Certification

Overview of IAAP Certification

The IAAP certification program aims to better define what accessibility professionals are expected to know and increase the quality and consistency of the work performed by accessibility professionals. This will not only help individuals to add to their professional qualifications, but it will also help employers of accessibility professionals to assess accessibility competence.

The IAAP will offer three types of certification: 1) a professional level credential; 2) a technical level credential; and 3) built environment credential. Certification exams are open to both members of IAAP and non-members.  Current exam offerings include:

• The IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) credential is IAAP's foundational certification, representing broad, cross-disciplinary conceptual knowledge about 1) disabilities, 2) accessibility and universal design, and 3) accessibility-related standards, laws, and management strategies.  Visit our CPACC Overview page for more information.
• The IAAP Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) credential is a technical level exam for an individual with at least an intermediate level of detailed technical knowledge about the WCAG guidelines and other related web accessibility topics. This exam is not intended for beginners or those without regular hands-on experience in identifying and remediating accessibility issues in code. Visit our WAS Overview page for more information.
• The IAAP/GAATES International Certification of Accessibility Professionals – Built Environment (ICAP-BE) credential is IAAP’s latest offering in its portfolio of certifications.  Transitioned from GAATES in January of 2019, the program recognizes professionals as emerging, advanced, or expert leaders in the field of accessibility, with the technical knowledge and experience to appropriately apply universal design in the built environment.  Visit our ICAP-BE Overview page for more information.
• Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA) credential is earned by individuals who successfully pass both the Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) exam and the Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) exam.

More about goals, scope and structure of certification.

TAKE A CERTIFICATION EXAM

IAAP is a member of ICE (Institute for Credentialing Excellence) 

The Institute for Credentialing Excellence, or ICE, is a professional membership association that provides education, networking, and other resources for organizations and individuals who work in and serve the credentialing industry.  ICE is a leading developer of standards for both certification and certificate programs and it is both a provider of and a clearing house for information on trends in certification, test development and delivery, assessment-based certificate programs, and other information relevant to the credentialing community.