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Taking Admission Tests When You Have a Disability

With thousands of your peers taking standardized admission tests this year, it stands to reason that at least a few of them will have some sort of disability. What seems like a common rite of passage may take on a whole new perspective if you struggle with distractibility, poor vision, physical handicaps, or some other disabling condition. If you're like many disabled students, the biggest hurdle for you may be the test booklet and the answer sheet. For others, the seating arrangements, time limitations, or distraction of others around them will limit their ability to succeed.

It can be hard to sit still for three hours if you have ADHD, or to fill in the small circles on the answer sheet if you experience tremors. However, if you struggle with testing due to a disability, it may help you to know that special accommodations can be made to help ensure you have a fair opportunity to do well on test day. The testing agency will require documentation, so you'll need to enlist the help of your parents and school counselor to pull everything together. If you are eligible, accommodations can be made for the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, AP exams, and the ACT.

Your parents are your best advocates
Your parents are your best advocates when it comes to requesting fair access to testing. Don't hesitate to ask for their help — the offices of the College Board aren't the first to hear from parents who only want their children to have the same opportunities as everyone else. In recent years, parents just like yours have swayed schools to provide special education services to those who need it, and have driven efforts that resulted in legislature mandating that all students, including those with disabilities, have the right to a free and appropriate education.

In fact, parent advocacy has brought about federal laws that guarantee you the same access to college as all students, as well as the right to reasonable accommodations for your disabilities. A greater number of disabled students than ever now sit for pre-admission tests and get into college, allowing them the opportunity to attain more education and get further in life — an accomplishment that wasn't always in reach for those who could not be as successful in traditional learning and testing environments.

Get your paperwork turned in
You and your parents should work with your school counselors, teachers, and teacher consultants to ensure that your requests for accommodations are submitted completely and on time. Your guidance counselor is a particularly important component of the college-admission-test experience, since he or she has all the information and forms necessary to initiate the process. They will let you know which forms your parents are required to sign for special accommodations on your behalf.

Along with these forms, a School Certification must be completed by the appropriate school official and then be submitted to the College Board's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) or the ACT office. The earlier you can get this done, the better — materials must arrive at the offices no later than the published registration deadlines. Submitting forms as early as possible ensures that your eligibility processing will be completed before the test date. Test dates are the same for everyone, but there are some additional deadlines for your eligibility paperwork, so make sure you get them all on the calendar. Test dates and documentation deadlines for the PSAT, SAT, and AP exams can be found at www.collegeboard.com/ssd/student/time.html. For the ACT, your documentation needs to be in by the test registration deadline, but since it will require additional review to get approval for your accommodations, the earlier you get it in, the better.

Arrange for special accommodations
There are a variety of disabilities and conditions for which reasonable accommodations are allowed. In general, eligible disabilities and conditions include:

  • Blindness or vision problems
  • Deafness or hearing problems
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Learning disabilities
  • Certain medical conditions
  • Physical disabilities

However, you'll need to have sufficient documentation of your disability provided by a qualified diagnostician, such as a psychologist, neuropsychologist, medical doctor, or psychiatrist. They need to submit their name, title, and professional credentials, as well as verification that you have a disability that interferes with your capacity to complete admission testing under normal conditions. Along with this documentation and all of the required signatures, you need to include the proposed test date, the type of accommodation you're requesting, and the name of an alternative test administrator if you are requesting one.

Keep in mind that just because the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guarantees disabled people the right to reasonable accommodation, it doesn't mean that if you have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan in school, you are automatically eligible for special testing accommodations. You still have to meet the eligibility requirements of the testing agency and they may differ from those of your school.

Your school counselor should be able to provide you and your parents with information about eligibility and documentation requirements, as well as how to request special accommodations and what types of accommodations can be made. You can check requirements for the SAT, PSAT and AP exams at www.collegeboard.com/disable/students/html/indx000.html, or for the ACT at www.act.org/aap/disab/policy.html.

Requesting Special Testing Accommodations for a Disabled Student

With thousands of students taking standardized admission tests, it stands to reason that a variety of physical, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or learning disabilities will exist among them. What seems like a common undertaking may take on a whole new perspective to the child who is blind, hyperactive, or overcome by anxiety. For many, the biggest hurdle is the test booklet and the answer sheet. For others, it may be the seating arrangements, the time limitations, or the distraction of others around them.

If your child struggles with testing due to a disability, it may help you to know that special accommodations can be made to ensure your child has a fair opportunity to do well on test day. The testing agency will require documentation, so you may need to help your child facilitate the request. Accommodations can be made for the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, AP exams, and the ACT.

Be your child's advocate
You are your child's best advocate when it comes to requesting fair access to testing. Don't hesitate to be assertive on your child's behalf — the offices of the College Board aren't the first to hear from parents who only want their children to have the same opportunities as everyone else. In recent years, parents of disabled students have swayed schools to provide special education services to those who need it, and have driven efforts that resulted in legislation mandating that all children, including those with disabilities, have the right to a free and appropriate education.

In fact, parent advocacy has brought about federal laws that guarantee students with disabilities the same access to college as all students, as well as the right to reasonable accommodations for their disabilities. A greater number of disabled students than ever now sit for pre-admission tests and get into college, allowing them the opportunity to attain more education and get further in life — an accomplishment that wasn't always in reach for children who could not be as successful in traditional learning and testing environments.

Get your paperwork turned in
If your child has a disability, work with school counselors, teachers, and teacher consultants to ensure that your requests for accommodations are submitted completely and on time. Your child's guidance counselor is particularly important, since he or she has all the information and forms necessary to initiate the process. They can also advise you as to which forms you are required to sign for special accommodations on your child's behalf.

Along with these forms, a School Certification must be completed by the appropriate school official and then be submitted to the College Board's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) or the ACT office. The earlier you can get this done, the better — materials must arrive at the offices no later than the published registration deadlines. Submitting forms early ensures that your child's eligibility processing will be completed before the test date.

Test dates are the same for everyone, but there are some additional deadlines for the eligibility paperwork, so make sure you and your child get them all on the calendar. Test dates and documentation deadlines for the PSAT, SAT, and AP exams can be found at www.collegeboard.com/ssd/student/time.html. For the ACT, documentation needs to be in by the test registration deadline, but since it requires additional review to get approval for accommodations, the earlier your child's request gets in, the better.

Arrange for special accommodations
There are a variety of disabilities and conditions for which reasonable accommodations are allowed. In general, eligible disabilities and conditions include:

  • Blindness or vision problems
  • Deafness or hearing problems
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Learning disabilities
  • Certain medical conditions
  • Physical disabilities

In many cases, information about your child's disability must be provided by a qualified diagnostician, such as a psychologist, neuropsychologist, medical doctor, or psychiatrist. They need to submit their name, title, and professional credentials, as well as verification that your child has a disability that interferes with his or her capacity to complete admission testing under normal conditions. Along with this documentation and all of the required signatures, your request needs to include the proposed test date, the type of accommodation you're requesting, and the name of an alternative test administrator if you are requesting one.

Eligibility
Keep in mind that just because the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guarantees disabled people the right to reasonable accommodation, it doesn't mean that if your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan in school, he or she is automatically eligible for special testing accommodations. Your child has to meet the eligibility requirements of the testing agency and they may differ from those of your child's school.

Your school counselor should be able to provide you with information about eligibility and documentation requirements, as well as how to request special accommodations and what types of accommodations can be made. You can also check requirements for the SAT, PSAT and AP exams at www.collegeboard.com/disable/students/html/indx000.html or for the ACT at www.act.org/aap/disab/policy.html.

 

Available Testing Accommodations for Disabled Students

The College Board and the ACT organization offer the opportunity for disabled students or their parents to request reasonable accommodations for testing. Specific test dates are usually designated for students who require accommodations, so make sure you check out dates and deadlines for paperwork and registration well ahead of time. Your child’s school counseling office should have this information available.

There’s something for everyone
There are many ways that test administrators can accommodate your child’s needs, but in general, special arrangements are typically made in regard to any of the following factors: time, physical arrangements, test administrator, or test materials.

  • Time: If your child needs additional time to take the SAT or ACT, the allotted test time can be officially extended by 50 percent. Extended time limits include additional breaks and rest periods. Testing can also take place over more than one day or at a specific time of day, if necessary.
  • Physical arrangements: If your child needs special physical arrangements, such as a table under which a wheelchair would fit or different lighting, arrangements can be made. Fluorescent lights often impact students with visual impairments and a distraction-free room can probably be provided. Testing can also be made available in a small group setting or you may request specific seating, if needed.
  • Test administrator: You or your school official can request an alternative test administrator and specify who that should be. In many cases, the alternative administrator may be your child’s counselor or a teacher consultant. Sometimes, the way a test proctor relates to students may be integral to their overall success on the test. Some students may even be able to complete testing at their own school.
  • Test materials: The standard test booklets and answer sheets are unusable by many disabled students and large-block test booklets and answer sheets are available. They are also on hand in Braille, large and regular type, and on cassettes. You may be able to request that someone reads the tests to your child, manually translates, or fills out the forms on his or her behalf. Sign language interpreters are also available if needed.

Pencils could be optional
It’s a bit tougher to get approval for a student to use a computer for the written portion of an exam, but under certain circumstances, your child may be allowed to do so. You should be prepared to provide ample documentation to support your request, including detailed information about your child’s condition, how it limits his or her testing abilities, and a rationale for requesting computer accommodation. If your child has illegible handwriting but no disability to justify it, you won’t be able to get permission to use a computer. (If that’s the case for your child, we suggest penmanship practice — and lots of it!)

There are three main areas in which students usually have disabilities that will qualify. All of them require ample documentation of a significant and diagnosed disability.

  • Physically disabled: If your child has a handicap or disability that permanently prevents use of his or her dominant hand or arm, accommodations will probably be allowed. However, your submitted documentation needs to include a professional evaluation of the disability, including a full history of the problem and copies of any medical exams. All documents should include the dates they were administered and the name, credentials, license number, address, and phone number of the examiners.
  • Dysgraphia: This disability only qualifies for computer accommodation if you can document that your child has fine motor problems that affect his or her writing skills. For your child to qualify, medical or academic documents that support a diagnosis of fine motor problems need to be submitted. Some tests that are commonly used to diagnose a specific fine motor problem include the Beery Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI), or the Broad Writing Cluster of Woodcock Johnson III.
  • Severe language-based learning disability: These conditions can be a bit tougher to identify, but cognitive and academic testing should support a diagnosed disability and specify its severity, as well. Other documents should provide a thorough history of your child’s disability and a description of how your child’s learning skills are limited, particularly in written expression

Specify your needs
The variety of accommodations allowed for disabled students, including the methods used to record answers, is increasing as more students with disabilities take the tests. Presently, students can write or type their answers or can have someone else, called an amanuensis, write their answers. If you need this or any other type of accommodations, make sure you are specific in your requests — your child’s school needs to order these aids at the time the request for special accommodations is made.

Documentation guidelines are stringent and require specific professional documentation to substantiate your child’s disability as well as your request for special accommodations. Make sure you check with the appropriate testing agency to see what exactly is required. Test dates are usually the same for everyone, but there are some additional deadlines for the eligibility paperwork, so make sure you and your child get them all on the calendar.

Test dates and documentation deadlines for the PSAT, SAT, and AP exams can be found at www.collegeboard.com/ssd/student/time.html. For the ACT, documentation needs to be in by the test registration deadline, but since it requires additional review to get approval for accommodations, the earlier your request gets in, the better.

Article complements of Peterson's. Learn more tips about testing college entrance exams and take a free practice tests by clicking here.

 
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