Testing Accommodation Policy and Procedure for Students with Disabilities 

Effective date: September 1, 2005
(revised  January, 2008)

POLICY:
Extended time for testing is an accommodation that grants a student with a disability the right to spend additional processing time on an exam. Time-and-a-half is a common guideline or starting point, but each student’s allotted time is determined on a case-by-case basis.  Extended time does not mean unlimited time.  Extended time for test taking is an academic accommodation that may be granted to a student with a disability who meets one or more of the qualifying criteria listed below.  It is not granted based solely on a student’s status as a person with a disability.  Most extended time requests include use of the distraction-free testing center within the Center for Academic Development.

In order to be considered for extended time for test taking, a disability-related need must exist which:

• Limits a student’s ability to take in-class, timed tests due to a documented disability (physical, learning, medical, etc).
  
  
• Presents constraints due to poor /limited fine motor skills and, therefore, a scribe, a computer/laptop (available in the Testing Center), or more time to produce test answers would be required.
  
  
• Displays receptive / expressive written language deficits, reading challenges (dyslexia), or other learning disabilities as verified by physician or medical report.

PROCEDURE:

1. A student must first establish their status as a person with a disability by submitting documentation (medical, neuropsychological, psychoeducational, etc.) to the Disability Support Services office (DSS) located in the Center for Academic Development.
   
   
2. Documentation must be submitted to DSS in a timely fashion in order for it to be evaluated by the DSS staff, who will then determine which accommodations, if any, are reasonable and appropriate.
   
   
3. If a student wishes to be considered as a candidate for extended time for testing, it is his or her responsibility to make the request known to the DSS office by submitting the Testing Accommodation Request form in a timely manner.
   
   
4. The Testing Accommodation Request form must be FULLY completed by the requesting student. Name of each course, course number, professor’s name, and day/time of course MUST ALL be included on the form.  Incomplete forms will not be processed.
   
   
5. The requesting student must return 24 hours after making the request to pick up the signed Academic Accommodation Authorization forms (yellow sheets).
   
   
6. The requesting student MUST submit the AAA (yellow sheet) form directly to each course professor IMMEDIATELY.  Students are asked NOT to wait until the day before or of an exam.  Immediate delivery (within five days PRIOR to the exam) of the AAA form is expected so that faculty can plan accordingly. The professor will keep a record of the yellow sheet.
   
   
7. Faculty members are NOT obligated to provide extended time without first receiving the Academic Accommodation Authorization form.  Extended time will not be granted “on-demand” or “after the fact.”  “On-demand” means students cannot arrive on the day of the exam with a yellow sheet and expect to receive extended time for that day’s test.   “After the fact” means students cannot expect additional time on an exam that has been submitted incomplete without previous authorization through DSS.
   
   
8. After receiving the Academic Accommodation Authorization form from a student who wishes to use the DSS Testing Center, the faculty member is responsible for hand-delivering the test to the DSS office located on the second floor of the University Library in the Center for Academic Development.  The test must be accompanied by a completed Exam Cover Sheet which supplies DSS with such information as: materials students can/cannot use while testing, special instructions, latest date test can be taken, where to deliver test, etc.    To ensure safe and secure delivery of exams please do not use e-mail or interoffice to deliver exams.
   
   
9. The requesting student should confirm with each professor prior to the exam date that an exam has been delivered to DSS. 
   
   
10. Students are required to arrive at DSS at the SAME TIME as the actual in-class test time. Tests will be returned to the professor if not started within 30 minutes of class start time, unless other arrangements have been made with a professor BEFORE the start of the exam.
    
    
11. Requesting students are REQUIRED to arrange with faculty members IN ADVANCE of an exam if there is a time conflict with the extended time.  For example, if a student has an exam from 9-10 a.m. and a class from 10-11 a.m., arrangements need to be made to start the 9 a.m. exam at 8:00 a.m. or after 11:00 a.m. to allow for the time extension. 
12. Prior to entering the Testing Center, students are required to turn off cell phones, remove jackets, and leave all bags and books outside of the test area.
    
    
13. Testing Rules and Regulations MUST be adhered to and are posted throughout the Testing Center.  A breech of academic integrity is a serious matter.  Any materials found which were not authorized by the professor on the Exam Cover Sheet (i.e. cheat sheets, note cards, class notes) will be confiscated, along with the unfinished exam, and immediately returned to the faculty member with a report of the incident.  In some cases, the Dean or Provost may also be informed of testing policy violations.  This action may result in the failure of the exam and/or course as deemed by the professor.
    
    
14. Students found in violation of the Center’s policy on academic integrity as stated in #13 may be denied the use of the Testing Center from that point forward.  Denied students will then be responsible for making arrangements directly with their faculty for extended time and an alternate location.
    
    
15. The testing center hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.  Exams may begin at 8:00; however, all exams must be completed by or before 4:30 pm.  Exams for evening classes and late afternoon classes must be taken during the office’s regular business hours.  If this cannot be arranged, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor for testing elsewhere.
    
    
16. Students utilizing the DSS Testing Center are regularly monitored during test-taking by Disability Support staff.
    
    
17. Students may only leave the Testing Center to use the restroom.  The time out of the Center will be monitored.
    
    
18. Departures from the Testing Center for any purpose other than a restroom break will result in closure of the exam, dismissal from the Testing Center and an immediate return of the unfinished exam to the instructor.