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Faculty Guidelines for Implementing Academic Accommodations

Test-Taking Accommodations

EXTENDED TIME

A student with an extended time (time-and-a-half or double time) test-taking accommodation is to be afforded 1.5x or 2x the amount of time that all other students are provided to take an exam. If a student wishes to take a test in the classroom with you (even if that student has the accommodation of testing in a distraction-reduced environment), and you and the student have no logistical conflicts with either starting early or staying late, then you should accommodate that student in the classroom and indicate on the "Test-taking Request" tab of the student's Access Plan that you will administer the exam. If you would like strategies on how to provide a distraction-reduced setting within your classroom on test day, please review the guidance provided by ADS or contact the ADS Assistant Director and Proctoring Manager, at proctoring@dickinson.edu. If proctoring from ADS will be needed for an exam, guidelines are presented at the bottom of this page.

SETTING UP MOODLE EXAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH AN EXTENDED TIME ACCOMMODATION

If your students will be taking tests on Moodle, the ideal is to establish a multi-day window during which students can access the test. If you wish to establish a time limit for taking the test once started, this "How to Set Up Extended Time Exams in Moodle" video explains one way to schedule extended time exams in Moodle without calling attention to students with disabilities who need this accommodation. 

PLANNED QUIZZES

During your accommodations conversation with the student, let the student know that there will be quizzes in the class, how long you will allow for each quiz, and determine whether accommodations will be needed for quizzes.  

If the student concludes that extended time and/or a distraction-reduced environment will not be necessary for quizzes, document this on the Access Plan, indicating the length of time you will be allowing for quizzes and noting in the Comments section that accommodations will not be necessary.

If the student does express a need for extended time for quizzes and/or testing in a distraction-reduced environment, consider and discuss the following options:

  1. You arrange for the student to take the quiz with you at an alternative time
  2. The student arrives early to start the quiz
  3. You will collect the quiz (after, say, 10 or 15 minutes), but the student will use the additional time at the end of class
  4. The student takes the quiz in the Proctoring Center and then reports to class
  5. The student takes the quiz in the Proctoring Center early enough to arrive to class on time. Then “takes the quiz with the class,” but only for appearances. The quiz taken in the Proctoring Center with extended time is the one that will count.
  6. Have a worksheet, reading, or other non-quiz task that students can work on after their quiz (each printed on different colored paper), and choose one of the following options – both or which facilitate eligible students’ need for extended time without calling attention to their accommodation status.:
    • All students will have a set amount of time in which to complete the quiz 
      • If, for example, you have determined that all students should have 10 minutes to take the quiz, you’ll need to allow additional time for a student with 1.5x extended time in the class. Instruct students to move on to the second activity after taking the quiz, and you will collect the quizzes after 15 minutes (expecting that most will have moved on to the second activity – if they haven’t, this may be an indicator to allow more time for the next quiz).
    • Accommodated students will have their extended time (1.5x or 2x) added to when the last student without accommodations completes the quiz
      • When you see the last student without an extended time accommodation move from the quiz to the other task, take note of the time. If, for example, 10 minutes has passed, you’ll know to allow another 5 minutes for a student with a 1.5x extended time accommodation before collecting all quizzes. 

In order to ensure compliance, you would need to note at what time the last student without accommodations completed the quiz, and then provide the student(s) with extended test time accommodations the proportionally appropriate extended time before collecting the quizzes.

POP QUIZZES

See the guidance above and start by asking the student whether accommodations will be needed for quizzes. If the student informs you that accommodations won't be necessary for quizzes, make the student aware that you will also be giving unannounced pop quizzes to ensure that students are keeping up with assigned readings. Then confirm any declination to use accommodations for pop quizzes on the student's Access Plan. 

If the student does express a need for extended time for pop quizzes, then Option 4 (above) is the preferred means of implementation.  

Knowing how best to implement accommodations can be tricky! If you have any uncertainties, please email access@dickinson.edu. We'd be happy to advise. 

COMPUTER USE FOR ESSAY EXAMS

If your student has the accommodation to use a computer for essay exams, please let the student know whether you will have any essay-based tests, and whether or not you’re comfortable with a student using their own laptop in your class for an exam. If using a personal laptop is not a reasonable approach for your situation, the exam will need to be administered by ADS, and you should make that indication on the student’s Access Plan test-taking page.

ADS PROCTORING GUIDELINES

It is essential that ADS has sufficient time to prepare for the unique accommodations of each student, so we require one week's advance notice for proctoring requests. In unforeseen circumstances such as illness, weather-related emergencies, and the like, we will make every effort to adjust on short notice, but this cannot be guaranteed. Requests for ADS proctoring are made by faculty from the "Test Taking Requests" tab of the Access Plan Acknowledgement page. Proctoring requests are automatically transmitted to the Proctoring Center, where preparations will begin for the administration of each exam.

A few days before the scheduled exam date, you will receive an "Exam Request & Questionnaire" from proctoring@dickinson.edu, asking for a copy of the exam and all exam-related instructions. Please be especially attentive to the following:

  • Tests, instructions, contact information and a list of permitted materials must be delivered to ADS no later than 3PM on the day preceding the exam. 
  • When proctoring a test, ADS will permit students to use only those items you specify as permissible on the Exam Questionnaire.
  • If any software (Excel, Moodle, SSPS, etc) or hardware (mp3 players, computers and headphones for videos, etc.) will be needed for an exam, this must be specified this on the  Exam Questionnaire. 
  • ADS frequently needs to contact faculty during an exam, so providing your contact information on the Exam Questionnaire is required.
  • If you share information with the students in the classroom on exam day, (e.g. clarification of a question, discovery of a typo, etc.), this information must also be provided to your students in the Proctoring Center.

The above information is primarily applicable for when students are on campus. Click here for guidance regarding test-taking accommodations in the remote environment.