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NCEES Advancing Licensure for Engineers & Surveyors

Test Accommodations

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying is committed to providing access to its programs and services to individuals with documented disabilities. A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits an individual’s ability to perform a major life activity, as compared with most people in the general population.

The following information is provided for examinees, evaluators, employers, and others involved in the process of documenting a request for test accommodations. We strongly encourage examinees requesting test accommodations to share this information with their healthcare professionals, so the appropriate documentation can be assembled to support requests for test accommodations.

What Are Test Accommodations?

Test accommodations are adaptations to the manner in which an exam is administered. They are intended to help ensure that the test measures what it is designed to measure without inappropriately reflecting the negative effects of a person’s disability. The purpose of test accommodations is to enable examinees to test in an accessible place and manner – not to guarantee improved performance, a passing score, test completion, or any other specific outcome.

The need for test accommodations is individualized and considered on a case-by-case basis. Regardless of diagnosis, all examinees seeking disability-related accommodations must provide evidence that their condition rises to the level of a disability, as well as information about the resulting functional limitations they experience. Simply demonstrating that an individual meets diagnostic criteria for a particular disorder does not automatically mean that the person is disabled or entitled to test accommodations.

It is also important to understand that accommodations must be appropriate to the particular setting. Extra time or a given auxiliary aid might be appropriate for a given individual in the classroom for example, but not be on a licensure exam.

Accommodations on an exam may include:

  • Extra breaks
  • Large print or braille format
  • Special seating
  • Additional test time
  • Private testing room

How to Apply

Read the Documentation Guidelines and be sure your healthcare professional has read them. Assemble and prepare your supporting evidence that conforms to the guidelines.

Just because you have documentation of a diagnosed condition does not automatically mean that you are entitled to accommodations. Be sure to carefully read the documentation guidelines before submitting an accommodations request.

  1. All accommodation requests must include supporting evidence that you are disabled and require accommodations in order to access the exam.
  2. All accommodation requests are reviewed by an independent, external expert to ensure a fair review of your situation.
  3. After you submit your request, wait for your request to be reviewed. Typically you will hear from us within 10 business days, unless your request is unusually complex (in which case we will keep you posted about the status of your request.)
  4. Requests are reviewed in the order in which they are received. To be fair to all examinees, we do not expedite requests.
  5. If your request is incomplete, meaning that it does not provide us with information needed to make a decision, we will notify you of the specific types of documentation that are missing.
  6. After we have made a decision, if you are not satisfied you may appeal (see more below.)
  7. During the NCEES registration process, you will be able to indicate your need for accommodations. After you have completed your registration, you will receive a separate email directing you to the secure Accommodations Request Portal if you are making a new request. First-time users must register.
  8. Submit your completed Accommodations Request Form and supporting documentation.

PLEASE NOTE

You CAN NOT request test accommodations until AFTER you have registered for your exam with NCEES, and gotten a confirmation email from NCEES.

All government agencies, educational institutions, and major companies have firewalls that protect against emails with outbound links and the uploading of files to non-whitelisted websites. It is best to complete the accommodations request process on your home computer.

Appealing an Accommodations Decision

You may appeal an accommodations decision if any of your requested accommodations were not approved. Appeal requests are generally more effective if they include:

  • A specific reason for appeal
  • Additional documentation beyond what was included with your original request

How to Appeal

  1. Be sure both you and professionals working with you have read the Documentation Guidelines. Prepare your supporting evidence that conforms to these Guidelines.
  2. Include a personal statement explaining the rationale for your appeal and provide additional supporting documentation that addresses any documentation deficiencies or concerns we noted in our initial decision letter to you.
  3. As with our initial review of requests, appeals are reviewed by an independent, external expert to ensure a fair review of your situation.
  4. Log back into the Accommodations Request Portal, HERE and upload any additional supporting documentation.
  5. Wait for your request to be reviewed. Typically you will hear from us within 10 business days, unless your request is unusually complex (in which case we will keep you posted about the status of your request).

Additional Information