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Four Speech Therapy Diagnoses that Qualify Your Child for Extended Time

Most of us are familiar with the testing accommodation of “extended time.”

And to many of us, the ability to apply for extra time is generally perceived to be linked to a specific learning or physical disability: a student who writes slowly, has ADHD and is easily distractible in a large group setting or has a medical diagnosis such as visual or hearing impairment. These accommodations are provided “to level the playing field for students with professionally diagnosed and documented disabilities.”

But here is a little known fact.

Students who have specific speech and language diagnoses may be eligible to take the College Board exams with accommodations under the Students with Disabilities (SSD).

• Language Disorder
• Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder (stuttering)
• Speech Sound Disorder (Phonological Disorder)
• Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder

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A licensed speech and language therapist can assess, diagnose and provide supporting documentation to facilitate the accommodation process. The therapist can document how the communication disorder impacts the student’s daily functioning as well as their ability to take the College Board exams.

The College Board strongly recommends that once a child has been tested by a Speech and Language Pathologist, the accommodation should be requested through their school. Here’s why:

• While families using the paper form must always submit documentation to the College Board for review, SSD Coordinators must do so only rarely.

• When documentation has to be submitted to the College Board, SSD Coordinators can submit it online.

• Your school’s SSD Coordinator has probably been through the College Board accommodations request process before with other students.
Extended time comes with no stigma attached.
Why not try to get your child the additional time they need to improve their grades and become eligible for college admission by applying for it?

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