Test Modifications - Test Security
Disability Services works with faculty staff and students to provide an accessible testing environment for students with disabilities. Disability Services understands the academic rigors and safety measures that University instructors undertake in preparing and administering their exams. Every individual who takes part in the testing process at Disability Services has been informed of the need for test security and has been instructed to uphold a secure testing environment ensuring academic integrity.
Our test management staff consists of a testing coordinator whose primary function is to oversee the management, scheduling and administering of exams. Student employees function as proctors. Each proctor is individually trained by the testing coordinator as to their roles and responsibilities in providing a secure testing environment. Proctors are briefed on how to handle exams securely and ethically preserving academic integrity at all times. Proctors tasks are assigned at the discretion of the testing coordinator and vary on a daily basis. Generally, proctors monitor testing security and the amount of time students have for their exams. In the cases where readers and scribes are needed every effort is made to ensure that the content of that exam remains confidential in that the proctor has typically completed the majority of general education requirements and is not currently enrolled in that class or is pursuing that course of study.
When an exam is sent to Disability Services, whether it be by fax, e-mail, or delivery the exam is retrieved by the testing coordinator and matched with the name of the student taking that exam placed in a locked filing cabinet used for storing exams. In the absence of the testing coordinator, proctors will handle incoming exams. Again, our proctors have been carefully instructed to handle the exams in and timely and secure fashion.
The physical layout of testing facilities includes one group and two private testing rooms which are monitored by closed circuit television as well as proctors. During heavy volume testing days typically midterms and finals Disability Services will also make use of available space with in the Lommason Center. These rooms will either have a proctor physically stationed in the room or be within close proximity to a proctor, and have visual checks at irregular times. Many students use assistive technologies available on computers as an accommodation during testing. These computers are secure, and do not have access to the Internet, unless otherwise requested for the exam.
Utilizing the testing services provided by Disability Services is optional; instructors are not required to use our testing services when administering exams to students with disabilities. Instructors may always choose to assure civil rights by accommodating students with disabilities through their own resources.
