By Tamara Sawyer, Accessibility Coordinator, Minnesota Management and Budget

The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) started a new certification program called Accessible Document Specialists (ADS). It is specifically geared towards people who create accessible documents on a routine basis. The ADS tests user’s knowledge in five areas  :

• Creating electronic documents.
• Remediating electronic documents.
• Auditing and testing document accessibility.
• Document accessibility planning and training.
• Policy promotion, advocacy, and advising. 

IAAP recommends people who are familiar with basic document accessibility spend six or eight weeks preparing for the exam. 

I interviewed Samantha “Sam” Fischer from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and Aaron Arvig from the Minnesota Department of Human Services as they took part in the pilot program for IAAP’s ADS certification. They had some excellent advice for anyone interested in taking the exam.

What is the ADS certification and who should take it?

Unlike the other certifications offered by IAAP that test broad knowledge of accessibility, ADS is specifically geared towards people who have experience creating and remediating digital documents. ADS covers the general concepts behind: 

• document creation and remediation, 
• auditing documents for accessibility, and 
• document accessibility training.

How do I know what to study? How much time will I need?

IAAP provides a Content Outline and Book of Knowledge (BOK) to help users prepare. These two documents will have content and links to all the material you should know prior to taking the exam. Depending on your pre-existing knowledge, prepare to spend five to ten hours weekly for six to eight weeks prior to the exam date. People with more experience may need less time to prepare. Even people with a lot of experience will find there are things they didn’t know. One thing to keep in mind, many people do the same processes in different orders of operations. The study guide may recommend an order of operations different than yours, although the result may be the same in the end. Learn the processes outlined in the BOK – it will help you with both your daily work and the exam.

Is this exam worthwhile? What will I get out of it? Will it help me better understand accessibility?

The ADS exam shows your employer that you have a solid ability to create digital content. Sam and Aaron both encourage anyone who creates and remediates documents as a routine part of their employment to take this exam. It can boost your knowledge no matter what level of experience you have. 

Any other advice?

If you decide this certification is right for you, leave plenty of time to study and follow the Book of Knowledge. During the exam, take your time and don’t overthink the questions. 

For more information, go to the IAAP’s Accessible Document Specialist web site.