If you are experiencing visual difficulties, from slightly impaired vision to total blindness, and wish to study, work or migrate abroad, IELTS will gladly accommodate your special needs and accurately assess your language proficiency.
IELTS is fair, not just in various cultural and political aspects of the language but also in its test takers’ capabilities. Its centers make all the necessary adjustments for examinees with special requirements. Test takers need only to provide the complete details of their eyesight status, present a medical certificate and inform the center at least three months prior their examination date.
Enrolling in an IELTS training course can improve an examinee’s overall band score regardless of his/her abilities. There are qualified specialists in IELTS Cebu, Davao, Makati, Manila and Baguio who can guide test takers through the exam format.
The test facility’s adjustments according to an examinee’s circumstance include:
EXAM MODIFICATIONS
Specialized Version: Listening Component
Most of the questions in the Listening exam require simultaneous note taking and listening. This task may be difficult for exam takers with visual difficulties. In such cases, the IELTS facilitator guides test takers through a special version of this component. The facilitator pauses the recording at strategic instances to give the examinee sufficient time to read the questions and write his/her answers.
Specialized Version: Reading Component
Braille Exam Format
Braille system is a tactile mode of writing designed for people who have partial vision or who are blind. This method replaces letters with embossed dots. Some IELTS test papers are redesigned using the Braille system.
Magnified Questionnaires
When creating a tactile version is unnecessary, IELTS facilities can also enlarge font sizes depending on the test taker’s needs.
Specialized Version: Writing Component
Please see “Writing Aids” under “Test Assistance and Privileges.”
Specialized Version: Speaking Component
Extra time can be provided for reading exam papers, especially if the test takers have visual difficulties. The IELTS facility can also provide modified Speaking task cards with an enlarged font or in Braille format.
TEST ASSISTANCE AND PRIVILEGES
Time Extension
A test taker, who is blind or partially sighted, can request more time to be added to his/her exam period. In fact, an examinee can ask for more than 25% of the normal test time especially if he/she needs extra time to accomplish a paper.
Exam Breaks
IELTS centers can grant short breaks to test takers who experience vision difficulties.
Reading Aids
An examinee is allowed to use equipment to help him/her delve into the various reading components of the exam. Permitted visual tools include hand-held magnifiers, screen magnification programs and Braille displays.
A test taker can also request for a “reader” or a person who will read and reread passages for him/her. The reader cannot give explanations or advice. Moreover, an examinee cannot ask for reader assistance or rely on visual equipment when answering the Reading exam papers.
Writing Aids
Similar to the reading aid, a test taker is also permitted to use special writing tools such as a Braille keyboard and a Braille note taker. Programs that utilize spelling and grammar checker are prohibited. The same applies to the thesaurus, dictionary and other references.
Examinees with visual difficulties can ask for a “writer” or a person who listens and writes down the answers for him/her. The test taker must also include necessary punctuations and spelling.
The instructors of IELTS Cebu, Davao, Makati, Manila and Baguio can tell you more about the specifics of this version of the examination. Enroll in their IELTS training courses and boost your language proficiency results.
All in all, IELTS strive to accommodate all its examinees’ particular needs. By taking this English evaluation test, you can ensure that your visual difficulties would not affect your exam results.
