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Accommodation for Test Takers with Disabilities

It is the policy of the American College of Cardiology Foundation (“ACCF”) to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and offer reasonable testing accommodations to persons with qualifying disabilities. Consistent with the ADA, ACCF will make feasible and appropriate modifications to its examination procedures for candidates with documented disabilities, provided that the modification does not fundamentally alter the measurement of skills or knowledge that the exam is intended to assess and is not unduly burdensome. For additional information about the process and documentation requirements, as well as deadlines and confidentiality, please contact ACCF at ACCaccommodations@acc.org.

Consistent with the ADA, ACCF will:

  • Make reasonable modifications, upon request, to its examination procedures for candidates with documented disabilities.
  • Evaluate each request for an accommodation and any information submitted in support of such request, and provide a response to each request in a timely manner.

Why are Accommodations Made?

Accommodations are made in order to ensure that examination results reflect each candidate's clinical knowledge or medical judgment, rather than the candidate's sensory, manual or psychological skills, except where those skills are factors that a given examination is designed to measure.

To qualify for a testing accommodation under the ADA, a candidate must demonstrate that the candidate has a qualifying disability that necessitates the provision of a testing accommodation.

A disability is defined by the ADA as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

Forms of Accommodation

ACCF will consider requests for all forms of accommodation. The following is a list of common testing accommodations ("Common Testing Accommodations") that have been requested and, where appropriate, granted by ACCF:

  • Additional testing time; and
  • Large-font exam materials

This is not an all-inclusive list of possible testing accommodations, and ACCF will consider the full range of available accommodations to assist candidates with disabilities.

The exam and all testing are designed to be taken by candidates remotely and on the candidate's personal device; testing centers are not provided. Accordingly, candidates are expected to have additional accessibility software if needed, which may include:

  • Screen readers;
  • Screen magnifier; and/or
  • Additional font sizes, which may be browser based and set by pressing CTRL++ on the keyboard to increase size and CTRL-- to decrease size

In addition, candidates are expected to have the following special equipment if required by the candidate:

  • Adjustable workstation;
  • Noise cancelling headphones;
  • Ear plugs;
  • Anti-glare screen overlay;
  • Screen magnifier;
  • Roller mouse;
  • Trackball mouse; and/or
  • Ergonomic keyboard or joystick.

    • ACCF will not approve requests for such additional accessibility software or special equipment.

    Request an Accommodation

    To request an accommodation, please complete and submit the Request for Testing Accommodation Form to ACCaccommodations@acc.org. The Form must be submitted at least sixty (60) days prior to the start date of the exam for which the accommodation is being requested.

    ACCF will conduct an evaluation of each candidate's request and notify the candidate of ACCF's determination in writing within four (4) weeks following submission of the request.

    Confidentiality Policy

    All requests for accommodation will be kept confidential by ACCF and the requests and all information submitted therewith will not be disclosed to any third party without the express written consent of the candidate.

    In all cases, ACCF prefers to communicate directly with the candidate who is requesting accommodations.

    When necessity requires, however, ACCF will communicate with a designated representative of a candidate regarding ACCF policy and the status of the candidate's request for accommodations. In such circumstances, a candidate must provide written consent to ACCF, directing ACCF to communicate with the candidate's designated representative.

    In all cases, communication between ACCF and a candidate's designated representative will not include the sharing of confidential medical information.