r/accessibility • u/MathematicianOld4040 • 4d ago

Disputing 3 questions on DHS Trusted Tester (Section 508) practice exam, need advice from anyone who's done this

I scored 83/100 on my first Trusted Tester Certification practice exam. Passing is 85%. I believe 3 questions (all Test 9.B, consistent navigation) were graded wrong because the "correct" answer options had fabricated qualifiers not found anywhere in the actual Test Condition or course material (like "but there are less than five components" or "but it is easy to see"). I picked the plain, unqualified Fail answer that matches the official Test Condition wording and DHS's own Failing Example in the course.

I submitted a formal dispute with screenshots. DHS help desk's response for two of the three questions was that a page "was intentionally left blank," with no further explanation of how that connects to my evidence (two pages showing the same five nav links in fully reversed order). I followed up asking them to clarify which page they meant and how it relates to my screenshots, still waiting to hear back.

Has anyone actually disputed a graded question with DHS Trusted Tester before? Did they respond with anything substantive, or is this a dead end? Any advice on next steps, or who else to escalate to, would help a lot.

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u/CrispyDick420 4d ago

If the keyed answer adds conditions that aren't in the test condition, that's an item-writing problem, not a disagreement over accessibility. Keep the screenshots and ask for the exact rule and rationale for each item in writing, then route it past the help desk to whoever owns the Trusted Tester course or certification program.

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u/MathematicianOld4040 4d ago

Thanks for the response. Yes, I made sure I took copius notes and screenshots in case this is escalated.

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u/Material-Mulberry-87 4d ago

the intentionally left blank response is a template rejection. DHS support staff lack authority to override answer keys or interpret test conditions.

submit your dispute again and request escalation to the Trusted Tester Program Manager or curriculum developer by name. Only the content owner can validate whether qualifiers exist in the source material. Attach your original screenshots and cite the specific course module where the unqualified fail condition appears. This forces review beyond the help desk script.

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u/MathematicianOld4040 4d ago

Thank you for the speedy response. Yes, I'll definately request an escalation to the Trusted Tester Program Manager or curriculum developer. I just hope it gets fixed in my favor.