Requesting Testing Accommodations
Illinois Nurse Aide Competency Exam centers will provide testing accommodations to applicants who qualify. To request testing accommodations, the Nurse Assistant (NA) training program instructor/coordinator must prepare a cover letter stating the accommodations requested along with the official documentation of the learning disability. For your convenience, a form is included in this document to make formal request.
Testing accommodation documentation must be from a person who has the background and training to make a determination of the accommodations required (i.e. school’s counselor, resource services coordinator, medical professional/specialist, etc.). Examples of acceptable testing accommodation conditions documentation would include: a student’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan), documentation of disability services received from an educational institution, or documentation of physical disabilities such as vision or hearing problems.
Testing accommodation requests must be typed on official letterhead and signed and dated by the professional submitting the documentation and must specifically state what the accommodation is and what accommodations are required.
Testing accommodation requests could include oral exams (electronic media), reader (live person), extended time, separate testing area, enlarged type, etc.
Nurse Aide instructors are not considered to have had the training to determine accommodation needs testing. Accommodation testing requests and documentation must be sent to SIUC Nurse Assistant Testing office for approval of accommodation testing conditions. Applicants will not be scheduled for accommodation testing until approval from the SIUC Nurse Aide Testing Project is granted. Submitting the requests as early as possible will help assure that proper accommodations are arranged for the testing time requested. There is no additional charge for approved accommodations.
NOTE: English as a second language is not recognized as a disability by the Illinois Department of Public Health and does not qualify the individual for accommodation testing. Individuals who are working in primarily English speaking facilities are expected to be able to read and speak English fluently, and are required to take the Illinois Nurse Aide competency Exam in English.
Please submit accommodation requests and disability documentation to the SIU Nurse Aide Testing Project as early as possible to through the online process, email to inat@siu.edu, or fax to 618-453-4300.