GED TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS

MARYLAND

2008      

Overview

 The GED Testing Program has long provided accommodations to candidates who have disabilities and is committed to compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  In an effort to make GED Tests accessible to all applicants, accommodations are made for candidates who have diagnosed physical, mental, sensory, or learning disabilities and can provide appropriate documentation from a qualified professional.

Accommodations are provided to individuals who have disabilities that prevent them from expressing in the traditional manner the knowledge and abilities that they possess.  Test accommodations do not change the level of competence that the GED Tests measure, so it can be expected that a GED candidate who passes the GED Tests with accommodations will have the same level of academic competence possessed by all adults who earn a similar score on the GED tests.

Under standard GED Testing conditions, some GED candidates who have disabilities may not be able to fully demonstrate what they have learned.  This difficulty may be due to a physical, mental, sensory or learning disability. The goal is to ensure that, for individuals who have documented disabilities, the test results accurately reflect the individual’s aptitude or achievement level or whatever factor the examination purports to measure.

 

Requests for Accommodations

 The need for accommodations must be fully documented by a qualified professional diagnostician who must document that the GED candidate has a disability and demonstrate how the disability affects the candidate’s ability to take the GED tests under standard conditions.

To best assess the current effect of a GED candidate’s disability or functional limitations as they apply to the test-taking process, the documentation of a disability must be sufficiently current and appropriate to the particular disabling condition.

The documentation supporting an accommodation(s) request must include specific recommendations for accommodations as well as an explanation of why each accommodation is recommended and how it alleviates the effect of the impairment when taking a standardized test.

Although the preferred accommodation of a GED candidate with a disability should generally be given considerable weight, candidates are not automatically entitled to their requested accommodations.  The GED Office may permit the use of other adaptations and devices as long as they compensate for the disability, do not provide an unfair advantage, and do not compromise the validity and reliability of the GED Tests.

A candidate’s request for accommodations and supporting documentation will be held in confidence. No record of accommodated conditions will be provided on a candidate’s GED score report or GED credential.

Accommodations that DO NOT require documentation, but DO need prior notice: Large print, straight edge with no markings, graph paper, earplugs, colored overlays, transparent overlay & highlighter, incandescent or halogen lighting, seating away from windows.

 

Process to Obtain Accommodations Forms

 Download the appropriate forms below.  The GED Office will notify you in writing once all documentation has been reviewed. Contact the GED Office by telephone Monday-Friday between 8:30am – 5:00 pm at (410) 767 – 0538 or TTY (410) 333 – 6442 or by email at GED@msde.state.md.us if you have any questions.

 

Guidelines for Request for GED Accomodation

 

 

LEARNING & OTHER COGNITIVE DISABILITIES

 

Problem

Possible Accommodations

Professional Diagnostician

Documentation Needed

Dyslexia

(Reading Disorder)

  • Extended Time
  • Audiocassette (generally with double time)
  • Private room
  • Scribe (to write the essay dictated by the examinee and to fill-in bubbles on multiple-choice answer sheet)
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • School Psychologist
  • Neurologist
  • Neuropsychologist
  • Neuropsychiatrist
  • Psychiatrist (with psychological testing from a licensed psychologist)
  • Education Specialist (using psychological testing from a licensed psychologist)
  • Completed LD Request Form
  • Measurement of academic achievement in broad reading, broad written language, broad math and/or broad knowledge, using WJ-R, WJ-lll Ach., WIAT-l, WIAT-ll or other primary accepted tests
  • Measurement of Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, and Full Scale IQ, with subtest scaled standard scores, using WISC-lll or WAIS-R or one of the other accepted tests
  • Diagnosed disability
  • DSM-IV Code(s)
  • List of the functional limitation(s) caused by the disability
  • Request accommodation(s)
  • Rationale for Accommodation(s)

Dysgraphia (Written Language Disorder)

  • Extended Time
  • Scribe (to write the essay dictated by the examinee and to fill-in bubbles on multiple-choice answer sheet)
  • Private Room

Dyscalculia

  • Extended time
  • Calculator
  • Private Room

 

 

ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Problem

Possible Accommodations

Professional Diagnostician

Documentation Needed

Attention Deficit/Hyper-activity Disorder

  • Supervised frequent breaks (break intervals/times specified by certifying professional)
  • Extended time
  • Private room
  • Neuropsychologist
  • Neurologist
  • Psychiatrist
  • Medical Doctor
  • Psychologist with a specialty in ADD/ADHD

 

  • Completed AD/HD request form
  • Letter on official letterhead, signed by the medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, that includes the following:
  • Diagnosis of the disability
  • Developmental history
  • Results from a specific test of attention such as TOVA Gordon Diagnostic Battery of the Connors Continuous Performance Test
  • DSM-IV Code
  • List of the functional limitation(s) caused by the disability
  • Requested accommodations(s)
  • Rationale for accommodation(s)

 


 

EMOTIONAL/MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITY

 

Problem

Possible Accommodations

Professional Diagnostician

Documentation Needed

Examples of conditions:

  • Schizophrenia
  • Depression
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Disabling Anxiety**
  • Extensive Medication (antipsychotic of other

 

  • Private Testing
  • Frequent supervised breaks
  • Extended time
  • ** It is important to remember that taking the GED Test is anxiety-producing for almost everyone; a range of anxious response is normal. Only those whose anxiety is medically disabling may request adaptations—needing an occasional mild tranquilizer is not sufficient to justify additional time.
  • Medical Doctor
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • Neuropsychologist
  • Psychiatrist
  • Completed EMH request form.
  • Letter on official letterhead, signed by the medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, that includes the following;
  • Diagnosis of the disability
  • Level of impairment
  • History
  • DSM-IV Code
  • List of the functional limitation(s) Caused by the disability
  • Requested accommodations(s)
  • Rational for accommodations(s)

 

 

PHYSICAL/CHRONIC HEALTH DISABILITY

 

Problem

Possible Accommodations

Professional Diagnostician

Documentation Needed

Visual Impairment

  • Large print and/or audiocassette version (generally with double time)
  • Braille and/or audiocassette version with extended time (generally double time)
  • Scribe
  • Talking calculator for entire Mathematics Test
  • Other: LCR screen, abacus, stylus & Slate etc. (may require additional time for approval)
  • Ophthalmologist
  • Optometrist
  • Medical Doctor
  • Completed Physical/Chronic Health Disability form
  • A letter on official letterhead, signed by the qualified professional and includes the following:
  • Diagnosis of the disability
  • List of the functional limitation(s) caused by the disability
  • Requested accommodation(s)
  • Rationale for accommodation(s)

Hearing Impairment

  • Extended time
  • Test Instructions (not actual test questions) interpreted in sign language by a certified interpreter
  • Video tape draft of essay
  • Audiologist
  • Medical Doctor

Examples of other physical conditions:

  • Mobility Impairment
  • Pain
  • HIV
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Extensive Medication
  • Extended time
  • Scribe (when upper appendages are impaired)
  • Frequent Supervised breaks (break intervals/times specified by certifying professional)
  • Private Room
  • Other: Head stick, adapted keyboard, mechanical or electronic devices, etc. (may require additional time or approval)
  • Medical Doctor
  • Qualified diagnostician

You may download the appropriate form by clicking on a link below:

Attention/Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (PDF File)

Emotional/Mental Health (PDF File)

Learning and Other Cognetive Disabilities (PDF File)

Physical/Chronic Health (PDF File)

Also, you may download the Candidates Checklist to assist you with completing the accommodations request form(s) properly. You do not need to send the checklist with your request form.

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