Testing Accommodations Explained

For all written or Scantron exams and quizzes (including take-home exams), the amount of extended time given to a student is determined by multiplying the standard time in minutes by the amount listed on a student’s LOA.

For example, a student has an approved testing accommodation for 1.5x the standard amount. For a 60 minute classroom exam, the student must then receive 90 minutes for this exam.

The arrangements to implement the testing time are to be agreed upon by the course instructor and the student for each exam or quiz at least a full 3 days (72 hours) before the scheduled exam or quiz.

A distraction-reduced testing environment is separate from the classroom and limits the amount of interruptions during all written or Scantron exams and quizzes.

The course instructor may provide the testing environment in the department. Some examples of a distraction-reduced environment may include an instructor’s office, a small classroom, or other quiet, low-distraction areas.

With advanced notice of at least 3 days (72 hours), the student can reserve a distraction-reduced testing room at the DRC via the Accommodate portal.

A single-occupancy testing environment, a private space separate from the classroom, is provided to the student for all written or Scantron exams and quizzes.

The course instructor may provide the testing environment in the department. With advanced notice of at least 3 days (72 hours), the student can reserve a single occupancy testing room at the DRC via the Accommodate portal.

The student may need a timed break for every hour during an exam due to disability and must notify the instructor or proctor when a break has started and ended. This break should not count towards time spent on the exam nor can a student accumulate the timed breaks to use all at once during the exam.

For example, a student is approved on their LOA for a 10 minute break. If a student has a 3 hour exam, the student may use a 10 minute break for each hour of the exam, but cannot combine the timed breaks equating to 30 minutes, to use one time during the 3 hour exam.

Please refer to the student’s LOA to determine the amount of time allowed during a break.

A memory aid is a tool used to trigger information that a student has studied but may have difficulty recalling due to processing deficits with memory.  Memory aids can contain acronyms, short phrases, pictures, schematic diagrams or mind maps, names, definitions, tables, charts or key terms, and certain formulae.

If the student does not know the course material being assessed, the memory aid would not be beneficial. Memory aids are cues to a larger body of information and would not be useful to a student unless they know and understand how to use the information the aid contains. A memory aid is also not a list of answers or classroom notes.

Generally speaking, students create the memory aid and have it approved by the instructor at least 24 hours in advance of a quiz or exam. Alternatively, the student could schedule a meeting before each exam to create the memory aid together. Students taking exams at the DRC are only allowed to use memory aids that have been approved beforehand by their professor.

• Samples of Memory Aids

This requires the conversion of exam or quiz materials into an alternate format such as Kurzweil, digital recording, __ point font, etc.

The DRC can convert testing materials into the alternate format once the exam is submitted. Please allow at least 24 hours prior to an exam to have material converted. If additional information or equipment is needed, please contact the DRC.

The student is allowed the use of a certain program or software, such as Kurzweil, ZoomText, JAWS, etc., in order to complete the exam.

If additional information is needed about the functionality of the program or software, please contact the DRC.

A reader will be provided for all written or Scantron exams and quizzes/pop-quizzes. Readers should not assist the student with course content and are only used to read the exam questions aloud.

Whenever possible, instructors should secure a graduate student, upperclassman, or someone within the department to serve as a reader for a student. With advanced notice of at least 5 business days, the DRC can coordinate for the assignment of a reader.

The student is allowed the use of a simple, four-function calculator for exams and quizzes, as appropriate.

If an essential element of the exam or quiz is to assess the student’s ability to calculate answers, the use of a calculator is not appropriate.

The student is allowed to use a computer for exam-based writing assignments. The use of a personal computer is not allowed unless permitted by the instructor.

The student is permitted to use a hard-copy dictionary for exams and quizzes, as appropriate.

The use of approved ear plugs, typically foam or silicon-based material, is allowed during an exam. Ear bud headphones or similar electronic devices are not permitted with this accommodation, unless noise cancelling headphones is noted as a separate accommodation.

The student is allowed to mark answers directly on an exam or quiz instead of using a Scantron (bubble sheet).

Please contact the DRC if conversion of the student’s answers to Scantron is needed.

The use of a scribe is to record the student’s verbally-stated answers for all written or Scantron exams and quizzes/pop quizzes. Scribes should not assist the student with course content.

Whenever possible, instructors should secure a graduate student, upperclassman, or someone within the department to serve as a scribe for a student. With advanced notice of at least 5 business days, the DRC can coordinate for the assignment of a scribe.

The student should not be penalized for spelling errors made on an exam or quiz. The student can also be given the use of a computer with spell-check, if allowed.

If an essential element of the exam or quiz is to assess the student’s ability to spell, then the grading of spelling is appropriate.

The student is only able to complete one exam per day due to disability. Upon request by the student, the instructor may work with the student to reschedule an exam.

The student and the instructor can also contact the DRC Testing Coordinators or the student’s Disability Services Specialist to assist with the rescheduling of conflicting exam(s).

Other accommodations may be made in order to remove additional barriers when testing. These accommodations are discussed between the student and their assigned Disability Services Specialist.

Please address any questions or concerns about certain testing accommodations to the DRC Testing Coordinators at accesstesting@uic.edu or the student’s Disability Services Specialist whose contact information can be found at the top of the student’s Letter of Accommodation.