Alternative Testing FAQs for Faculty

If you have been notified that a student in your class qualifies for testing accommodations, you need to complete an Alternative Testing Contract. Here is a link where you can access step-by-step instructions to Complete the Alternative Testing Contract. Please specify on the contract whether you plan to administer the accommodations for approved students in your course directly, or whether you wish to utilize the A11y Testing Center for accommodated exams.

If you plan on administering accommodated exams directly for approved students:

• Review the Administering Testing Accommodations page

If you would like the A11y Testing Center to administer your accommodated exams:

• The contract specifies testing details which allow the SAS/A11y Testing Center to administer the exams and quizzes to your specifications
  • Complete the full Alternative Testing Contract at the start of each term for each course and section
  • If you have questions about the testing contract, email testing.center@dartmouth.edu

Note: If you need to make a change to a testing contract after you have submitted it, please email testing.center@dartmouth.edu

You need to fill out only one contract per course section each term.  It will apply to all students iin your class with alternative testing accommodations.

To complete a contract, click on the link located inside the red box in your 'Faculty Notification Letter' email, or follow the instructions found on our Complete The Alternative Testing Contract page. The link provided in the letter is specific to the class and section that the student is requesting to use accommodations in. Please be sure you are using the correct link for the class you wish to complete a contract for. You can also log directly into A11y to locate and complete the Alternative Testing Contracts for your courses.

No. 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 (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.

Email Testing.Center@dartmouth.edu or call (603) 646-6520, and we will assist you in updating your Alternative Testing Contract, which will enable students to schedule their exams with the A11y Testing Center.

Students need to schedule their own exams at the Testing Center through A11y. You will be notified when your students schedule with us. In the event that the student schedules an exam that does not correspond with the date, time, and flexibility parameters that you have specified for the exam, we will coordinate with you and the student to resolve the conflict.

To provide additional support to faculty with evening exams, the A11y/SAS Testing Center offers late hours on Wednesday, Thursday, and scheduled finals days. See the A11y Testing Center main page for current hours.

If you plan to come to the Testing Center after 5 PM on one of those days, we recommend calling 603-646-6520 beforehand, as the Center will close when the last exam is completed.

If your exams occur outside the business hours of the Testing Center, you can choose to allow your student(s) to test on a different day or time than the rest of the class so that we can administer the exam for you. If this is not practicable, we suggest contacting your department to identify another solution.

If it is possible to fulfill late requests (meaning if we have access to a testing contract for the course and can procure a copy of the exam) we will notify you ASAP.

We will also address the importance of submitting timely requests with the student reduce the burden on you and the testing center on future exams.

No, the A11y Testing Center serves only students who have approved testing accommodations with Student Accessibility Services.

If applicable, students with recent concussions generally benefit more from postponing an exam than from having additional time on an exam. We therefore recommend that you treat a student with a concussion who needs a makeup exam just as you would a student who is sick on the day of an exam.

If you administer your canvas quizzes/tests within the classroom, we can provide a space for your students who are approved for testing accommodations.

If your exams are not timed, or can be taken by students outside of class, the testing center does not offer space in this case. In this case, please select "I will proctor my own exams" and confirm in your Alternative Testing Contract. 

For students with reduced-distraction accommodations, we believe they can locate a quiet place on campus to take the exam. Since the exams in Canvas allow for time adjustments (see the guide for Additional Time Accommodations for Exams & Quizzes in Canvas), the instructor is able to provide the additional accommodated time for approved students in Canvas.

We guarantee seating for all timely requests. In the event that a student submits a last minute request we will do our best to accommodate the student.

During our busy times we secure additional classroom spaces, which are monitored by SAS professional staff, to facilitate all alternative testing accommodations.

We request that you provide exams 24 hours in advance. You will receive an email containing an upload link the day before the scheduled exam.

Exams can be provided to us in a few ways:

1. They can be uploaded to A11y
2. They can be left in the dropbox outside the A11y Testing Center office (Berry L33)
3. You can drop them off directly with the A11y Testing Center staff

Note: You need upload your exam for only one of your students as long as you want all students in your course to take the same exam.

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.