CPACC Certification
CPACC stands for Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies. This credential is IAAP’s foundational certification, representing broad, cross-disciplinary conceptual knowledge about
- disabilities,
- accessibility and universal design, and
- accessibility-related standards, laws, and management strategies.
Who Should Take It?
This credential is conceptual, non-technical, and applicable to anyone.
It is ideal for those who manage and support accessibility, but who may not personally design, implement, or evaluate the technical details of accessible solutions.
What Is the Exam Format?
The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions with 4 possible responses. Each question has 1 correct answer and 3 incorrect distractors. Responses are selected by radio-button. The time limit is 2 hours, unless an accommodation for additional time is requested.
How Should I Study?
Multiple resources should be used to prepare, including:
How Long Does It Take to Prepare?
- The CPACC Exam Preparation Course takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete.
- The IAAP recommends planning to spend between 30 and 80 hours total to prepare.
Practice Exam
The IAAP has released a limited set of CPACC Sample Questions.
WAS Certification
WAS stands for Web Accessibility Specialist. This is a technical credential for people with detailed knowledge of web accessibility standards and guidelines.
It is intended for accessibility professionals responsible for evaluating the accessibility of existing content or objects according to published technical standards and guidelines, and providing detailed remediation recommendations. Candidates should know and use relevant technologies.
Who Should Take It?
The WAS is the ideal credential for intermediate (3-5 years experience) professionals who function in one of many team roles related to accessible web solutions. The WAS is ideal for people who design, develop, implement, evaluate, or manage accessible web-based content, projects, and services.
Just a few examples are: web developers, web designers, UX designers and testers, QA professionals, and web content managers or administrators, though there are many other relevant roles.
Note, it is not necessary to be a programmer to take this exam. However, you should have experience in/exposure to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
What Is the Exam Format?
The exam consists of 75 multiple-choice questions with 4 possible responses. Each question has one correct answer, one distractor that is almost correct, and two incorrect responses. Responses are selected by radio-button. The time limit is 2 hours, unless an accommodation for additional time is requested.
How Should I Study?
Multiple resources should be used to prepare, including:
How Long Does It Take to Prepare?
The courses in the WAS Exam Preparation Package take approximately 15 to 30 hours to complete.
The IAAP recommends planning to spend between 30 and 80 hours total to prepare.
Is There a Practice Exam?
The IAAP has released a limited set of WAS Sample Questions.
ADS Certification
ADS stands for Accessible Document Specialist. This is a technical credential for accessibility professionals who have regular hands-on experience with creating accessible electronic documents and remediating inaccessible electronic documents.
Electronic documents in this case refers to ones that are created in word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, or desktop publishing programs.
Who Should Take It?
The ADS is the ideal credential for accessibility practitioners and specialists with a minimum 1-2 years experience who function in one of many team roles related to accessible document authoring, remediation, training, policy, and advocacy of accessible document solutions.
Just a few examples are: accessibility professionals whose jobs require in-depth knowledge of ICT accessibility standards, document remediation specialists, accessible media service providers, UX designers and testers, QA professionals, and web content managers and administrators, though there are many other relevant roles.
What Is the Exam Format?
The exam consists of 75 multiple-choice questions with 4 possible responses. Each question has one correct answer and three incorrect responses. Responses are selected by radio-button. The time limit is 2 hours, unless an accommodation for additional time is requested.
How Should I Study?
Multiple resources should be used to prepare, including:
The Deque Document Accessibility Specialist package currently addresses parts I, II, and some of part III of the exam content outline, but does not cover topics in parts IV and V of the outline.
To fully prepare for the ADS exam, refer to the ADS Body of Knowledge, and seek outside sources about the topics not in the Deque courses.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare?
The courses in the Document Accessibility Package take approximately 10 to 20 hours to complete.
The IAAP recommends planning to spend between 30 and 80 hours total to prepare.
Is There a Practice Exam?
The IAAP has not yet released any sample questions for the ADS Exam.