When I was researching potential colleges, I noticed that all three of the colleges I was planning to apply to recommended that prospective students take both the SAT and ACT exams, especially if they are potential STEM majors. Many schools list information about how they factor in standardized tests and standardized test scores for accepted students as part of the common data set (which can be found by searching the institution name and “common data set” online), which can be helpful when deciding which test to take or re-take.
On top of studying for these exams, many students with visual impairments also have to study how to get ACT accommodations for low vision or accessible ACT exams, as paper exams with standard print are difficult or impossible to read. The process for getting ACT accommodations approved for visual impairment is similar to the process for getting approved for SAT accommodations in terms of what accommodations are offered, but my family and I encountered additional barriers when applying for ACT accommodations and requesting a large print exam compared to our experience with the SAT. Here are my tips for requesting ACT accommodations for low vision and requesting a large print ACT, based on my own experiences as a student with an IEP for visual impairment attending a public high school.
Should I take the SAT or the ACT with low vision?
Most colleges and universities accept SAT or ACT test scores or allow students to submit scores for both tests as part of their application process. My family and college counselor recommended that I take both the SAT and ACT because we were concerned that I would have trouble reading one of the exams if I did not have access to large print, which would lead to me getting a much lower score that would not represent my academic capabilities or achievements. Having both exams gave us a feeling of safety; if I couldn’t access one exam, I still could submit the other exam scores with my application. Since I was applying to a technology-related major, I was told to consider taking both exams even though only 14% of accepted students at my university submitted ACT scores that year.
Before choosing which standardized test to take, I recommend reviewing the Common Data Set for an institution, which can be found by searching the institution name (e.g. George Mason University) and the phrase “Common Data Set”; this information is typically listed on an institution’s website. As part of this dataset, institutions will share the percentage of accepted students who submitted test scores and the percentile test scores/range for each section of the exam. This is also very helpful when deciding whether or not to take or retake an exam!
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 on the accommodations form, while the ACT requires that the testing coordinator submit a list of accommodations for approval.
Related links
- SAT Accommodations for Low Vision
- CLEP Exams and Low Vision
- AP Exam Accommodations For Low Vision
- Virginia SOL Test Accommodations For Low Vision
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
While the digital ACT did not exist when I was a student, there are free official ACT practice tests for previewing accommodations that can be accessed from the official ACT test provider below.
Related links
- Practice Tests for Accommodations | ACT
- Brainfuse Online Tutoring and Low Vision Accessibility
- Receiving Accessible Educational Materials With NIMAC and AIM-VA
- The Best Study Tips For Visually Impaired Students
- The Best Study Tips For Auditory Learners
- How To Search For Study Resources Online
My experience filing for ACT disability accommodations with low vision
For students with low vision, it can be challenging to figure out how to file for ACT disability accommodations or what types of accommodations to request. My accommodations were administered at a national testing center in a separate room, so I took the ACT on the same day as many other students without disabilities. My accommodations were considered Special Testing accommodations, instead of standard room accommodations that can be administered in a mixed setting.
File for ACT accommodations 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 for ACT disability accommodations.
List specific accommodations for the ACT
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 ACT disability 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
Take 1: Denied disability accommodations for ACT
Eleven days prior to test day, we received a notification that all of my requested disability accommodations for the ACT were denied, with the exception of 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, as we needed to provide documentation of when the condition had developed and how it had been treated in the past.
To this day, I have no idea why I got approved for extended time but no other accommodations.
Take 2: Submitting documentation for ACT disability accommodations
In response to being denied ACT accommodations for low vision, the testing coordinator submitted the following information to appeal the decision on our behalf:
- A copy of my latest IEP
- Several pages of medical documentation, including
- Confirmation of my diagnosis of accommodative esotropia from when I was three years old and corresponding low vision diagnosis
- Recent tests for my visual acuity/visual fields (within 3-5 years)
- Recommendations for accessible print materials from low vision ophthalmologist/double vision specialist
- Several treatment notes from ophthalmologist over the years on how my vision had progressed over time.
- Notes from my most recent eye appointment (within 3-6 months)
- 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
- How the condition impacts my schoolwork
- A note from my doctor stating that I had a suspected diagnosis of Chiari Malformation, but this had not been confirmed. Additionally, 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 for disability accommodations
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 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
- Link from ACT website on filing for accommodations
- 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
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For Chiari Malformation
- Disability and Classroom Accommodations For POTS
My approved low vision disability accommodations for ACT
Environmental accommodations
The following accommodations are related to the testing environment in which I took my ACT. These disability accommodations were copied from the accommodations that I received for the SAT, state standardized tests, and/or from my IEP.
- Small group testing in individual room
- 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 for the writing test (no computer for other sections)
- Use of lamps instead of overhead lighting (classified as environmental accommodation)
- Extended breaks between sections
Large print ACT exam accommodations
- 300% extended time (triple time)
- Take the ACT test over the course of multiple days, e.g. doing a section every day.
- I did not use this accommodation, which is documented as Special Testing
- Large print text booklet with 18-point Arial font
- Mark answers in 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
Low vision assistive technology accommodations for ACT
- 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
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- Low Vision Accommodations For Print Materials From My Low Vision IEP
- Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- Extended Time Accommodations For Low Vision
- Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
- How To Use Guided Access For Testing And Exams
List of approved ACT accommodations for visually impaired students
To help students with disabilities request accommodations, the ACT provides a list of planning information and available accommodations for students planning to take the online or paper test. I have attached the PDFs from the ACT website below.
Related links
- ACT Available Accommodations and Universal Supports for the ACT Test-Online
- ACT Allowable Accommodations and Universal Supports- Paper
Comprehensive list of my approved 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.
- Take the ACT test over the course of multiple days
- Large print text booklet with 18-point Arial font
- Mark answers in 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
Published April 12, 2017. Updated September 2025