Practice Tests for Examinees Using Accommodations  

Did you know that many alternate-format practice tests are available immediately online, for free? These can help you familiarize yourself with the format you will use on test day. Whether you use a screen reader, American Sign Language, or a reading support like pre-recorded audio or text to speech, you’ll find a pathway to practice here. 

For online examinees who are blind or use screen readers like JAWS or NVDA, ACT recommends using the “Screen Reader Compatible” practice tests. These are also the most compatible with other third-party assistive technology such as voice recognition, keyboard navigation, etc... Please confirm use of any software with your test coordinator or ACT. 

The “Text to Speech” accommodation provides a built-in tool for reading support with select-to-read functionality. Text is highlighted as it is read. This requires some vision to use.  

What is the difference between “Text to Speech” and “Screen Reader?”

Pre-recorded Video American Sign Language is available with an approved accommodation for some tests that are taken in TestNav. Many but not all ACT assessments support this embedded functionality. In the interim, if an embedded video ASL option is NOT available, local ASL interpretation of test content may be allowed with an approved accommodation.  

If your testing mode is Online

ACT National

If you are independently testing through our National model, not through your state or district, you will be testing on a platform called UTD. You can find links to these practice tests below.

Screen Reader Compatible

Timed Untimed
English English
Mathematics Mathematics
Reading Reading
Science Science

Additional information for screen reader users: Taking the ACT National Online Using a Screen Reader (National).

ACT State and District

If you have the TestNav app, you can find practice tests there. You can access the same practice tests without the app here: ACT practice tests on the web version of TestNav.

You will be taken to a login screen. Leave the fields blank and select “Practice Tests” at the bottom. The next screen lists each subject within the test. Expand each subject to open a list of all formats available for that subject and select the one that you wish to use for practice. For this assessment, there are timed and untimed versions with: 

  • Text to Speech (embedded) 
  • Video American Sign Language  
  • Screen Reader (for use with your JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, or alternative navigation) 
  • Standard form 

Additional information for screen reader users: Taking the ACT or PreACT Online Using a Screen Reader (State testing).

PreACT

If you have the TestNav app, you can find practice tests there. You can access the same practice tests without the app here: PreACT practice tests on the web version of TestNav.

You will be taken to a login screen. Leave the fields blank and select “Practice Tests” at the bottom. The next screen lists each subject within the test. Expand each subject to open a list of all formats available for that subject and select the one that you wish to use for practice. For this assessment, there are timed and untimed versions with:  

  • Text to Speech (embedded)
  • Video American Sign Language
  • Screen Reader (for use with your JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, or alternative navigation)
  • Standard form

Additional information for screen reader users: Taking the ACT or PreACT Online Using a Screen Reader (State testing) 

WorkKeys Assessments

If you have the TestNav app, you can find practice tests there. You can access the same practice tests without the app here: WorkKeys practice tests on the web version of TestNav.

You will be taken to a login screen. Leave the fields blank and select “Practice Tests” at the bottom. The next screen lists each subject within the test. Expand each subject to open a list of all formats available for that subject and select the one that you wish to use for practice. For this assessment, there are timed and untimed versions with: 

  • Text to Speech (embedded)
  • Screen Reader (for use with your JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver, or alternative navigation)
  • Standard form 

Additional information for screen reader users: Taking WorkKeys Online Using a Screen Reader using TestNav/ACT Now (PDF)

If your testing mode is Paper

For the ACT

Please use the Order Form for Alternate Format Practice Tests (PDF) to request free alternate paper formats of the ACT practice test. These materials may be checked out by students or used to simulate a practice session in school.

Prerecorded Audio - This audio is a read aloud support for sighted examinees that accompanies the paper test booklet and paper answer document. It helps relieve the need for a human reader, which is also an option, and uses the same words as the human reader script. This is for testing on paper, even though it uses a webpage to deliver the audio. If you are testing online, and need read aloud support, use the Text to Speech practice tests described above. 

Printing Braille Files

What You Need

A braille embosser and paper

Embossing software (e.g., BrailleBlaster or Duxbury)

Adobe Acrobat or Tiger Design Suite

1. Download the Test Materials 

  • Download the digital Braille Practice Test Folder 
  • Open Downloads to find the folder 
  • Right‑click the folder and select Extract, saving the extracted folder to the default location

2. Find the Files

  • In the extracted folder, open a test section folder: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, or Writing
  • Locate the BRF files in the folder
  • Mathematics and Science have two BRF files to choose from (UEB or Nemeth)
  • BRF files may be embossed or can be accessed using a braille display 

3. Emboss BRF Files

  • Open the embossing software
  • From the File menu, select Open or press Ctrl + O, and select the desired BRF file
  • After the file opens, press Ctrl + E to access the embossing menu
  • Select Emboss 

4. Emboss Tactile Graphics

(Math & Science only) 
  • In the Mathematics or Science folder, find and open the “Tactile Graphics” folder to find PDF tactile graphic files for each graphic in the subject test 
  • Open PDFs in Adobe Acrobat, or Tiger Design Suite 
  • Ensure your computer is connected to the embosser 
  • Open the Print menu, select the embosser as the printer, and select Print 

 

Need Help Embossing? Contact your school vision services team, or your state’s vision resource center, or check Producers of Braille for embossing services