Exams

Exam accommodation is available only to those students with a disability who are registered with Disability Services and have documentation recommending a need for exam accommodation.

Exams can be written either in your department or at Disability Services between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.

Disability Services will proctor exams in a supervised accommodating environment while maintaining exam integrity and security.

Exams after 4:00 pm

If your exam is scheduled after 4:00 pm it may be accommodated in several ways:

Extra time – Ask student to come early to begin the exam in your department, or arrange to write earlier at Disability Services on the same day of the exam.

Computer – The student can sign out a laptop from Disability Services for the duration of the exam.

Room Alone – The student can write the exam in a nearby distraction free room or office in your department.

Exam Provisions

Following is a list of possible exam accommodation recommendations from the documentation:

• Extra Time –Time plus one half (eg 1 hour exam = 1 1/2 hours to write)
• Scribe –Someone to write or type answers as the student dictates
• Reader –Someone to read and clarify the questions
• Computer –Use of a word processor for essay questions
• Room Alone –Distraction fee environment
• Calculator –Calculator use for all math-related courses
• Other –Audio exams, multiple-choice exams, formulas, cheat cards

Exam Accommodation Form

If a student needs to write in Disability Services, the student will request that you complete an Exam Accommodation Form which is due at Disability Services one week prior to the exam date.

Instructor Responsibilities

3 Easy Steps:

1. Student brings you exam form
2. Instructor completes exam details
3. Student delivers form to Disability Services 1 week before exam

Instructors are responsible for the following:

• Fill out exam accommodation form details, bold text box area. Please describe in detail any extras allowed in exam, such as “8.5 x 11 cheat sheet,” etc. under “other.”
• Sign and date the exam accommodation form only after the exam accommodation form is complete. We cannot accommodate any exams without prior Instructor approval.
• Exam Date changes- if date of exam changes, email disabilityservices@viu.ca to notify. If student misses exam, we require you to send us an email approval to reschedule.
• Please note: the “EXAM start/finish time” on the exam accommodation form is the time the rest of the class has to write the exam. Do not calculate extra time for the student, that is Disability Services’ responsibility.
• Deliver exam 24 hours ahead of the exam time to allow Disability Services time for printing and preparing alternate formats for the student.

How?

• In person to Student Services reception, Building 200, 3rd Room 307
• By email to disabilityservices@viu.ca
• By fax to 740-6615, attention Disability Services
• Student delivers exam in a signed and date-stamped, sealed envelope
• For security reasons, internal mail will not be used.
• Remember to include exam booklets and scantron cards.

Pick up your exam at our Reception office - Building 200 Room 307 between 8 am and 4 pm.

Student Responsibilities

3 Easy Steps:

1. Discuss exam accommodation with Disability Services and Instructor
2. Take exam form to Instructor for completion
3. Return Exam form 1 week before exam to Disability Services

Exam Day Procedures

On the day of the exam:

1. Students may be required to display their student card on the exam table.
2. Students may not bring backpacks, briefcases, palm pilots, cell phones or other unauthorized materials to their exam table. These items will be stored in our locked storage closet during exam.
3. No student is allowed to begin an exam 30 minutes after the scheduled start time.
4. Students are to remain in the room for the duration of the exam, except in cases of medical emergency or other common sense reasons.
5. Exams will end at the prescribed time, and exam materials will be collected by the invigilator and distributed accordingly.