To ensure provision of federally mandated testing accommodations for qualified students with disabilities.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 United States Code §§ 701-796
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42 United States § 12101 et seq.
Disability Resources & Services

Testing accommodations are an exchange between faculty, students with disabilities, and the Disability Resources & Services office. It is the faculty member’s responsibility to design appropriate methods to measure student knowledge and its application. It is the student’s responsibility to prepare fully for examinations and to inform faculty that certain individual accommodations may be necessary. It is the responsibility of the DRS to determine the student’s eligibility for accommodation and to facilitate appropriate accommodations in consultation with the student and faculty.

Students must provide required disability documentation to the Disability Resources & Services office that clearly supports the need for testing accommodations. The DRS Coordinator/Director will evaluate the documentation, determine eligibility for testing accommodations and meet with student on an individual basis to discuss reasonable and appropriate options. The DRS arranges and implements testing accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, which may include:

1. extended testing time;
2. use of a reader, scribe, adapted equipment, interpreter, or alternative print format;
3. a test instrument restructured by the faculty member; and/or
4. a private room.

DRS uses an Authorized Academic Accommodations Form to contact faculty and confirm testing arrangements.

Note: DRS requires a minimum of three (3) working days advance notice for exams that will be taken in the DRS. It is the student’s responsibility to notify DRS when they will be taking an exam in the DRS office.

Test Administration Responsibility

If instructors choose to administer tests, quizzes, and exams, they should consult with DRS regarding appropriate accommodations and test administration procedures.

DRS administers academic examinations requiring private rooms, readers, interpreters, scribes, and/or adapted equipment in Disability Resources & Services. However, DRS may not be able to provide scribes or readers in some technical fields (e.g., foreign language, mathematics, science, computer courses). Consequently, faculty may need to provide personnel to administer these examinations.

Academic examinations requiring only extended test time will be administered in the Testing Center.

Testing Guidelines

To protect the integrity and security of each test, DRS follows these testing administration guidelines:

1. All DRS-administered tests, quizzes, and exam are proctored.
2. The DRS testing coordinator calculates testing time for the student according to the full class period unless otherwise designated by the instructor.
3. Student employees and staff do not administer exams for classes in which they are currently enrolled.
4. Tutors do not administer tests to students whom they are currently tutoring.
5. Generally, students with disabilities take exams at the same time as the rest of the class unless there are time conflicts, in which case an alternate testing time is assigned with the instructor’s written approval.
6. Authorized DRS test aides assisting with the testing procedure only read and translate materials. They do not interpret, modify, or clarify the questions or responses.
7. Students caught cheating or found cheating during their use of the DRS testing accommodations have their testing materials confiscated immediately. The appropriate faculty member is contacted and informed of the situation. It is the faculty member’s responsibility to determine appropriate academic discipline. In such cases, future tests taken by the student at DRS are proctored one-on-one with the proctor sitting at the same testing table as the student.
8. In-class interpreting services are provided to ensure that the student has access to the instructor’s instructions, comments, class discussions, etc. The student’s questions and comments are interpreted. Interpreters only interpret between  parties and do not attempt to “interpret” the questions for the student. Written test questions are not interpreted into sign language. The student must direct all questions to the test administrator in the classroom and the interpreter interprets between the student and the test administrator.
9. Testing conducted at DRS does not include interpreter services.
10. DRS administers tests from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The Testing Center hours vary each semester.

Although a faculty member may consult DRS regarding test restructuring, any changes in content are the sole responsibility of the faculty member.

Qualified Student Responsibilities

1. Register for classes
2. Meet with the DRS Director to:
• request testing accommodations
• verify eligibility for services, and
• complete an Authorized Academic Accommodation Form for each class in which testing accommodations are appropriate.
3. Notify each instructor of the need for testing accommodations and request the instructor’s signature on the Authorized  Academic Accommodation Form.
4. Tear off carbon copy of Authorized Academic Accommodation Form. Instructor keeps yellow copy and student keeps pink copy, DRS keeps white copy.
5. Student should notify the DRS Testing Coordinator
• at least 3 working days before exams or quizzes (being administered in DRS)
• seven working days if tests must be converted to an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, etc.
• at least one week in advance for readers, scribes, or for assistants
• ten working days before the last day of class for final exams.

Faculty/ Instructor Responsibilities

1. Sign the Authorized Academic Accommodation Form. Keep yellow copy. Give pink copy to student.
2. When dropping off tests to DRS or Testing Center faculty will list the appropriate, agreed upon, accommodations on the Instructor Exam Request Form.
3. If test requires alternative print format (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape), deliver the print materials to DRS a minimum of seven (7) working days before the scheduled test date.
4. Pick up tests from Testing Center or DRS at the agreed upon time.