IAAP CPACC CERTIFICATION PREP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
COMPLETE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN ACCESSIBILITY CORE
COMPETENCIES STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
ARIA - ANS ✔✔An acronym for "Accessible Rich Internet Applications".
A set of attributes you can add to HTML elements that define ways to make web content and
applications accessible to users with disabilities who use assistive technologies.
An example - "When accessibility issues cannot be managed with native HTML, ARIA can help bridge
those gaps."
Disabilities on the Web - ANS ✔✔The disabilities that matter most in terms of their effect on web use
are disabilities in the eyes, ears, hands, and brain
Blind people (Printed Disability) - ANS ✔✔- can't read signs on buildings
- product packaging
- business cards
- postal mail sent to their home
- any printed text
A blind person's methods of receiving information depend on other people. (Before Screen Readers)
Screen Readers - ANS ✔✔Allow blind people to access information independently, without having to
direct assistance from anyone else
Assistive Technologies and the Web - ANS ✔✔Blindness
- screen readers
- refreshable braille devices
Color Blindness
- color enhancement overlaps or glasses
Low Vision
- screen enlargers
- screen readers
Deafness
- captions
- transcripts
Motor/Mobility Disabilities
- head wand
- mouth stick
,- alternative keyboards
- eye gaze tracking
- voice activation
Cognitive Disabilities
- screen readers
- screen overlaps
- augmentative communication aids
Medical Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔Disability is viewed as a problem that is caused by medically-
diagnosed genetic disorders, disease, trauma, or other health conditions. Disability is treated as a
biological problem that diminishes quality of life and needs to be treated with professional medical care.
Strengths of the Medical Model - ANS ✔✔- A clearly-defined set of biological criteria to diagnose a
person's condition helps medical professionals make important decisions in terms of treatment
- When deciding who should receive government assistance, a clearly-defined set of criteria helps inform
those decisions
Weaknesses of the Medical Model - ANS ✔✔Frequently criticized by disability advocates.
- Overlooks the impact of the design decisions in our social environment
- Labels and stigmatizes the person as different and "less than" the rest of the population
- People who do not fit within the clearly-defined definitions may be denied benefits that they need
- Adds a level of inconvenient bureaucracy by having to "prove" your disability repeatedly
Social Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔The social model doesn't deny that there is a biological or medical
component to disability. It merely points out that more inclusive designs can remove the barriers that
people with disabilities face in their everyday lives. It also provides a meaningful context for accessibility
professionals.
Strengths of the Social Model - ANS ✔✔- The expectation is that society will create more inclusive
environments, and not that people with disabilities need to accept a lower quality of life simply because
of their bodies do not conform to "normal" expectations.
- Empowers designers of physical and virtual environments to think broadly about usability for all kinds
of humans
Weaknesses of the Social Model - ANS ✔✔The social model can de-emphasize the physical reality of a
disability too much.
They argue that a person's disability can be an important part of one's identity, and it shouldn't be
minimized to the point that people are afraid to talk about it. Accepting and "owning" one's disability
can be very healthy from an emotional and psychological perspective.
Biopsychosocial Model - ANS ✔✔Recognizes that disability is a concept and multi-faceted concepts and
incorporates the perspectives of the medical and social models. A coherent view of different
perspectives of health: biological, individual and social
, Economic Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔A way of understanding and representing disabled people in
terms of their contribution to or drain on the economy.
Strength:
- Provides accommodations for a person's disability
Weakness:
- Can be viewed as "needy" members of society.
- Also, if a person does not meet the legal threshold for disabled, or if there is a dispute as to a person's
disability, the person with the disability may not receive the support they need
Functional Solutions Model - ANS ✔✔More focus on applying innovation to overcoming the limitations
of disability
Strength:
- Building accessible environments
Weaknesses:
- Creating products that are not practical or useful
- Can be expensive
- De-emphasis on socioeconomic issues can cause would-be innovators to ignore the most important
aspects of the original problem
Social Identity or Cultural Affiliation Model - ANS ✔✔May develop a sense of personal identity through a
community who share similar life experiences based on their disability
Strengths:
- accepts disability completely, pride in being associated with others in a similar condition
- can gain political strength by forming alliances and advocacy networks
Weaknesses:
- sense of belonging to one group may be counterbalanced by sense of exclusion by those who don't
quite fit group's expectations
Charity Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔Treats disability as unfortunate or tragic conditions worthy of
special treatments - like fundraisers, projects, assistance, & other interventions to improve the condition
of those with disabilities
Strengths:
- Can inspire people to contribute their time and/or resources to provide assistance when it is genuinely
needed
Weaknesses:
- Can be condescending toward people with disabilities
- Resent the feeling that they are the object and pity by other people
- Focuses on short term & immediate needs, often at the expense of more effective long term solutions
COMPLETE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN ACCESSIBILITY CORE
COMPETENCIES STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
ARIA - ANS ✔✔An acronym for "Accessible Rich Internet Applications".
A set of attributes you can add to HTML elements that define ways to make web content and
applications accessible to users with disabilities who use assistive technologies.
An example - "When accessibility issues cannot be managed with native HTML, ARIA can help bridge
those gaps."
Disabilities on the Web - ANS ✔✔The disabilities that matter most in terms of their effect on web use
are disabilities in the eyes, ears, hands, and brain
Blind people (Printed Disability) - ANS ✔✔- can't read signs on buildings
- product packaging
- business cards
- postal mail sent to their home
- any printed text
A blind person's methods of receiving information depend on other people. (Before Screen Readers)
Screen Readers - ANS ✔✔Allow blind people to access information independently, without having to
direct assistance from anyone else
Assistive Technologies and the Web - ANS ✔✔Blindness
- screen readers
- refreshable braille devices
Color Blindness
- color enhancement overlaps or glasses
Low Vision
- screen enlargers
- screen readers
Deafness
- captions
- transcripts
Motor/Mobility Disabilities
- head wand
- mouth stick
,- alternative keyboards
- eye gaze tracking
- voice activation
Cognitive Disabilities
- screen readers
- screen overlaps
- augmentative communication aids
Medical Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔Disability is viewed as a problem that is caused by medically-
diagnosed genetic disorders, disease, trauma, or other health conditions. Disability is treated as a
biological problem that diminishes quality of life and needs to be treated with professional medical care.
Strengths of the Medical Model - ANS ✔✔- A clearly-defined set of biological criteria to diagnose a
person's condition helps medical professionals make important decisions in terms of treatment
- When deciding who should receive government assistance, a clearly-defined set of criteria helps inform
those decisions
Weaknesses of the Medical Model - ANS ✔✔Frequently criticized by disability advocates.
- Overlooks the impact of the design decisions in our social environment
- Labels and stigmatizes the person as different and "less than" the rest of the population
- People who do not fit within the clearly-defined definitions may be denied benefits that they need
- Adds a level of inconvenient bureaucracy by having to "prove" your disability repeatedly
Social Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔The social model doesn't deny that there is a biological or medical
component to disability. It merely points out that more inclusive designs can remove the barriers that
people with disabilities face in their everyday lives. It also provides a meaningful context for accessibility
professionals.
Strengths of the Social Model - ANS ✔✔- The expectation is that society will create more inclusive
environments, and not that people with disabilities need to accept a lower quality of life simply because
of their bodies do not conform to "normal" expectations.
- Empowers designers of physical and virtual environments to think broadly about usability for all kinds
of humans
Weaknesses of the Social Model - ANS ✔✔The social model can de-emphasize the physical reality of a
disability too much.
They argue that a person's disability can be an important part of one's identity, and it shouldn't be
minimized to the point that people are afraid to talk about it. Accepting and "owning" one's disability
can be very healthy from an emotional and psychological perspective.
Biopsychosocial Model - ANS ✔✔Recognizes that disability is a concept and multi-faceted concepts and
incorporates the perspectives of the medical and social models. A coherent view of different
perspectives of health: biological, individual and social
, Economic Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔A way of understanding and representing disabled people in
terms of their contribution to or drain on the economy.
Strength:
- Provides accommodations for a person's disability
Weakness:
- Can be viewed as "needy" members of society.
- Also, if a person does not meet the legal threshold for disabled, or if there is a dispute as to a person's
disability, the person with the disability may not receive the support they need
Functional Solutions Model - ANS ✔✔More focus on applying innovation to overcoming the limitations
of disability
Strength:
- Building accessible environments
Weaknesses:
- Creating products that are not practical or useful
- Can be expensive
- De-emphasis on socioeconomic issues can cause would-be innovators to ignore the most important
aspects of the original problem
Social Identity or Cultural Affiliation Model - ANS ✔✔May develop a sense of personal identity through a
community who share similar life experiences based on their disability
Strengths:
- accepts disability completely, pride in being associated with others in a similar condition
- can gain political strength by forming alliances and advocacy networks
Weaknesses:
- sense of belonging to one group may be counterbalanced by sense of exclusion by those who don't
quite fit group's expectations
Charity Model of Disability - ANS ✔✔Treats disability as unfortunate or tragic conditions worthy of
special treatments - like fundraisers, projects, assistance, & other interventions to improve the condition
of those with disabilities
Strengths:
- Can inspire people to contribute their time and/or resources to provide assistance when it is genuinely
needed
Weaknesses:
- Can be condescending toward people with disabilities
- Resent the feeling that they are the object and pity by other people
- Focuses on short term & immediate needs, often at the expense of more effective long term solutions
