Exam Accommodations
Submit your Exam Accommodation Request Form: Once a student is approved for accommodations, they should submit their LOA request form and provide them to the professors of the courses they plan to utilize the accommodations listed. For exam requests, students should submit their exam forms for each course that they plan to utilize exam accommodations.
Exam Accommodations
An exam accommodation refers to any approved accommodations which relate to the way a student takes his/her exam. This includes but is not limited to: extended time on exams, a reduced distraction testing location, use of scribe/readers, and use of assistive technology during an exam. ODS defines an exam as any quiz, test, or final for a course.
All students wishing to utilize exam accommodations need to be registered with the ODS, and have requested their Letter of Accommodations.
For each course the student would like to utilize their exam accommodations, they must contact their professor privately to:
- Submit their Letter of Accommodations.
- Discuss all exam accommodations for the entire semester.
- Leave the communication (e.g., email, phone, video) with an understanding of whether the professor will administer your exams or ODS Exam Services will administer your exams.
Online Exam Accommodations
Once a student has submitted their LOA to their professor:
- Students should submit an exam accommodation request form to ODS, and our office can assist in setting up the exam accommodations. For those students submitting an exam request form, we email a confirmation to both the student and faculty prior to the exam with information about what accommodations are needed.
- Instructions for professors on how to add extra time for students can be shared with your professors to ensure that they are familiar with how to do this within the learning management system.
Getting started with Exams
All exams or quizzes with accommodations, including online exams, should be submitted using the exam accommodation request form in advance of the exam date. ODS staff will help coordinate and provide support for the exam and accommodations.
If needed, ODS is available to proctor the exam if the instructor is not able to provide an appropriate testing environment or online environment with accommodations.
Please read and review the following pages to understand what your rights and responsibilities are when:
Please note, each individual campus may have additional instructions and guidance for how you will request and receive accommodations. Please review the following pages that pertain to the campus you are taking the exam.
Important Campus Information:
Camden
New Brunswick
Newark
Rutgers Health (formerly RBHS)
For Rutgers Health students, this exam process may not be applicable. Please check with your Rutgers Health ODS Coordinator for instructions on how to request testing accommodations.
Common Exam Accommodations:
EXTENDED TIME ON EXAMS
The most commonly used online learning platforms allow faculty to extend the time of their exam for students who have accommodations. You can find more information about how to extend the time on an exam.
Please note that for an 80 minute exam, a student with 50% extended time should be given 120 minutes while a student with 100% extended time would get 160 minutes. Providing extra time on an exam may cause the exam to run over your typical class period and create a conflict for the student with another class. The student or ODS will notify faculty if a time conflict will occur, and will work with them to make appropriate arrangements.
REDUCED DISTRACTION TESTING LOCATION
If a student is taking an exam online, the student is responsible for finding an environment that will work best for them. If a student is in a busy household they may wish to contact their faculty for permission to take the exam at a time of day when their house is quieter.
USE OF A READER AND/OR SCRIBE FOR EXAMS
If a student needs to use a reader or a scribe for their exams, ODS can assist with setting up those arrangements. Students should connect with the coordinator listed on their Letter of Accommodation, or the exam unit on their campus to coordinate arrangements.
BREAKS DURING EXAMS WITHOUT TIME PENALTY
There are some students who may need to take frequent breaks during their exam. Depending on how the exam is administered, this may or may not need to be addressed. If you have concerns about how this will work please let ODS know.
USE OF A CALCULATOR
If a student needs to use a calculator for their exams, faculty are asked to consider setting up their exam in a way that does not prevent a calculator on their work surface.
An exam accommodation refers to any approved accommodations which relate to the way a student takes his/her exam. This includes but is not limited to: extended time on exams, a reduced distraction testing location, use of scribe/readers, and use of assistive technology during an exam. ODS defines an exam as any quiz, test, or final for a course.