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POLICIES Candidate Disability ABOG is committed to ensuring that candidates with disabilities have equitable access to certification through appropriate accommodations.
Definition & Purpose
Learn how disability is defined and the purpose of providing reasonable accommodations within the context of ABOG examinations.
What the ADA Defines as a Disability
The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, standing, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, or working.
Equal Access
Purpose of Accommodations
The purpose of accommodations is to enable an individual with a disability to participate in ABOG examinations.
Functional Limitations
How Accommodations Help
Accommodations offset the identified functional limitation so that the impact of impairment is minimized by means of an auxiliary aid or an adjustment to the testing procedure. Functional limitation refers to the aspects of a disability that interfere with an individual's ability to function in some capacity on a regular and continuing basis.
ABOG shall not exclude any candidate from examination solely because of a disability if ABOG is provided with notice of the disability in time to permit ABOG to make such adjustments in the examination as are reasonably necessary to accommodate the disability.
Candidate Requirements
Outlines the documentation and steps candidates must complete when requesting accommodations, including submission timelines and required supporting materials.
Notification
Candidates must indicate if special testing accommodations are needed no later than the close of the application period. View all dates related to ABOG exams by visiting our Dates & Fees page. Requests must be submitted in writing and provide sufficient documentation to permit ABOG to verify the existence, nature, and extent of the disability. Candidates in need of special testing circumstances, whether for a documented disability or otherwise, must notify ABOG in writing by submitting the request via the ABOG Contact Us form. Meeting the accommodation request deadline is necessary in order to allow the Board to review the request (as well as any required documentation regarding a documented disability, if necessary) and possibly request additional information.
Documentation
Requests for accommodations will only be considered with appropriate documentation and according to the timing outlines stated above under Notification Requirements.
- Your documentation must specify the requirements or accommodations determined to be necessary to overcome or compensate for the disability.
- In addition, you must supply any additional information ABOG may subsequently request in a timely manner.
- The purpose of documentation is to validate that an applicant for test accommodations is a disabled individual as defined by the ADA to provide guidance in determining effective accommodations.
- Comprehensive information by a qualified professional is necessary to allow ABOG to understand the nature and extent of the disability and the resulting functional impairment that limits access to its examinations. It is essential that your documentation provides clear explanation of the functional impairment and a rationale for the requested accommodation.
Limitations & Re-Examination
Provides guidance on accommodation limitations and outlines guidelines related to re-examination.
Policy Guidance
Limitations
A candidate will not be offered an accommodation that would compromise the ABOG examination's ability to accurately test the skills and knowledge it is designed to measure, and no auxiliary aid or service will be provided that will fundamentally alter the examination or will result in an undue burden to ABOG.
If any of the requested accommodations cannot reasonably be provided, or an alternative reasonable accommodation is available, ABOG will notify you and identify any alternative accommodations it determines to be appropriate, considering the documented disability and the integrity of the examination.
Important Notice
Re-Examination
If you fail to notify ABOG of a disability by the close of the application period and fail to achieve a passing grade, you may not appeal the results of the exam based on a lack of accommodations. You're entitled to sit for the next regularly scheduled exam, but you must pay new application and exam fees and must meet current year exam requirements.
ABOG Commitment
Ensuring Equal Access While Preserving Examination Integrity
ABOG provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2013 (ADAAA), collectively known as the ADA. Therefore, ABOG will, as applicable, provide or allow the use of necessary auxiliary aids, services, or testing conditions that do not fundamentally alter the measurement of the skills or knowledge the Board assessment program and examination is intended to test.
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