Top Tip: Helping Students Avoid Common Mistakes When Requesting ADA Accommodations
As educators, you play an important role in preparing students for the ARRT exam—including helping them understand the process for requesting Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations when needed. These documentation guidelines are the most comprehensive resource for understanding the requirements needed to support a student’s accommodation request.
Here are the most common issues students encounter, along with ways you can support them.
Incomplete or incorrect documentation
Delays can occur when students submit letters that are missing required components or fail to provide all supporting documentation. Accommodations for an ARRT exam require specific, professionally documented evidence of an ADA-qualifying disability and substantial functional limitations.
Checking the wrong box on the application
Students often select “yes” for ADA accommodations even when they don’t intend to request them, which automatically places their exam application on hold. They should only choose “yes” if they plan to submit an accommodations request through Paradigm Testing. If a student selects this option by mistake, they can opt out by logging in to their ARRT account and sending a message through Message Center. They may also fax a signed opt‑out request to 651.681.3293, including two of the following three identifiers: ARRT ID number, Social Security number, or date of birth.
Guessing instead of asking for help
Students occasionally make assumptions about documentation or process requirements. Encourage them to review ARRT’s documentation guidelines and contact ARRT with any questions through Message Center or by phone at 651.687.0048 or 877.560.2778 ext. 8520.
How Educators Can Help
Share documentation guidance early
Proactively provide students with ARRT’s documentation guidelines at the start of the program. This gives them time to gather professional evaluations, obtain current testing, or update existing documentation before they reach the exam application stage. A link to the current documentation guidelines can also be found in all ARRT Handbooks.
Clarify the difference between program accommodations and ARRT exam accommodations
Accommodations students receive in your program may be different from those approved for the ARRT exam. Because the ARRT exam is a high stake, standardized assessment, accommodations are intended solely to ensure equal access—not to improve performance or guarantee specific outcomes. Each request is evaluated individually, and only accommodations appropriate to the exam environment are approved.
By reinforcing these points throughout your program, you can help students feel more prepared and reduce processing delays.