Tuesday, March 03, 2015, 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM (PST)


Testing Accommodations 101


Practice Area Division(s): Certification/Licensure, Education
Topic: Legislation, Policy, and Accessibility

Professional entrance, licensure and certification exam programs frequently receive requests for accommodations from candidates with disabilities. We’ll present a basic, understandable model of “best-practices” for reviewing, analyzing, and decision-making of requests for testing accommodations, the legal underpinnings of this process, and common mistakes to avoid. The presenters will also discuss what makes a special arrangements request “reasonable” (or not), and why.

Following the passage of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, testing organizations have seen a significant rise in requests for test accommodations. This session will provide a basic overview of the legal definition of who is considered "Disabled" and how this is defined differently in the law for adults versus children. The presenters will also discuss recent court decisions and settlements that may impact on the accommodations approval process. This session will continue with an overview of best practices for reviewing requests for accommodations, including appropriate guidelines for candidates and their evaluators, timeliness of the review process, the fundamentals of a sound appeal process for candidates who are denied, and the use of external experts. Some accommodations requests may be made by demanding or aggressive candidates and their advocates, who believe that the revised law gives them free reign to demand whatever accommodations they choose. Often, these candidates and their advocates are unclear about the differences between classroom modifications and reasonable testing accommodations.

The presenters will discuss the differences between classroom vs. testing accommodations, and why some accommodations requests may not be reasonable, because they are so extreme that there are concerns about test security or the validity of the test results.

PRESENTERS:
John Hosterman, GED Testing Service
Kendra Johnson, Graduate Management Admissions Council
Dale Atkinson, Atkinson & Atkinson