to take the cert I ran the practice test again and it flagged Windows magnifier as suspicious, meaning I'd have to apply for accommodations. There's so much they have the power to improve but choose not to. They could establish which centers can accommodate which disabilities in their system so they don't have to call every time. They could integrate the accommodations process into the same Pearson account you use to register exams as a sighted person. They could mark these accounts with the accommodations they require. On Mon, Feb 23, 2026 at 7:59 PM Andrew Hodgson via Blind-sysadmins < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:
Hi.
On the Microsoft side I can't do the exams from a test centre and do it from home on my own system with JFW, that works better for me actually. Is that not possible for the Cisco exams?
Andrew.
-----Original Message----- From: Samuel Barnes via Blind-sysadmins < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Sent: 23 February 2026 23:11 To: Mailing list for blind system administrators < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Cc: Samuel Barnes <samuellbarnes@gmail.com> Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Re: Experience with taking Comptia test online with PearsonVUE
At least I'm not the only one.
Maybe we should do something about this? Bring it up to the NFB or something? It's criminal compared to what a sighted person does, click a few buttons and pay $300. It adds so much stress on top of the exam. I give them their own internal database number for the testing center I want to use, and call that center to make sure everything is set up, and STILL they just throw a dart at a board and send me to a random center. This last time their ZoomText license had expired and I had to blow up the text itself. It worked out fine this time because there weren't many pictures but if this were a lab-heavy exam I would have failed.
On Mon, Feb 23, 2026 at 10:38 AM Andrew Hodgson via Blind-sysadmins < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:
Interestingly my accommodation has expired from last year and renewing it for some MS exams is proving a real challenge. Also the company I work for now has an enterprise booking system which doesn't work well at all with the accommodations process. This is a real mess which is burning out candidates before they even start the exam.
Andrew.
-----Original Message----- From: Chris Nestrud via Blind-sysadmins < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Sent: 23 February 2026 16:31 To: Mailing list for blind system administrators < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> Cc: Chris Nestrud <ccn@chrisnestrud.com> Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Re: Experience with taking Comptia test online with PearsonVUE
My condolences, I'm going through scheduling now, and I will have spent more time on the phone than I will spend taking the actual exam.
Chris
On Sun, Feb 22, 2026 at 07:34:23PM -0600, Samuel Barnes via Blind-sysadmins wrote:
Congrats on passing the exam.
I just failed my second attempt at the ENWLSD track of the CCNP exam. This is after six attempts at the ENARSI. In both cases I can pass practice tests just fine but for some reason keep failing the exams.
Dealing with Pearson's ADA accommodations process is beyond exhausting. I'm genuinely reconsidering my career. I love network administration but if this is what I have to do to remain employable I don't think I can keep it up.
All my certs (CCNA, Cisco Cyber Ops, ENCOR) are expiring next month and I'm too burnt out to do anything about it. I've been at the CCNP since 2022 and am just done with it all.
Any advice?
On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 7:32 AM Chris Turner via Blind-sysadmins < blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:
HI all.
I said I'd get back regarding this.
I've just passed the Comptia Security+ exam online with Pearson VUE. Woo!
I won't talk about the questions, obviously. However, a couple of observations on the test process from a Windows screenreader user PoV.
Firstly, once you have accomidations granted, you have to do a system test. This checks network bandwidth, camera, microphone, sound and some security aspects. You may need to disable or uninstall Dropbox for example.
I did need help with Aira over a remote call, just to check I was visible in the camera view. This was several weeks ago when accomodations were granted.
On the day itself, when you check in to the exam, you do another system test, which is now logged against your ID. I did not use Aira at this time.
System passed. You then wait for the proctor to do what ever it is they need to check there end. Make sure you have valid photo ID in case you need to show it.
There was quite a delay between checking in and the exam starting. I was getting a bit worried but message on screen says it can start after your appointment time. Eventually the proctor spoke to me and the screen updated so I could proceed.
The exam itself was almost entirely accessible. The one bit that wasn't, some text, a fragment of a log, was not read out. I had to used JAWS OCR to access this text. I did not experience any questions with diagrams but this could be possible I suppose too.
The rest of it was fine, with standard form controls and no gotyas.
Anyway would use again. I'm interested in looking at perhaps trying the penitration cert or Linux cert.
Regards
Chris
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