When I was researching information about transitioning to college with low vision, I learned that all three of the colleges I planned to apply to recommended that students take both the SAT and ACT exams when possible, with one school strongly suggesting that potential STEM majors take the ACT. This meant that I was going to have to not only study for the exam but also study how to get ACT accommodations for low vision, as traditional pencil and paper exams with standard-sized print are inaccessible to me. Since I was somewhat familiar with testing accommodations for low vision and I had already been approved for accommodations for the SAT, I thought that the ACT accommodations process would be identical, and was surprised to learn that it was not. Here are my tips on requesting ACT accommodations for low vision, based on my own experiences.
Should I take the SAT or the ACT with low vision?
A common question I receive from parents or students is whether it is better to take the ACT or the SAT as a student with low vision. Almost every college accepts both tests and they do not strongly prefer one test over the other, though it’s worth checking the college admissions website. A lot of colleges recommend that students take both tests, and I chose to take both tests per the advice of my guidance counselor and college counselor since they said that it would help make my college application look more substantial.
I will say that it is easier to get low vision accommodations for the SAT compared to the ACT, since the SAT gives specific examples of accommodations that can be approved, while the ACT requires that the testing coordinator submit a list of accommodations for approval.
Related links
ACCESSIBLE ACT STUDY RESOURCES FOR LOW VISION
Before I talk more about getting ACT accommodations for low vision, here are some examples of places to get accessible ACT study guides for low vision students or students with print disabilities. I will not be recommending a specific book or guide, rather a way for people to find accessible copies of existing resources.
- Bookshare is an online library that has hundreds of thousands of books, including ACT study guides. Bookshare books come in a variety of formats, including audio, EPUB, Braille, and more. For students in the United States, Bookshare memberships are available free of charge.
- For students who are working with ACT study guides as part of a class at school, the school can request an accessible copy of the test prep materials through their state’s accessible instructional materials provider. In Virginia, that provider is AIM-VA, and the accessible materials are provided at no cost to the school.
- Brainfuse is a free library service that offers tutoring and practice tests for the ACT, as well as other standardized tests
- Khan Academy is another free website that has several accessibility features and targeted videos to help students study for the ACT
- There are several skills on Amazon Alexa and other virtual assistants that can help students prepare for the ACT test
Related links
- Fast Facts About Bookshare
- All About AIM-VA
- Brainfuse Online Tutoring Review
- Five Websites That Help Students With Low Vision In The Math Classroom
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help With Online Learning
How to file for ACT disability accommodations
ACCOMMODATIONS WILL NEED TO BE FILED IN ADVANCE
My family and I contacted my high school testing coordinator and worked with them to file my ACT accommodations eight weeks prior to the day I planned to take the ACT at my school district’s school-based testing center. Even though I had been approved for accommodations on the SAT and state standardized testing, and I also had an IEP, we still had to follow the accommodations process and accommodations were not automatically approved.
REQUEST SPECIFIC ACCOMMODATIONS
ACT accommodations for low vision will need to be as specific as possible, and it’s not uncommon for someone to have over a dozen accommodations listed because of this. For example, a student would need to request computer access for the essay portion of a test, plus access to a screen-reader and access to a screen magnifier- these are three separate accommodations. I go into more detail about the specific accommodations I requested in the next few sections. We submitted a list of testing accommodations based on the accommodations that I received on the SAT and SOL state standardized testing.
TAKE 1- SUBMITTING DOCUMENTATION FOR ACCOMMODATIONS
In order to get ACT accommodations for low vision, the testing coordinator had to submit a letter and supporting documentation that provided information about why these accommodations were being requested. My family and I provided the following documentation to the testing coordinator, which was sent to the ACT for review:
- A copy of my latest IEP
- A note from my ophthalmologist that listed my diagnosis of accommodative esotropia, visual acuity/visual fields, and recommendations for accessible print materials
- An additional note from my primary care doctor describing my neurological issues (which were undiagnosed at the time but later confirmed to be from Chiari Malformation) and recommendations for an adapted testing environment
GETTING DENIED FOR ACT ACCOMMODATIONS
Eleven days prior to test day, we received a notification that I had been denied all of my accommodations for the ACT except for extended time. My mom and I immediately got in contact with the ACT by phone and learned that I did not have sufficient documentation of my eye condition, as we only included a record of my most recent eye examination and not a history of how my eye condition had been treated in the past. The same was true for my neurological condition- we needed to provide documentation of the condition had developed and had been treated since I had developed it.
TAKE 2- SUBMITTING DOCUMENTATION FOR ACCOMMODATIONS
In response to being denied ACT accommodations for low vision, the testing coordinator submitted the following information on our behalf:
- A copy of my latest IEP
- Several pages of medical documentation confirming my diagnosis of accommodative esotropia from when I was three years old, recent tests for my visual acuity/visual fields, recommendations for accessible print materials, as well as notes on how my vision had progressed over time. We also included notes from my most recent eye appointment and a note from my ophthalmologist that stated that my eye condition was not expected to improve over time
- Additional documentation for my undiagnosed neurological condition including information about how the symptoms were being treated and how the condition impacts my schoolwork. At the time, the doctor stated that I had a suspected diagnosis of Chiari Malformation, but this had not been confirmed yet and that my neurological condition was not expected to improve over time.
Getting approved for ACT accommodations
Nine days after I was initially denied accommodations and two days before test day, the testing coordinator received notification that I had been approved for all of my requested accommodations. I was able to proceed with the test as planned, though we went to the school testing center the day before the test to fill out the test-related forms so we could save time on test day.
ACT EXAM SCORE DELAY
Because I received my ACT in an accessible format, I had to wait an additional 4-6 weeks after scores were released to receive my own scores, as there is typically a delay with scoring tests that are in modified formats. However, there is no way for a person to know that a student received accommodations on their ACT unless the student discloses it themselves.
RELATED LINKS
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Introduction To Low Vision IEPs: Post Round-Up
- SOL Test Accommodations And Low Vision
- Link from ACT website on filing for accommodations
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ACT
The following accommodations are related to the testing environment in which I took my ACT. These accommodations were copied from the accommodations that I received for the SAT, state standardized tests, and/or from my IEP.
- Small group testing- I was one of two students in the room that day and had at least two staff members present at all times
- Use of a large table for testing- I had two desks pushed together so that I would have a larger work area
- Computer/word processor for essay section. Computers were not allowed in any other section
- Use of lamps instead of overhead lighting
- Extended breaks between sections
RELATED LINKS
- Computer Lab Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- How To Create Accessible Workspaces For Chiari Malformation
- Lighting And Low Vision
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE ACT EXAM
The following accommodations are related to the characteristics of the accessible ACT test booklet. These accommodations were copied from the accommodations that I received for the SAT, state standardized tests, and/or from my IEP.
- 300% extended time, also known as triple time.
- Take the ACT test over the course of multiple days, i.e doing a section every day- I did not use this accommodation
- Large print text booklet with 18-point Arial font
- Permission to mark answers inside the test booklet
- Use of colored pens and highlighters to mark answers
- Use of a scribe for copying answers from the test booklet onto the scoring sheet
Related links
- How I Document Accessibility Preferences With Low Vision
- Writing Utensils and Low Vision
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
ADDITIONAL ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE ACT
The following accommodations are related to the use of assistive technology on the ACT test. These accommodations were copied from the accommodations that I received for the SAT, state standardized tests, and/or from my IEP.
- Use of the myScript digital large print calculator on an iPad with Guided Access. This app had previously been approved for use with state standardized testing and did not have graphing capabilities. I used my personal iPad and Guided Access was enabled for the duration of the exam so that I could not access the internet or other apps
- Use of a blank 3 x 5 index card as a line tracker, provided by the testing center
- Use of a magnifying glass provided by the testing center
Related links
- Five Calculator Apps That Help Students With Low Vision In The Classroom
- How To Use Guided Access For Testing
- Magnifying Glasses For Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Comprehensive list of my ACT accommodations for low vision
- Small group testing
- Use of a large table for testing
- Computer/word processor for essay section. Computers were not allowed in any other section
- Use of lamps instead of overhead lighting
- Extended breaks between sections
- 300% extended time, also known as triple time.
- Take the ACT test over the course of multiple days, i.e doing a section every day- I did not use this accommodation
- Large print text booklet with 18-point Arial font
- Permission to mark answers inside the test booklet
- Use of colored pens and highlighters to mark answers
- Use of a scribe for copying answers from the test booklet onto the scoring sheet
- Use of the myScript digital large print calculator on an iPad with Guided Access.
- Use of a blank 3 x 5 index card as a line tracker, provided by the testing center
- Use of a magnifying glass provided by the testing center
