Disability Resources for Students

Accommodation & Services Information

Overview

Alternative Testing is a group of academic accommodations approved by Disability Resources for Students (DRS) to provide access to course examinations, tests and quizzes for students whose documented disability affects their ability to take exams. Alternative Testing accommodations can be facilitated by the faculty member, academic department, or through the DRS Testing Center. Students should discuss their preferred testing location with their professors. Faculty make the final decisions about whether an exam will be accommodated in the department or in DRS during business hours.

Description of 3 Most Common Testing Accommodations

The following are descriptions and examples of the most common DRS testing accommodations. Please discuss all tests/quizzes in your class with the student to see if they need to utilize any of the below accommodations for each of your exams. Please note, students are encouraged to contact each faculty member regarding their need for accommodations as soon as the notification letters have been sent.

Reduced Distraction Environment

A reduced distraction environment means that the student needs to take the exam in an area that is reasonably quiet with low stimuli. The environment doesn’t need to be a silent private setting.  The environment can include taking the test with other students and the room chosen must allow for students to start and finish their exams with limited interruptions. Tools that may help further reduce distractions for students may include: noise cancelling headsets, ear plugs, study carrels, etc.

Examples:

  • Reasonable locations: a conference room, an office, or lounge with a closed door that has been reserved.
  • Unreasonable locations: a hall way, or a room that people frequent and can’t be reserved.
  • Distractions that need to be avoided include but not limited to: ringing telephones, conversations, rustling of chairs/papers, coughing, excessive movement, typing, traffic, etc.

Private Room

A private room accommodation means that the student needs to take an exam in a reasonably quiet with low stimuli room on their own. A TA or professor can be in the room to proctor a test/quiz. However, the proctor must be mindful of creating distractions.

Examples:

  • Reasonable locations: a conference room, an office, or lounge with a closed door that has been reserved (with no other students/unnecessary persons around).
  • Unreasonable locations: a hall way, or a room that people frequent and can’t be reserved.
  • Distractions that need to be avoided include but not limited to: ringing telephones, conversations, rustling of chairs/papers, coughing, excessive movement, typing, traffic, etc.

Extra Time on Tests/Quizzes

Students who have the accommodation of extra time on tests/quizzes should receive extra time on any test/quiz intended to be completed in a single session and is graded such as; quizzes, pop quizzes, exams, midterms and finals. The additional time is calculated from the total amount of time given to the class to take the test/quiz.

Extra time for online exams

If an exam is to be completed through an online learning management system, extra time can be added for an individual student. In order to give a student extra time through your online learning management system, please contact UW IT at: http://itconnect.uw.edu/

Extra time for take home exams

A take home exam is an exam given to complete outside of the classroom over a period of multiple days to a week. In these cases a student may or may not receive extra time depending on the nature and duration of the exam. Contact the DRS coordinator to determine if extra time is appropriate for your exam.