Administering Accommodated Exams

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Administering exams for your students with accommodations

If you specify that you will provide testing accommodations for students with approved testing accommodations in your course, those accommodations must be honored for all applicable assessments. This includes every quiz, exam, or timed in-class assignment-whether administered on paper, Canvas (here is the guide for extending time on Canvas exams), or other platforms. If you opt to administer the exam yourself, it's your responsibility to ensure that all accommodations approved through SAS are provided.

When giving tests to SAS students with accommodations, it's important to provide the same access to information and instructor support as their peers in the main classroom. This means:

Sharing any announcements, corrections, or clarifications made during the test
Allowing students to ask the instructor questions during the exam

This applies whether you're administering the test yourself or using the SAS A11y Testing Center.

The most common approved testing accommodations at Dartmouth are:

Extended test time (which includes quizzes, midterms, finals, and other timed assessments)
Breaks that do not count against test time
Use of a computer (e.g. word processing, text-to-speech software, speech-to-text software, magnification software, braille)
Use of a calculator for those functions not being assessed
Reduced-distraction testing environment (RDE)
- RDE is a quiet and controlled setting for taking exams that limits external stimuli and interruptions, with the goal of supporting concentration by reducing barriers for students with disabilities
- Reduced-distraction testing environments may include
  - a student utilizing a separate room
  - fewer test-takers in the separate testing space with at least a few seats between test-takers
  - noise-reduction measures, and/or specific seating arrangements
  - Etc. (this is not an exhaustive list)
- Students with a computer accommodation should generally be provided a separate room to reduce distraction to peers writing by hand

If unable to provide a reduced-distraction environment or other accommodations, please contact and work with the A11y Testing Center to fulfill these accommodations.

Below is a step-by-step overview of the process for using the A11y Testing Center to administer your accommodated exams throughout the term. Simply click on each step for details.

A11y Testing Center and Database Overview

A11y now offers enhanced functionality to support alternative testing accommodations. The database allows faculty to complete a short online form (the Alternative Testing Contract) to provide the details of the exam(s) for a course. A11y also requires students to schedule their own exams as opposed to faculty needing to coordinate the process. The system protects confidential information about the students while allowing more transparency and communication between the student, the instructor, and the SAS staff.

Students who are approved for testing-related accommodations and want to utilize the testing center can find more details and instructions in the Testing Center Guide for Students.

Faculty who wish to have the A11y Testing Center administer accommodated exams for their students may find step-by-step guidance in the Faculty Guide for the A11y Testing Center. Please note: The A11y Testing Center is available to administer accommodated exams during its scheduled hours and to assist faculty with the implementation of Alternative Testing accommodations; it does not proctor exams.

1. Receive Accommodation Email and View Student List in A11y

Using the A11y Student Portal, students will request letters for their faculty, which must be approved and sent by SAS, outlining that they will be using their approved accommodations in a course that term. If a student is approved for testing accommodations, there will be a link to the Alternative Testing Contract inside a red box that appears in the student's accommodation email.

For your convenience, see step 3 on the View Requested Accommodations page to learn how to download a spreadsheet that includes all of your SAS students and the accommodations they qualify for.

Please remember that accommodation information is confidential and not to be discussed in front of others in the classroom. Also know that students are not required to discuss the nature of their disability with faculty, classmates, or any staff outside of the SAS office.

2. Faculty Complete Alternative Testing Contract

Find step-by-step instructions at Complete the Alternative Testing Contract. Even if you have no exams or plan to provide accommodations yourself, please indicate your preference in the Alternative Testing Contract to avoid receiving automated reminders to complete the contract.

3. Students Schedule Their Exams

Early in the term, please communicate how testing accommodations will work in your course.

Unless you have indicated your preference to administer accommodated exams yourself, students will be able to log into our A11y database and schedule their own exams for your classes. You will be sent notifications during this process and can contact the Testing Center at any time if you have questions or concerns. You can also view requested accommodations in your course(s) in the A11y Faculty Portal

Students must schedule exams themselves--you cannot do it for them. If a student schedules an exam at date or time you do not approve of, you can click on the dispute button in the notification you receive.

4. Faculty Provide a Copy of Your Exam

You will provide a copy of your exam to the Testing Center at least 24 hours prior to the date of the scheduled exam. You can Upload Exams via A11y or you can bring a hard copy to the A11y Testing Center. If providing hardcopy, please bring enough exams for all students who will be testing. For your convenience, we have a drop-box installed outside the Testing Center entrance to allow you to drop off exams at any time.

5. Faculty Pick Up or Download Completed Exams

If you indicated on the Alternative Testing Contract that you prefer to pick up exams, you can come to the A11y/SAS Testing Center to collect your exams during business hours.

If you indicated that you prefer digital copies of completed exams, you can Download Completed Exams within 48 hours from A11y.

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Administering Accommodated Exams

Administering exams for your students with accommodations

A11y Testing Center and Database Overview

1. Receive Accommodation Email and View Student List in A11y

2. Faculty Complete Alternative Testing Contract

3. Students Schedule Their Exams

4. Faculty Provide a Copy of Your Exam

5. Faculty Pick Up or Download Completed Exams

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Administering Accommodated Exams

Administering exams for your students with accommodations

A11y Testing Center and Database Overview

1. Receive Accommodation Email and View Student List in A11y

2. Faculty Complete Alternative Testing Contract

3. Students Schedule Their Exams

4. Faculty Provide a Copy of Your Exam

5. Faculty Pick Up or Download Completed Exams