Feedback about Microsoft certification accessibility for non-native English speakers

Question

Feedback about Microsoft certification accessibility for non-native English speakers

David 0

Dear Microsoft Team,

I would like to share feedback regarding Microsoft certifications such as MS-900, SC-900, SC-300, AZ-900 and MS-102.

I am very interested in learning Microsoft technologies and improving my skills. However, I have difficulties because of the language barrier. I understand many technical words, but when the exam questions contain long and complicated professional English sentences, I often do not fully understand the exact meaning of the whole question. In some cases, I know the correct technical answer, but because of the language, I may answer incorrectly. My language is Czech.

I would greatly appreciate:

• more high-quality translations of certification exams into local languages,

• subtitles or additional explanations,

• simpler and clearer wording of exam questions,

• an official practice question database similar to driving school exams,

• for example, books or systems with many official practice questions for preparation.

I believe this would help many people from smaller countries who have technical skills but are not strong in advanced professional English.

In my opinion, certifications should focus more on verifying technical knowledge rather than the ability to understand very complicated language formulations.

I am also a more introverted person, and the stress caused by difficult English exam wording is very challenging for me. Despite this, I truly want to continue learning and working with Microsoft technologies.

I would also like to honestly mention that I used Google Translate / a dictionary to help me write this message, because otherwise I would not be able to write such a professional English text myself. This is exactly the difficulty I experience during certification exams as well.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

David

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Feedback about exam accessibility, language complexity, and preparation resources is very valuable and aligns with several existing options and channels.

For language and accessibility support on Microsoft certification exams:

Disability and accessibility accommodations
- If assistive technology or other accommodations are needed (for example, extra time because the exam language is not native), request accommodations through the official process: see How to request exam accommodations.
- For English-as-a-second-language scenarios, there is specific guidance and the possibility to apply for extra exam time: see How to request an exam when English is your Second Language.
- For broader accessibility or disability-related questions, the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk can provide technical assistance and guidance on available options. Contact details by region are available via the Disability Answer Desk pages.
Practice and preparation resources
- Some exams (including several fundamentals-level exams) have free Practice Assessments on Microsoft Learn. These help practice skills, understand the style and wording of questions, and identify areas that need more preparation. Details and availability are described on the Practice Assessments page and on each exam’s certification details page.
- Practice Assessments show the correct answer, rationale, and links to additional learning resources after each question, which can help with both technical understanding and becoming familiar with typical exam phrasing.
- Additional preparation materials such as study guides, videos, and practice exams are available from Microsoft Press.
Providing feedback directly to Microsoft
- For general feedback about the certification program, exam experience, or preparation resources (including language complexity and translations), use the Credentials Support channel. The support page explains how to contact the Credentials Support team for “all other Microsoft Certification issues.”
- For feedback on specific Practice Assessment questions (for example, wording that is too complex), use the Practice Assessment item challenge form referenced on the support page.
What is not available
- Official certification exams do not provide a public, exhaustive database of live exam questions (similar to driving school question banks). However, Practice Assessments and Microsoft Press practice exams are designed to approximate the style and difficulty of real exams without exposing actual exam content.

Using these channels allows feedback about translations, wording complexity, and exam preparation resources to reach the responsible Microsoft certification teams, and accommodations can help reduce the impact of language barriers during the exam itself.

References: