ACT Services for Students with Disabilities

ACT is committed to serving students with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations appropriate to the student’s disability. ACT has established policies regarding documentation of an applicant’s disability and the process for requesting accommodations. Effective September 1, 2001, ACT will no longer flag scores achieved with extended time as "special."

If you currently receive accommodations in school due to a professionally diagnosed and documented disability, you may provide documentation to support a request for one of the following options:

National Test Center Option 1

Standard-time National Testing with Accommodations (on any scheduled test date)

Select this option only if you can test at a regularly scheduled test center under standard time limits and use either a standard or large-type test booklet. If you select this option, you must register by paper folder so that you can provide your current documentation. This paper folder and your written request for accommodations must be mailed together and be postmarked by the registration deadline. ALL of the following information must be submitted: explain the nature of your disability and clearly state the accommodations you are requesting; enclose written documentation from your school describing in detail the accommodations you normally receive in school; and the name and phone number of a school official familiar with your current testing accommodations.

National Test Center Option 2

Extended-Time National Testing on an October, December, or April Test date (up to 5 hours total time)

Select this option only if you can test at a regularly scheduled test center and use either a standard or large-type test booklet, but require additional time due to your professionally diagnosed and documented disability. Scores achieved with extended time are reported as "Special." Up to five hours total testing time, including breaks between tests, are offered only on the October, December, and April test dates.

Students approved for extended-time national testing are assigned to separate rooms (usually no more than 10 examinees) and must pace themselves through each test in order to complete all four tests within the five hours allowed. If this type of testing is appropriate for your disability, you and an official from your school must complete and sign a copy of the Application for ACT Assessment Extended-Time National Testing. Your completed Application for ACT Assessment Extended-Time National Testing and required documentation must be returned with your paper folder postmarked by the registration deadline. If you are approved for extended-time national testing, you will be notified on your admission ticket and assigned to a room designated for the additional testing time.

Non-National Testing Option

Special Testing with Extended Time and Alternate Formats Available (at specially arranged times NOT as part of national testing)

Special Testing is the appropriate option for students who: normally use more than 50 percent additional time for tests in school, or require testing over more than one day due to the nature of the disability, or normally use other test formats such as Braille, audio cassette, or a reader. If you wish to request Special Testing, do not complete a registration folder. Instead, you and an official from your school must complete and sign a copy of the Request for ACT Assessment Special Testing. FRA normally has someone from outside the school assists us with this special testing. Should you decide to pursue this option, check with your college counselor.) Scores achieved with extended time (including testing over more than one day) are reported as "Special."

ACT Policy for Documentation

To Support Requests for Testing Accomodations

The timely submission of proper documentation will help avoid delays in decisions related to providing accommodations and other services for candidates with disabilities. ACT has adopted the following guiding principles for responding to request from examinees for testing accommodations.

Requirements and procedures for testing accommodations must ensure fairness for all candidates, both those seeking accommodations and those testing under standard conditions.

Accommodations must be consistent with ADA requirements and appropriate and reasonable for the documented disability.

Accommodations must not result in an undue burden or fundamentally alter that which the test is designed to measure.

Documentation of the disability must meet guidelines that are considered to be appropriate by qualified professionals and must provide evidence that the disability substantially limits one or more major life activities. Applicants must also provide information about prior accommodations made in a similar setting, such as academic classes and test taking.

Documentation Requirements

The administration of diagnostic assessments, determination of specific diagnoses, and recommendation of appropriate accommodations must be made by a qualified professional whose credentials are appropriate to the disability. The name, title, and professional credentials (e.g. degrees, areas of specialization, license or certification, employment) must be clearly stated in the documentation.

To best assess the current impact of an examinee’s disability or functional limitations as they apply to the test-taking process, the documentation must be sufficiently current and appropriate to the particular disabling condition. For the ACT Assessment, the disability must have been diagnosed or reconfirmed by a qualified professional within the three academic years prior to the date of the request.

In addition to the diagnostic documentation, applicants are asked to submit information regarding whether accommodations have previously been provided in an academic setting or on other standardized tests due to the disability.

Recommendations for Accomodation

Requests for accommodation must specifically address the functional limitation of the disability. The diagnostic report must include specific recommendations for accommodations as well as an explanation of why each accommodation is recommended and how it alleviates the impact of the impairment when taking a standardized test. The diagnostic information provided must be age-appropriate for the population of examinees taking the test.

The evaluator(s) must describe the impact, if any, that the diagnosed disability has on a specific major life activity as well as the degree of significance of this impact on the individual in a testing situation. The evaluator must support recommendations consistent with specific functional limitations as determined by objective data substantiating a history of functional impairment, appropriate test results, clinical observations, and a comprehensive diagnostic interview. If no prior accommodations have been provided, the evaluator(s) and/or qualified school officials must include a detailed explanation of why no accommodations were used in the past and why accommodations are needed at this time.

You need to know that it has become increasingly more difficult over the past several years to obtain certification from ACT. To better your chances of being certified for extra time or cassettes for reading, you should have a history of learning disabilities which is documented for several years; approved documentation which shows a marked difference in scores; and a strong recommendation from a qualified professional which clearly states the need for specific accommodations.