The Justice Department’s ADA Title II rule, extended in April 2026, requires WCAG 2.1 AA from state and local governments by April 26, 2027, or April 26, 2028 for those serving under 50,000 people.
Check the candidate interface
Run these on every screen a candidate sees, from sign-in to score report.
Keyboard only
Every control, item type and timer works with Tab, Enter, Space and arrow keys, with no traps.
Visible focus
The focused control is always visible, on every background and in every theme.
Screen reader names
Questions, options, flags and timers announce their names and states in NVDA, JAWS and VoiceOver.
Contrast ratios
Body text meets 4.5 to 1; large text, icons and control borders meet 3 to 1.
Zoom and reflow
Pages reflow at 400 percent zoom without sideways scrolling, except for tables and diagrams.
Adjustable time
Candidates get a warning before time ends, and approved extra time applies without staff stepping in.
Check the items themselves
Accessible software cannot rescue an inaccessible item.
Described images
Alt text carries the information a candidate needs, without giving away the key.
Not color alone
Charts, maps and hotspots use labels or patterns as well as color.
Readable math and tables
Equations entered as MathML, and data tables built with header cells, so screen readers read them in order.
Captions and transcripts
Captions for every video; transcripts for audio unless listening is the skill tested.
Keyboard for drag tasks
Drag and drop, ordering and hotspot items each have a keyboard method that scores the same.
Reading load fits
No idioms, double negatives or extra reading unless reading is what the item measures.
Check the process around it
Most barriers on test day start weeks earlier, in a policy or a form.
Published request route
The candidate handbook says how to request accommodations, what evidence to send and by when.
Decided before scheduling
Requests decided and configured before the window opens, never improvised at check-in.
Approvals on record
Each accommodation logged with who approved it, when, and for which window.
A practice run
Candidates using assistive technology can try a practice test on their own setup first.
Proctors briefed
Proctors see approved accommodations ahead of time, so a screen reader or a break is not flagged.
A way to report
A phone line and an email address for reporting a barrier during or after the session.
How each accommodation is set
How the Exampit platform configures common accommodations, per candidate, before the window opens.
| Accommodation | How it is configured | What the record shows |
|---|---|---|
| Extra time | A multiplier, such as 1.5 or 2, on each timed section | Multiplier, approver, approval date and window |
| Extra or longer breaks | Number and length of breaks set per candidate; the section timer pauses | Each break taken, with start and end times |
| Screen reader mode | Interface tuned for NVDA, JAWS or VoiceOver, with a practice test to try first | Mode enabled and the approval it rests on |
| Larger text and high contrast | Text size and a high contrast theme set as defaults for that candidate | Display settings applied to the session |
| Separate room or setting | A flag shown to proctors at check-in, for test sites and remote sessions | Flag, room note and proctor acknowledgment |
| Alternate format | A large-print or paper form built from the same blueprint, scored on the same record | Format used and the form version given |
| Reader or scribe | A session note so the proctor expects a second person in the room | Name of the approved reader or scribe |
Accessibility questions we hear
Does the Title II rule apply to our online exams?
It covers web content and mobile apps that state and local government entities provide, which can include exams run by public universities, school districts and state licensing boards. Whether and how it applies to your program is a question for your counsel. This checklist is a practical aid, not legal advice.
Is WCAG 2.1 AA enough for every candidate?
No. WCAG 2.1 AA sets a baseline for the interface and the content, so most candidates never need to ask for help. Some candidates will still need individual accommodations, such as extra time or a reader. Those are decided case by case under your accommodations policy and recorded against each approval.
Does extra time change what a score means?
Not when speed is not part of what the exam measures, which is true of most knowledge exams. If speed is part of the skill, such as a timed keyboarding or dispatch task, say so in your blueprint and your accommodations policy, so the decision about extra time is made once and applied consistently.
How do we test an exam with a screen reader?
Take a full practice form with the screen reader on and the monitor off, using NVDA or JAWS on Windows and VoiceOver on a Mac. Answer every item type, flag and unflag a question, review answers and submit. Note anything you could not reach, hear or understand, and fix it before the window opens.
Check your exam before the date
A Test Health Check from $1,900 reviews one exam’s statistics and accessibility in ten business days.