Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Did you know that you can have additional time on standardized tests for various disabilities? According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, testing accommodations are "...changes to the regular testing environment and auxiliary aids and services that allow individuals with disabilities to demonstrate their true aptitude or achievement level on standardized exams or other high-stakes tests." Apart from extended time, individuals with disabilities may request wheelchair access, braille or large-print test booklets, and screen reading technology amongst others.

According to the American Disabilities Act, "an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (such as seeing, hearing, learning, reading, concentrating, or thinking) or a major bodily function (such as the neurological, endocrine, or digestive system)." One must provide proof of such a disability in order to avail of testing accommodations; examples of proof include observations made by educators, proof of past testing accommodations, results of psycho-educational or other professional evaluations, and even a written statement by the test-taker of his or her history of testing accommodations.

Examples of disabilities include but are not limited to ADHD, blindness of various extents, and hearing impairment. Most standardized test administrators share details, accommodations, and procedures on their website. The following, for example, is a link to the College Board's guide to using accommodations on the Digital SAT:

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/accommodations-digital-testing

To know more about testing accommodations and the disabilities they provide for from an official source, click here.