Employment Testing of Persons with Diasabling Conditions - IPAC

ADAPTING TESTS FOE THE DISABLE)
Testing accommodations by their nature mist be handled individually, and
many of them can be made wholly in-house. The ?reat bulJc of accommodations
deal with physical accessibility and modification of seating plans. These, of
course, can all be handled in-house, as can arrangements for readers and
amanuenses, which are frequently drawn from the regular test monitors* staff.
However, many testing accommodations call for skills and equipment which
are not normally found in personnel offices. For this reason, the people
trying to adapt tests have found it useful to work with a variety of
community agencies, both voluntary and governmental. The local public
library, local colleges and universities, and the local Association for the
Blind can frequently provide both facilities and equipment (such as magnifying
devices, computerized text reading machines, and other specialized technology)
for special testing needs. A little research in the local community will
quickly reveal a number of more specialized service and advocacy groups
serving the disabled. Many of these groups will have skillB and/or services
that they are willing to use in support of an accommodated testing program.
For example, the New York program located a voluntary organization called
the "Sight Conservation Society of Northeastern New York." This group,
sponsored by the Lions Club (an international service organization), is
similar to groups found in many areas across the country, sustained wholly by
contributions and by the volunteer efforts of a small group of people The
society trains braillists to Library of Congress Standards, and provides free
braillijng of such things as school books and other educational materials,
written materials needed on the job by blind workers, etc. New York worked
out a deal with the group that has been mutually advantageous. The State pays
the Society $9.00 per hour plus the cost of materials. This provides the
Society with a small but regular source of operating funds, while providing
the Department with a needed professional service at a "rock bottom" price.
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