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Alternative Testing

Providing Testing Accommodations

Course instructors are responsible for providing testing accommodations, in collaboration with their appropriate administrative unit(s) (colleges, departments, schools and/or programs), and in consultation with students and RCPD specialists.

Instructors should engage students in individualized planning about their accommodation needs and take the following actions depending on context:

  1. If an instructor has a student who requires accommodation extended time, low distraction needs, or separate room needs, the instructor can:
    1. Work with the student directly to accommodate their needs within the unit;
    2. Consult with their academic unit(s) to accommodate a student’s needs; or
    3. If options A and B are not viable, contact the MSU Testing Center to proctor tests—in unit spaces or at the Testing Center—at least seven days prior to the test (14 days during final exams). The instructor will provide the Testing Center with the test materials and parameters. NOTE: the Testing Center charges $30 per 4-hour exam administered in the center. Hired proctors for secured spaces will cost the department $30 per hour, per proctor and a $10 administrative fee for each proctor hired. These accommodated test costs are the responsibility of the unit(s) offering the course: not the student nor the instructor.
  2. If a student’s accommodation requires specialized equipment or needs beyond extended time or separate space, the instructor should refer the student to work with the RCPD at least 7 days in advance for semester assessments and 14 days in advance for final exams.

For clinical and field settings, students should consult with their Access Specialist and department to consider testing options. An Accommodation Letter Addendum may be created to facilitate these unique situations. Please see information about Accommodation Letter Addendums on the Student Accommodations page.

Questions about scheduling an assessment with accommodations can be directed to the RCPD testing coordinator at rcpd.tests@msu.edu

Testing Accommodations: General Information

Students are responsible for sharing their Accommodation Letter with instructors with enough time to implement accommodations (timelines below). Both students and instructors are responsible for discussing how testing accommodations will apply to the specific course and making a plan for each individual assessment.

  • Students are expected to take their assessment during the regularly scheduled time unless this causes conflicts with other courses. In these situations, the student should proactively work with the course instructor to discuss alternative arrangements. For example: The student may start the assessment earlier or later that day to avoid academic time conflicts.
  • If an assessment needs to be scheduled at RCPD, it is the student’s responsibility to complete this process. Scheduling the assessment through MyProfile needs to be done at least 7 days in advance for semester assessments and 14 days in advance for final exams.

No matter the accommodations or testing location, students are still expected to show up on time for assessments.

  • If a student arrives late, the assessment will still end at the scheduled time.
  • If a student misses an assessment or needs to reschedule, they should contact their instructor. Only instructors can authorize rescheduling.
  • If an assessment is missed for non-disability related reasons, students should be held to course policies for rescheduling as determined by instructors.

Tips for students:

  • Do not wait until the last minute to get your accommodations arranged.
  • Talk to your instructor(s) at the start of term – if there are any issues with your accommodations, reach out to RCPD immediately.
  • Do not skip talking to your instructor and jump right to submitting assessment requests with the RCPD office – we have limited space for testing and have to prioritize availability based on specific accommodations. RCPD may contact your instructor.
  • Reach out to your Access Specialist or the RCPD testing coordinator (RCPD.tests@msu.edu) any time you have questions or concerns about alternative assessment accommodations.

X% Extended Time for In-Class and Online Assessments Except Take-Home, Practical, and Clinically-Based Assessments which Require Advance Planning and Special Consideration

General Information

  • Extended time applies to timed assessments (including quizzes) when requested by the student
  • For timed online assessments, instructors should extend the assessment window in D2L or other platforms to reflect the student’s extended time.
  • “Take home” in this accommodation language refers to assessments that are assigned and then sent home with the student for a length of time so they can work on it as needed, essentially creating an “untimed” test. Timed, online assessments taken remotely are not considered "take home".
  • For practical and clinically-based assessments: extended time may apply to the whole assessment or certain portions. This requires advanced planning with the student, instructor, and RCPD. 

Faculty Responsibilities 

  • Accommodate the student with extended time for assessments as written on the Accommodation Letter.
    • Even if you have planned for your assessment to not take the full scheduled time, students’ extended time accommodations must be granted.
  • If needed, consult with your department for ideas on how this may be implemented.
  • In-class and pop-quizzes may need special planning and consideration. Students may or may not request accommodations in these situations.
  • Facilitating extended time can be accomplished by:
    • Student comes early and/or stays late to scheduled test time (student is never required to miss another class to be accommodated)
    • Student takes the assessment in an alternate location and/or time (room organized by department/instructor, faculty office, adjacent classroom/conference room, etc.)
    • For online assessment: instructor adds extended time to testing time on D2L or another platform 

 

Reduced Distraction Seating (Typically In-Class)

  • Students granted this accommodation will remain in the classroom and testing space but should be provided with a reduced-distraction option.
  • To facilitate, the student should choose an ideal spot in the classroom for testing. This could be a table/seat in the front or back of the classroom, away from the door/windows, at the end of an aisle, etc. Students and instructors should work together to plan how this seat will be discreetly reserved.

Separate Testing Room Eligible (Small Group Setting Outside Main Testing Environment - May Require Private Room When a Reader/Scribe is Used or in Consultation with RCPD Specialist for Highly Unique Needs)

General Information

  • Students granted this accommodation are eligible to request a space separate from the classroom for assessments. This does not automatically mean an individual space and most often means “small group” testing in a low distraction environment.
  • If a student is using a reader, scribe, or certain assistive technology, they most often will need an individual location as to not interrupt others who are testing.  

Student Responsibilities & Scheduling Instructions 

  • If other accommodations are needed during testing (reader, scribe, technology, etc.), discuss this with your instructor. These accommodations must be listed on your letter; if they are not and they are needed, reach out to your Access Specialist.
  • If your instructor cannot accommodate your separate room accommodation near the classroom, you may be scheduled to test at the MSU Testing Center. The Testing Center is a fee-based service, but this fee is charged to department. Students are never responsible for this fee.
  • If you have been approved to take your assessment in the RCPD office, you will need to logon to MyProfile and look for the “Exam Accommodations” link at the top left of the screen. You will then be able to fill in the information for your request (course, exam date, exam time, etc.) and submit it for approval. This must be done no less than 7 days in advance (14 days for finals).
    • Once the assessment is approved you will receive a confirmation email verifying the date and time. This may take 2-4 business days from the time you submit the request.
    • After receiving your confirmation email, you should provide your instructor with an Alternative Testing Site Authorization (ATSA) form. You only need to fill in the “student section” at the top and your instructor will fill in the rest. *The ATSA form is only necessary when you need to test at RCPD.
    • You will be sent a reminder email 1 business day before the assessment.

Faculty Responsibilities 

  • Have an interactive discussion with the student who is requesting a separate testing space. Request a meeting if needed.
  • Arrange a space for the student(s) to take the assessment, with extended time if requested (as verified on the Accommodation Letter). Utilize the MSU Testing Center as needed. See the top of this page for details.
  • If a student is approved to test at RCPD, assist the student in filling the Alternative Testing Site Authorization (ATSA) form and return the form with the test attached to the RCPD front desk before the testing date. You or another designated person will then pick up the assessment from the RCPD front desk after the test is completed. The ATSA form is essential in cases where RCPD is proctoring. Assessments cannot be administered without the guidance on this form.
  • Ideas for Implementation:
    • Student tests in an adjacent classroom, conference room, instructor’s office, etc.
    • Faculty can often work with their departments to secure spaces for RCPD testing arrangements  

Reader/Recorded Text, Reader Eligible, Scribe Eligible

General Information

  • A student may need to use a reader and/or scribe during course assessments. This will require an individual testing space as to not disrupt other students who are testing.
  • Readers read assessment material out loud to the student who is taking the assessment, exactly as it is written. Readers do not provide clarifying information, definitions, or advice.
  • Scribes write assessment answers exactly as dictated by the student taking the assessment. Scribes do not provide clarifying information, definitions, or advice.
  • There are several options for facilitating a reader and/or scribe for an assessment:
    • Student tests in an individual space with a reader/scribe, both provided by the instructor
    • Student tests in an individual space provided by the instructor and student arranges a reader/scribe from RCPD to meet them at the testing location
    • Student tests at RCPD with an RCPD-provided reader/scribe
    • Student utilizes assistive technology text to speech software/application to read the assessment.

Student Responsibilities & Scheduling Instructions

  • If you plan to use a reader and/or scribe for an assessment, start by requesting this from your instructor.
  • Make requests through RCPD via MyProfile no less than 7 days in advance (14 days for finals).
  • If your instructor cannot provide a reader and/or scribe, but can provide a testing space:
    • Login to MyProfile and look for the “Exam Accommodations” link at the top left of the screen
    • Fill the request for a reader and/or scribe to meet you at your testing location and submit it for approval. 
  • If your instructor cannot provide a reader and/or scribe and also cannot provide a testing space:
    • Login to MyProfile and look for the “Exam Accommodations” link at the top left of the screen
    • Fill in the information for your request (course, exam date, exam time, etc.) and submit it for approval. You must include the need for a reader/scribe within this request. 
  • Once the exam is approved, you will receive a confirmation email verifying the date and time. This may take 2-4 business days from the time you submit the request.
    • After receiving your confirmation email, you should provide your instructor with an Alternative Testing Site Authorization (ATSA) form – you only need to fill in the “student section” at the very top and your instructor will fill in the rest. Find the ATSA form in RCPD's Document Index.
    • You will typically be sent a reminder email 1 business day before the assessment.

Faculty Responsibilities 

  • Have an interactive discussion with the student who is requesting a reader and/or scribe. Request a meeting if needed.
  • Determine your ability to provide a reader/scribe and/or a space that will not disrupt other students
  • If a student needs to request an RCPD reader/scribe to meet them at your assessment location, notify the student of the need for them to fill out the request form at MyProfile (directions above). RCPD is able to dispatch a reader or scribe to facilitate your management of the test. Please note our readers and scribes are not proctors so ensure the test is monitored as you find appropriate.
  • If a student needs to test at RCPD, coordinate with the student in filling the Alternative Testing Site Authorization (ATSA) form and return the form with the test attached to the RCPD front desk before the testing date. You or another designated person will then pick up the assessment from the RCPD front desk after the test is completed. 
  • Online Assessments: If the assessment is online, text to speech technology may be the best solution to provide the accommodation of an exam reader. But depending on the platform, and if a remote proctoring tool such as a lockdown browser is being used, text to speech technology may not work. In these situations a student should be provided an exception, such as taking the assessment without the remote proctoring tool.

Use of Student-Supplied Ear Plugs and/or Noise Cancelling Headphones on Course Assessments. Headphones Cannot Be Linked to a Device.

  • Student can choose to provide and wear ear plugs and/or noise cancelling headphones during course assessments.
  • Instructors and students should work together to verify that headphones are not connected to a device. Note: some headphones need to connect to facilitate noise cancelling; students may need to leave their phone in plan sight while being proctored.
  • Concerns regarding academic dishonesty should be referred to the Student Conduct System. The MSU Dean of Students Office offers resources and processes for handling code of conduct concerns.

Use of a faculty approved/provided sheet of formulas and equations on math-related assessments

General Information

  • Students with this accommodation can utilize a formula sheet during math-related assessments (likely including math, physics, statistics, chemistry, etc. courses)
  • Instructors and students must work together to determine if/which formulas can be included on the sheet and in how much detail. This will depend on how the assessment is testing students. For example:
    • if the assessment is testing students on memorizing formulas and the order of variables, a sheet may not be reasonable
    • if the assessment is testing students on knowing which formula to apply to which situation based on variables, a list of formulas without titles/descriptions would be reasonable
    • if the assessment is testing students on simply using a formula effectively, more detail on the sheet may be reasonable. For similar reasoning, formulas on the sheet may cover only one section, or the entire semester

Student Responsibilities

  • At the beginning of the semester, or as soon as possible after receiving your Accommodation Letter for the first time, share your Accommodation Letter via email and discuss this accommodation with your instructors.
  • Understand whether you need to make the formula sheet or if you can expect your instructor to create the sheet and attach it to your assessment
  • If you will make the formula sheet, you must talk with your instructor to understand what is/isn't allowed on the sheet and bring it with you on the day of the assessment. You may need show the formula sheet to your instructor in advance of starting the assessment, or turn it in with your assessment for review.

Faculty Responsibilities

  • Meet with the student to discuss this accommodation. Request a meeting if needed.
  • Inform the student whether they or you will be creating the formula sheet for each assessment
  • If you are creating the sheet, tell the student what they can expect to see (which formulas, how much detail, etc.). If the student is creating the sheet, discuss how much detail is reasonable (using guidelines above in "General Information"). 

Large Print and Braille Tests

RCPD works directly with instructors to coordinate the provision of these testing formats. Advance notice is critical for successful production of braille or large print tests. These formats may require the use of a scribe for recording answers.

Large Print

Instructors should contact RCPD to arrange delivery of the standard print assessment for enlarging. In many cases, the most effective solution involves RCPD providing the instructor with a small amount of instruction on producing large print via a standard copy machine or laser printer. In this case, the student should inform the instructor about the specifics of needed enlargement.

Braille 

If a student needs braille for a test, RCPD will work directly with instructors to arrange production. In most cases, braille testing also involves a need for the student to schedule a scribe for recording answers. 

High Stakes Testing (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, Etc.)

Accommodations for high stakes tests such as the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, USMLE, etc. are applied for separately from RCPD and MSU. Most high stakes testing bodies have different documentation standards for verifying your disability; the documentation you used to register with RCPD may or may not be sufficient.

To find out how to apply for accommodations and what documentation is needed, visit the website for your specific test. Your RCPD Access Specialist may be able to assist you in applying for accommodations, depending on what is needed by the testing body. Your Specialist can share the documentation on file with RCPD, verify your registration date and accommodations, and provide other needed support (filling required forms, etc.).