Reading and Writing Accommodations

Text-to-Speech (Embedded)

Beginning in spring 2025, the Bluebook testing application will include an embedded text-to-speech (TTS) tool for students who require reading assistance as an accommodation.  

• This built-in tool eliminates the need for external technology, reducing configuration issues and provides a more standardized experience for students across different devices.   
• No configuration will be required. 
• Embedded TTS will be available for all digital AP Exams (fully digital and hybrid digital).   
• Students who wish to use their own third-party screen reader may still do so.

For more details about how embedded TTS will work in Bluebook, including FAQs, see the latest updates from SSD.

Human Reader     

Students approved for a human reader may: 

• take the digital exam using the embedded TTS tool in Bluebook or their own screen reading software; or 
• test with a human reader using a digital exam. 

Students approved for a human reader accommodation will receive a digital AP Exam formatted to work with screen reader applications. If a student needs to take their digital AP Exam with a human reader, their SSD coordinator should submit the request in SSD Online by January 24, 2025. If the request must be made after January 24 due to a change in a student’s accommodations status, contact the College Board SSD office as soon as possible.   

If a student is taking a digital AP Exam and will test with a human reader, all reader criteria and requirements apply. 

Students approved for a human reader will receive an exam format enabled with time and one-half (+50%) extended time. 

Note: 

• The digital AP Exam cannot be accessed on multiple devices.  
• A human reader working with a student for a digital AP Exam would need to sit close enough to see the exam screen on the student’s device for the duration of the exam.  
• AP Computer Science Principles: If a student is approved to use screen reader assistive technology with their digital exam for AP Computer Science Principles, they will need to have a human reader assist them only for reading the Personalized Project Reference during Section II. An accommodations request needs to be submitted through SSD Online for any student who does not already have an approval for a human reader on record with the College Board SSD office and needs it for this exam. 

Writer/Scribe 

Students approved for a writer/scribe may: 

• take the digital exam using their own voice recognition (speech-to-text) software, if approved for Dictation; or 
• test with a human writer/scribe using a digital exam. 

Students approved for a writer/scribe accommodation will receive a digital exam formatted to work with speech-to-text applications. If a student needs to take their digital AP Exam with a human writer/scribe, their SSD coordinator should submit the request in SSD Online by January 24, 2025. If the request must be made after January 24 due to a change in a student’s accommodations status, contact the College Board SSD office as soon as possible. 

If a student is taking a digital AP Exam and will test with a human writer/scribe, all writer/scribe criteria and requirements apply. 

Students approved for a writer/scribe will receive an exam format enabled with time and one-half (+50%) extended time. 

Note: 

• The digital AP Exam cannot be accessed on multiple devices. 
• For fully digital exams, all exam responses must be entered on the student’s device being used for testing. A human writer/scribe would need to type on the same device the student has used to access the exam.