Extensions for ADD/ADHD?

[Tess Sluijter]

Hola!

A while back, someone asked about extensions or facilities for test-takers with visual limitations. I would now instead like to ask about students with attention deficit disorders. Do you reckon CompTIA could work in arragements for students like these? I have a few folks in my class (incl. folks with severe anxiety), who could certainly use the reassurance of an extension.

Cheers,


Tess

 

[Rick Butler]

Not that I would be able to do anything with this, but what are you looking for, specifically? I know when I would have special needs people in my classes, I would have to adapt my teaching styles to suit them, not really defer to the curriculum so much as changing my style and approach. Smaller tests or simple exercises, continually changing activities as the class goes on, and really pay attention to where their interests were, trying to teach into that - if all that makes sense.

Finding a student's learning style is critical (visual, auditory, kinesthetic). Angling teaching to that learning style increased my chances of success.

Of course, when you have a lab of 20-30 students, all of which have unique needs, it's hard to provide that customized training for each pupil. About half of them wouldn't really need that at all, even if I offered it to them. But my hard and fast rule was to change what was happening in the class every 20 minutes. Harder for me since I'm heavily auditory and love to lecture and talk to students.

But I think your solution will be more to how you organize your courses and deliver your material.

So, generalities aside, are there any specifics to your situation that we can discuss here?

/r

 

[Tess Sluijter]

My question is literally: has CompTIA considered extensions on test-taking for people with various disabilities, as was discussed before? Comparable to the 30mins for non-native english speakers.

 

[Rick Butler]

Ahh, test taking. Got it. Sorry, that didn't come across.

Well, there are provisions for ADA Accommodations, as well as PearsonVUE's provisions for accommodations, into which conditions like ADD/ADHD would fold. Essentially, it would seem that both sets of guidance are written to be generally open-ended, that is, with partial lists of conditions and accommodations - so as to not paint anyone into a corner and provide as much flexibility as possible, without compromising the exam.

What stands out to me is that it's on the candidate to submit any and all supporting paperwork to PearsonVUE before scheduling an exam. After that, PearsonVUE reviews the request and approves or denies based on the supporting documentation. I can see a candidate, in a mode of excitement, scheduling an exam and then wanting accommodations.

It's also a touchy subject because, in the US, it's on the student/candidate to come forward and disclose those needs. An instructor cannot proactively say, "Hey, I think you have ADHD, you need accommodations.". Totally on the candidate to request any reliefs offered in testing and work out whatever is necessary to have a positive testing experience.

Is that what you were looking for?

/r

 

[Stephen Schneiter]

Yes, there are extensions available for people with special needs. You will need to work with the Pearson/Vue testing fascility to arrrange. This is specified in the CompTIA Testing Policy. Specifically it states,

"ACCOMMODATIONS DURING AN EXAM
CompTIA is committed to complying with applicable law for individuals with disabilities. Requests for accommodations are handled through our test service provider, Pearson VUE. Please visit the Pearson VUE website for more details."

Candidate Testing Policies | CompTIA IT Certifications

Read the CompTIA Testing Policies prior to taking a CompTIA certification exam. Exam candidates are subject to the terms and conditions of CompTIA’s Candidate Testing Policies.

www.comptia.org

Hope this helps.

 

[Tess Sluijter]

You two are awesome, this is very helpful. My students will love this! Arranging with the Pearson/Vue testing facility should be do-able, since their school also functions as the testing facility.

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Rick Butler]

You two are awesome, this is very helpful. My students will love this! Arranging with the Pearson/Vue testing facility should be do-able, since their school also functions as the testing facility.

Thank you very much for your help!

Since you're mentioning this from the context of your own testing site, keep in mind that your site will also have to have the wherewithal to provide those accommodations. Of course, you can't be completely prepared for any and all possibilities, but if a candidate identifies as having need of additional assistance, you may have to work on trying to be able to fulfill them. My guess it would follow the same as the "Reasonable Accommodations" definitions in the Americans with Disabilities Act, where the candidate cannot expect the world. The term is what is reasonable for both candidate and test center - even if the activity is happening in the US.

/r

 

[Roberta Osmers]

I might be a little late to this party - but I start talking to my students and the disability advisors early on about getting paperwork together for accommodations for any certification tests. Generally we start at the beginning of the semester, so by the time they are ready to take a test, they have their accommodations lined up.

 

[Rick Butler]

Proactive approach! Generally, if you know what to do before you got to do it, it makes the accommodation question that much easier to work through, particularly if you have your own test center. /r

 

[Tess Sluijter]

Yeah, you have it on the nose Roberta. Unfortunately it seems that the advisors at the school (ironically) may not have been aware of exam accommodations for their students. I'm taking it up with the councilors to see if we can make arrangements.