The Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) is a credential offered by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). It is designed for people who work in or around accessibility, engineers, designers, and others.
The exam covers three broad areas: disabilities, accessibility and universal design, and accessibility standards and laws.
Why I decided to take it
I have spent most of my career as an engineer with a focus on accessibility. I write code. I help teams build things that work for everyone. I write articles educating on accessibility standards. I knew the WCAG guidelines and semantic HTML. I knew how to test with a screen reader. I live and breathe accessibility.
Taking the CPACC felt like a chance to solidify the years of accessibility work.
What studying actually looked like
I spent several months preparing for the exam last year. I worked through the IAAP Body of Knowledge, read research, and took practice tests. I watched youtube tutorials and completed the CPACC prep course offered by Deque University.
The technical material felt familiar at first. Assistive technology, accessibility standards, barrier types, I had touched most of this on m. But the exam goes deeper than surface familiarity. I had to understand how different types of assistive technology work, not just that they exist.
The history and policy sections were where things really opened up for me. Studing for the CPACC exam, I realized how much context I had been missing.
The exam itself
The CPACC test covers a wide range of topics. Some questions put you in real-world scenarios and ask you to apply what you know. Others test precise definitions and legal details.
I felt prepared walking in, and the exam still challenged me. That is a good thing. A credential that is easy to get is not worth much.
After months of studying, I passed. I am now a CPACC certified engineer.
But more than the credential, I walked away with a broader view of accessibility. I understand more about the lived experiences of people with disabilities. I understand more about the assistive technologies they rely on, the legal and policy frameworks that shape what companies are required to do — and what they should do even when they are not required to.
That last part matters. Requirements set a floor. Good accessibility work aims higher.
Keeping the certification
The CPACC is not a one-time achievement. Like many professional credentials, it requires ongoing education to maintain. it requires attending accessibility conferences, taking courses. I need to earn continuing education credits to keep my certification active.
Honestly, I see that as a feature. Accessibility is a living field. Standards evolve. Technology changes. New research shapes best practices. Staying certified means staying current.
Should you take it?
If you work in accessibility, I think the CPACC is worth pursuing. Not just for the credential, but for what the process of studying teaches you.
Technical skills alone are not enough to do this work well. You need context. You need history. You need to understand the people your work is meant to serve.
The CPACC exam pushed me toward all of that. I truly feel like I am a better engineer because of it.
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