Testing Accommodations

Accommodations for exams allow students with disabilities to fairly represent their knowledge and skills while mitigating the impact of disability-related impairments. There are several different types of accommodations that may be suggested based on the academic environment, the course objectives, and the abilities of the student.  Arranging and providing accommodations is an interactive process between the student, faculty member, and staff at the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources. Testing accommodations are changes to the format of a test (e.g., providing a test in large print) or its administration procedures (e.g., permitting extended time to complete the test). Testing accommodations change how students are tested but do not change what a test measures. Students with disabilities who receive testing accommodations are required to take the same assessment and reach the same level of proficiency as students who do not use them.

Alternate Testing Location

Alternative Testing accommodations can be facilitated by the faculty member, academic department, or through the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources (CADR). Students may discuss their preferred testing location with their professors. Faculty make the final decisions about whether an exam will be accommodated within the department, or in CADR.

Common Testing Accommodations

Extended time on Exams

The amount of time to take an exam is determined on an individual basis considering the nature and severity of the impairment as verified in the student’s documentation and the accommodations used in the examination process. A typical extended time accommodation is time and a half. For example, an exam is scheduled for 60 minutes and a student with a 1.5X accommodation would receive 90 minutes to take the exam. If the exam is to be completed through an online learning management system, extra time Should be added for the individual student.

Private Room

Student for whom distractions significantly interfere with attention and focus, or students whose accommodations may interfere with others (screen readers, speech recognition software, etc…) may be provided with a private room for testing purposes.

Distraction Reduced Environment

Student for whom distractions may interfere with attention and focus, may test in a distraction-reduced room with a few other students.

Auxiliary Aids

Students with limited mobility or sensory impairments my need auxiliary aids such as scribes, readers, American Sign Language interpreters, or real-time captioning.

Breaks

Students with certain medical conditions, student with traumatic brain injury, or 
students with a physical disorders may need to take periodic breaks during testing to tend to their medical needs. Periodic breaks are allowed to accommodate their needs.

Assistive Technology

Students may need access to various assistive technologies to complete their examinations. These could include screen readers, text-to-speech software, screen enlargers, dictation software as well other access tools.

Scheduling Exam in the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources

1.    Students are encouraged to check their syllabus and schedule their exam/quiz appointments for the entire semester in advance. 
2.    All exam/quiz appointments must be scheduled at least five business days in advance through the Bison Accessibility Portal and final exam appointments three weeks in advance (15 business days). 
3.    The CADR testing center will only be open between 8 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday. If you have a class that begins at 2 PM or later please discuss with your instructor how your alternative testing accommodations will be handled. 
4.    If you add a class throughout the semester, you are responsible for updating the exam scheduling information in the Bison Accessibility Portal. 

Scheduling your exams 

1.    Log into your Bison Accessibility Portal.
2.    To schedule your exam in the Bison Accessibility Portal, click on the alternative testing link in the left side bar menu. 
3.    Next, select a course from the drop-down menu for which you would like to schedule. 
4.    If the text “No Testing Agreement Specified” is present next to a given class, the testing 
agreement has not yet been completed by the instructor. You may proceed with scheduling exams for the class, but please remind your instructor to fill out the testing agreement as soon as possible. The link to this agreement is located within the faculty notification letter that was automatically generated by your request for accommodations. 
5.    Select the course and click the schedule an exam button. Read the terms and conditions of scheduling an exam. In the section labeled “Exam Detail” choose the request type from the drop-down list. You may select from final, quiz or exam. For the date of the exam/quiz you must enter the date in the format of MM/DD/YYYY. 
6.    Next, enter the time of the exam using the two drop-down boxes. 
7.     In the “Services Requested” box click the checkboxes to choose the approved accommodations you would like to request for that exam. 
8.    Finally, click the “Add Exam Request” button. You will be returned to a screen that is similar to the exam request homepage, but you will now be able to view your scheduled exam listed by clicking on the "View All Upcoming Exam Requests" button. For confirmation, you will receive an email for each exam requested. 

Complete these steps for each quiz, exam and final for each class.

If you schedule an exam or last minute, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request in the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources or have time to get the exam from your professor. In these cases, you may need to take your exam in the classroom during scheduled time. It is your responsibility to schedule your exams per CADR guidelines.

Testing Center Rules

•    Please arrive 10 minutes before your schedule test time. Teh Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources (CADR) will not give you additional time if you are late. 
•    CADR will not proctor tests if you arrive more than 20 minutes late without instructor approval.
•    Do not bring food or drink into the testing room. 
•    Do not bring valuables such as cell phones, computers, wallets, etc. into the testing room. 
•    Locked storage space is available for backpacks, satchels or purses. 
•    Use the restroom and or get a drink of water before you start your test.
•    Make sure you bring all approved test-taking materials (such as, pencil, paper, notes if allowed, etc.) into the testing room. 
•    You will not be allowed to access your belongings once you start the test.
•    Double-check your testing accommodations and make sure they have been arranged according to your needs. 
•    Once you begin the test, we are assuming you have approved the arrangements.
•    Ask for your end time before you start.