The short answer
An alternative format accommodation changes how a test is presented so you can read it: braille, large print, a screen reader or magnification software, audio, or a paper test instead of a digital one. Every major testing agency offers some of these, but they work differently now that most exams are digital. On the digital SAT, for example, students approved for large print use the zoom tool, and pre-recorded audio is no longer offered. Request the exact format you need, practice in it, and submit early, because special formats can take longer to arrange.
Some students can't read a standard test, on paper or on a screen. Blindness and low vision are the most common reasons, but some physical and learning disabilities also call for a different format. Alternative format accommodations change how the test is presented so the exam measures what you know, not whether you can see or track the text. This guide explains which formats the major testing agencies offer, how they've changed with digital testing, and how to request them.
What counts as an alternative format
The term covers several kinds of change to how the test reaches you:
- Braille, usually Unified English Braille, often with raised line drawings for graphs and figures.
- Large print, either a paper test book in a larger font or, on digital tests, zoom and magnification.
- Screen readers and magnification software, such as JAWS or ZoomText, sometimes with a refreshable braille display.
- Audio, such as recorded audio or text-to-speech, and human readers. Our guide to reader accommodations covers those in more depth.
- Paper instead of digital, for students who can't use the computer-based test.
Formats by exam
| Exam | Formats the agency lists | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| SAT, PSAT, AP (College Board) | Braille with raised line drawings; raised line drawings; human reader; magnification; assistive technology; assistive technology–compatible test format; large print for paper exams | On digital tests, large print and magnification are handled with zoom. Pre-recorded audio is no longer available. Students who can't use the digital test request a paper braille test. |
| ACT | Large print; braille with raised line drawings; pre-recorded audio; screen reader software; human reader | An approved large-print paper test can be given at a national test center. Braille, audio, a one-to-one reader and screen-reader compatibility are special testing, arranged with a school official. |
| GRE and other ETS tests | Braille; large-print test book and answer sheet; recorded audio (GRE General Test: with tactile or large-print figure supplements); JAWS with or without a refreshable braille display; screen magnification; selectable colors | ETS says to apply as early as possible if you need an alternate format. Documentation review takes about six weeks. |
| LSAT (LSAC) | Unified English Braille; paper-and-pencil in regular (9.5-point) or large print (18-point or larger); JAWS, ZoomText and Dragon at Prometric test centers | Paper formats other than braille are a Category 3 request since August 2025, and paper or braille tests are given at a test center in the U.S. |
Sources: College Board, College Board reading and seeing accommodations, ACT, ETS, LSAC.
SAT, PSAT and AP: how formats work in Bluebook
Digital testing changed several College Board formats. Students approved for large print, a large-print answer sheet or a magnification device use the zoom function on their device (College Board); digital AP Exams work the same way (College Board). Pre-recorded audio is no longer available. Students approved for an assistive technology–compatible format test with the standard digital test and Bluebook's tools unless they are separately approved for a specific assistive technology, and students approved for assistive technology use that software with the digital test. A student who can't test with the digital test should request a paper braille test (College Board).
College Board asks that requests name the specific accommodation needed. If you need more than one reading or seeing accommodation, such as audio and large print, explain why (College Board).
See our SAT, PSAT and AP guides for the request process and deadlines.
ACT
For the U.S. national ACT, braille, pre-recorded audio and a one-to-one human reader are available through paper special testing, and screen-reader compatibility through online special testing (ACT). Special testing is arranged with a school official during ACT's special testing window, and may take place at another site if the student's school can't administer it. An approved large-print paper test can be provided at a national test center (ACT). ACT also recognizes that screen-reader users may need tactile graphics to read graphs and charts. ACT also offers free practice tests in alternate formats, including screen reader, braille, pre-recorded audio and text-to-speech versions, so students can practice in the format they'll use (ACT). See our ACT guide.
Questions about your own request?
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GRE and other ETS tests
ETS offers braille, a large-print test book and answer sheet, and recorded audio for its testing programs; for the GRE General Test, recorded audio can come with a tactile or large-print figure supplement. On computer-delivered tests, ETS lists screen magnification and selectable background and foreground colors (ETS), and the GRE General Test can be taken with JAWS, with or without a refreshable braille display (ETS). ETS says to submit your request as early as possible, especially for an alternate test format; documentation review takes about six weeks once your paperwork is complete (ETS). Practice materials come in accessible formats too (ETS). See our GRE guide.
LSAT
At Prometric test centers, LSAC offers JAWS, ZoomText and Dragon speech recognition as approved accommodations. Because test text can't be selected, the LSAT works with screen readers controlled by the keyboard, not text-to-speech tools controlled with a mouse (LSAC). Alternative formats include Unified English Braille and paper-and-pencil tests in regular print (9.5-point) or large print (18-point by default, or larger on request). Since August 2025, paper-and-pencil formats other than braille are a Category 3 accommodation, and anyone previously approved for a paper format must submit a new request (LSAC). Paper and braille tests are given at test centers in the U.S. (LSAC). See our LSAT guide.
How to request an alternative format
- Name the exact format: braille code, font size, the screen reader or magnification software, or a paper test.
- Explain why a standard digital tool, such as zoom, isn't enough if you're asking for paper or a larger format.
- If the testing organization asks for documentation, include relevant findings from your vision evaluation, such as visual acuity and visual field measurements. Explain how low vision affects your ability to read, navigate or interpret exam material, and how each requested format or tool would address a specific barrier. (ETS notes that many applicants with visual impairments can apply without submitting documentation.)
- If you need more than one format, explain how they work together.
- Practice with the agency's own practice materials in your format before test day.
- Apply early. Braille and paper tests take extra time to prepare, and some formats are only available at certain locations.
If your request is denied or only partly approved
Testing organizations sometimes approve only part of a request; College Board, for example, invites students to send new documentation if the approved accommodations aren't enough. If the testing organization offers a digital tool in place of the format you requested, consider whether it gives you access to all parts of the exam. If a barrier remains, explain what you still cannot access, how the requested format would address that barrier, and what evidence supports the need. For example, a screen reader may read the text of a math question aloud while you still need a tactile graphic to interpret the figure. Each agency has its own reconsideration or resubmission process and deadlines; our guide to appeals covers them.
Common questions
Can I get a large-print SAT?
On the digital SAT, students approved for large print use the zoom tool. If zoom doesn't meet your needs, ask about a paper format through College Board's accommodations process; large print remains available for paper exams if approved.
Is pre-recorded audio still available on the SAT?
No. College Board says pre-recorded audio is no longer available as an accommodation on its digital tests.
Can I use my own screen reader on the LSAT?
LSAC provides JAWS, ZoomText and Dragon at Prometric test centers as approved accommodations. The LSAT works with keyboard-controlled screen readers, not mouse-controlled text-to-speech.
Does a braille test take longer to arrange?
Usually. Braille and other special formats have to be prepared in advance, and some are only offered at certain locations, so submit your request as early as you can.
Do I need a separate request for each format?
Request every format you need, and explain why if you need more than one. College Board asks for that explanation when a student requests more than one reading or seeing accommodation.