Accommodations Testing Services

A 10-year-old student was referred for evaluation after teachers noted difficulty completing in-class tests and frequent careless errors, despite strong comprehension during class discussions. Parents described challenges with homework completion and morning routines. Psychological testing included the Conners-4, CPT-3, and BRIEF-2 Teacher/Parent forms, all of which revealed clinically significant impairments in sustained attention, inhibition, and working memory. On timed academic tasks, the student often left items blank due to slow initiation and distractibility.

Functional impact: The student understood the material but could not consistently demonstrate it under time-limited conditions.
Accommodations granted:

• 50% extended time on quizzes, tests, and state assessments.
• Short breaks during long tasks to regulate attention.
• Reduced-distraction setting to minimize environmental interference.
• Teacher-provided graphic organizers and checklists to support task planning and written assignments.
  These measures enabled the student to show mastery of grade-level skills without being penalized for attention regulation difficulties

A 19-year-old college sophomore reported severe test anxiety, with physical symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, and shortness of breath during midterms. She described blanking out on questions despite knowing the material. The MASC-2 and STAI confirmed severe anticipatory and performance anxiety, while self-report inventories documented interference with study efficiency and exam performance. Despite strong classroom participation, grades on timed exams were significantly lower than her assignments and projects.

Functional impact: Anxiety impaired concentration, slowed retrieval of information, and increased mental fatigue.
Accommodations granted:

• 50% extended time to offset slowed performance caused by intrusive worry.
• Private testing space to reduce hypervigilance in crowded classrooms.
• Permission for short relaxation breaks (deep breathing, grounding techniques) during exams.
• Priority scheduling for exams to prevent anxiety escalation.
  Together, these accommodations allowed her to demonstrate her knowledge in a calmer, more controlled environment, leading to performance that better matched her true academic ability.

A graduate school applicant with a long history of dyslexia had previously received accommodations in high school and college. His evaluation included the WIAT-4, CTOPP-2, and RAN/RAS, which showed persistent deficits in reading fluency, decoding speed, and phonological processing. While comprehension was strong when given sufficient time, performance on timed reading tasks fell into the low range, confirming that standard test conditions artificially suppressed his scores.

Functional impact: Reading-based tasks took significantly longer, creating a mismatch between knowledge and timed output.
Accommodations granted for GRE/LSAT/MCAT:

• 100% extended time to compensate for slow decoding and reading fluency.
• Computer-based format with text-to-speech to allow access to material in real time.
• Breaks to manage fatigue associated with increased cognitive effort.
• Small-group or private environment to reduce embarrassment and allow for assistive technology use.
  These supports ensured the applicant could demonstrate his reasoning and content mastery without being penalized for reading-based impairments.

A 28-year-old employee in a corporate setting was highly capable in written work but avoided meetings and frequently declined presentation opportunities, limiting career advancement. Evaluation with the PAI and SPECTRA indicated clinically elevated social avoidance, performance anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. Coworkers noted that while his reports were excellent, his reluctance to engage in team presentations created communication gaps.

Functional impact: Social anxiety limited his ability to participate in collaborative work and demonstrate leadership skills.
Accommodations granted:

• Option to submit pre-recorded presentations or provide written reports instead of live, impromptu speeches.
• Flexible scheduling for high-stress meetings so he could prepare adequately.
• Quiet workspace to reduce daily anxiety triggers and improve concentration.
• Access to wellness and EAP programs for ongoing therapeutic support.
  These accommodations reduced daily stress, increased productivity, and enabled him to gradually build confidence in lower-pressure communication formats.

A 25-year-old law school graduate preparing for the Bar Exam presented with long-standing ADHD and worsening test anxiety. Testing included the CPT-3 (showing attention variability), BRIEF-A (executive functioning deficits), and STAI/PAI (significant anxiety symptoms). In practice exams, she reported losing focus, rereading passages, and panicking about time limits. Despite strong legal reasoning, her scores were inconsistent under timed, high-stakes conditions.

Functional impact: Combined ADHD and anxiety created slowed processing speed, inefficient time use, and performance-limiting worry.
Accommodations granted:

• 100% extended time to offset slow reading and frequent refocusing needs.
• Breaks to manage heightened anxiety and physical symptoms.
• Private testing room to minimize distraction and self-consciousness.
• Computer-based format for essay responses, supporting working memory and organization.
  With accommodations, she was able to fully demonstrate her legal knowledge and reasoning skills, rather than being disadvantaged by attention lapses and anxiety.