RedHat and accessibility

[Jason Fayre <jfayre@fayre.net>]

Hello Everyone,
I have been a Linux user since 1993.  I recently got my RHCE certification
from RedHat.
I agree that RedHat has put some effort into making Linux more accessible.
However, I have a serious problem with the way RedHat handles
accessibility issues with regards to their education devision.

When the company I work for decided that our team needed to be RHCE
certified, I had considerable trouble convincing RedHat to let me take the
certification test.
I am a braille display user and have been for years.  RedHat would not
permit me to use BRLTTY to take their certification exam.  There reasoning
was that by putting brltty on te testing system, I was "modifying the
operating system" and therefore they were unable to certify me.
After much discussion that went as high as one of their VPs, they did
permit me to use a serial console to take the test.  One of the
"solutions" they proposed was that I take the test as a "dry run".  If I
passed it, they wouldn't certify me.  Rather, they would make me take the
test again once they had some accessibility features in the OS.
Obviously, this was complete unacceptable.  As I said earlier, they did
let me take the test through a serial console, but this is most
deffinately not my preferred wayh of doing things.

The other major issue I have with RH is there complete unwillingness to
provide electronic coppies of their courseware.  The only reason I passed
the RHCE test is that I have several years of Linux experience.  They did
let me have access to a server that had the electronic text on it while in
the class.  However, they would not let me take a copy of the docs home to
study.  This is eaven after I offered to sign an NDA against copying the
material.  They make you sign three non-disclosure agreements in order to
take the certification test.
I will shortly be taking another course from RedHat.  There policy on
documentation has not changed at all.  Once again, they will not let me
have equal access to the course documentation.

I realize that I am ranting here, but I feel that this needs to be said.
I won't deny that RH has done some good things for the Linux accessibility
cause, but they need to incorporate this into there corporate policies as
well.