Accommodations
Disabilities and Accommodations
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Inteleos provides reasonable test accommodations.
The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activity. Not all impairments qualify as disability. Not all disabilities require test accommodations.
Requesting Accommodations
Need accommodations? They can be requested during the application process — in the “Special Accommodations” section, select “Yes”.
You will need to provide:
- Letter of recommended accommodation
- Medical evaluation — An original, comprehensive medical evaluation or report on the diagnosed disability completed by a qualified health care provider and dated within five years.
- APCA ADA Special Accommodations Questionnaire
- ARDMS Testing Accommodations Request Form
All accommodation requests are reviewed on a case by case basis. We take into account each individual’s unique disability, their limitations due to it, and the accommodations necessary to ensure equal access to the examination.
For more information, visit Americans with Disabilities Act.
Documentation
Documentation requirements for accommodation requests are strict. You will be required to provide:
- Letter of recommended accommodation
- From a qualified health care provider who specializes in the disability, on official letterhead
- Documents the disability, its severity, your limitation due to it, and the exact recommended accommodation
- Includes an original physician’s signature and credentials
- Dated within the past 5 years
- Medical evaluation/report
- Original copy of the evaluation/report on the diagnosed disability
- Completed by a qualified health care provider
- Dated within the past 5 years
If you have been approved for accommodations on a previous exam and your documents remain in-date, only the Testing Accommodations Request Form is required. It must be submitted each time you apply for an exam.
Request Accommodation After Exam Approval
Requests for accommodation must be made when applying for an exam.
If you have to request accommodation after your exam application has already been approved:
- Cancel your current exam appointment with Pearson (if you have made one)
- Send your cancellation confirmation email from Pearson to Inteleos at accommodations@inteleos.org — do not cancel the appointment in your Inteleos account
- Upload your accommodations documentation to your Inteleos account
As long as it is within your 90-day exam eligibility period, we will review your documentation. This review can take up to 14 days. Your eligibility period is not paused during this process.
Accommodation Request Processing
Accommodation request documentation is reviewed by Inteleos. Inteleos may send your documentation to an independent medical professional for an impartial secondary review.
The review process can take up to 14 days. If we require additional information, we will contact you at the email or phone number of record.
If your accommodation request is approved, you will receive an Exam Confirmation Letter. You can then schedule your exam.
Request Denial
There are many reasons why your accommodation request may be denied:
- Any of your documentation is illegible or incomplete
- The medical report does not include your current functional limits
- The medical report is limited:
- Based on IEP or 504 Plan from high school
- Diagnosis based on a screening test
- Only presents a single WAIS-IV or Woodcock-Johnson III score that is low compared to other subtest scores
- Documentation fails to establish presence of disability according to ADA
- Documented diagnosis is inconsistent with the DSM or ICD
- Weak rationale for requested accommodation, even with a properly diagnosed disability
- Recommended accommodations are too broad
- Recommended accommodations over-accommodate for the disability
- Recommended accommodations are based on preference rather than disability-driven
- The disability’s impact appears not to be substantially limiting [SME INPUT: current copy has language about “relative weakness” which i struck. Just want to make sure it wasn’t some sort of requirement]
- The disability does not appear to affect the candidate in multiple settings [SME INPUT: this feels like a weird inclusion. I can’t find any language that indicates this is an ada requirement]
- Documentation is older than 5 years
If your request is denied, Inteleos will send you an email detailing the reason for the denial. You will be prompted to:
- Cancel the application for a refund (less the processing fee); or
- Withdraw your accommodation request to continue with the exam application without it
Denial Appeal
Denials for any reason other than illegible documentation can be appealed. You have 30 days from the date of denial to file an appeal.
To appeal, email accommodations@inteleos.org with the following information:
- A written statement detailing the reason for the appeal
- Any additional documentation that you feel supports your position
- Any additional documentation Inteleos requested in the denial notice
FAQs
Test accommodations are adjustments or modifications of standard testing conditions designed to allow candidates with disabilities equal access to the examination without compromising its validity, providing an unfair advantage, or imposing undue burden on Inteleos.
Inteleos is generally able to provide the following accommodations:
- Extended testing time
- 25% (time and one quarter)
- 50% (time and one half)
- 100% (double time)
- Use of private room
- Frequent/extended breaks
- Use of Zoom text
Your health care professional’s suggestions and your own preferences are given considerable weight when considering accommodation requests.
Unfortunately, we cannot implement every type of requested accommodation. Some accommodations fundamentally alter the nature of the test or invalidate scores.
Some accommodations Inteleos cannot offer include:
- Unlimited testing time
- Delivering an exam orally
- Completing the exam using pencil and paper
There are many aids that can help a candidate that do not require official accommodation requests or approvals. They are called Comfort Aids:
Medicine and medical devices
- Auto-injectors, such as EpiPens
- Bandages
- Braces, casts, splints, slings, etc.
- Cough drops, unwrapped and not in a container
- Eye drops
- Eye patches
- Eyeglasses, including tinted lenses — no cases, subject to visual inspection
- Glucose tablets (not including hard candy), unwrapped and not in a container
- Hearing aids/cochlear implant*
- Inhalers
- Medical alert bracelets*
- Medical devices*, attached to your body and inaudible
- Continuous glucose monitor
- Insulin pump
- Spinal cord stimulator
- TENS unit
- Medical foot stool for supporting an injured leg or foot — non-skid, metal base, smaller than 14” x 14” x 12”
- Nasal drops/spray
- Oxygen tank, self-contained and silent
- Pillow/cushion
- Pills, prescription or OTC, must be unwrapped and not in a container**
*Any device that must be plugged into the computer workstation, connected to external power, requires an external remote-control device (including cell phone), or makes audible noise requires accommodation application and approval.
**Pills that are required to remain in packaging, such as nitroglycerin pills, are permitted but the packaging is subject to inspection.
Mobility Devices
- Canes
- Crutches
- Motorized scooters/chairs
- Walkers
- Wheelchairs
Other Approved Items***
- Earplugs and noise reducing headphones
- Face mask and/or gloves
- Magnifying glass — handheld, non-electronic, without the case
- Tissues
***Not all approved items are considered Comfort Aid in every testing center. Some must be provided by the testing center. Some require accommodation application and approval for certain testing locations.
For more information, visit Pearson’s Comfort Aid page.
Test-taking is not considered a major life activity under the ADA. Therefore, test anxiety without another clinical diagnosis, such as generalized anxiety disorder, is not eligible for accommodation.
This depends on if you will be required to check your blood sugar or have immediate access to blood sugar management supplies during testing.
Note that any candidate who requests breaks during testing will receive them. The exam clock does not stop during breaks. [SME INPUT: verbiage in source document implies both singular and multiple breaks]
Accommodation request not required
If all of these statements apply to you, you do not need to apply for accommodation:
- I can check my blood sugar on breaks outside of the secure testing room
- My diabetic device is not paired with a smartphone
- I can wait to access my blood sugar testing supplies and management items during breaks
- I do not require extra exam time to compensate for blood sugar testing and management time
Accommodation request required
If any of these statements apply to you, you must apply for an accommodation:
- I will need to check my blood sugar or use management items during testing
- I need immediate access to my blood sugar test supplies and management items
- My diabetic device is paired with a smartphone
- I require additional exam time to compensate for blood sugar testing and management time
Inteleos supports candidates who must express breast milk during an exam.
Expression of breast milk
Breast milk expression in a suitable location during testing requires an accommodation. To apply, you will have to submit:
- Completed Inteleos Testing Accommodations Request Form
- A dated, physician-signed letter on official letterhead confirming your status as a nursing parent
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding cannot be permitted during test taking:
- You may not leave the testing location during testing
- Children are not allowed into testing locations
If you prefer breastfeeding over other forms of expression, you must do so prior to entering the test location and beginning the check-in process.
All Inteleos exams are delivered in English. English-as-a-second-language (ESL) is a life circumstance, not a disability. No accommodations are available.
Disability accommodations are designed to improve access to the tests. They are not meant to improve the likelihood of any particular outcome, including achieving certain scores.