Faculty Guide to Accommodated Testing
Disability Support Services (DSS) works with faculty and students to ensure that approved testing accommodations are implemented appropriately while maintaining the academic standards and integrity of each course.
Faculty may provide approved testing accommodations directly or students may request to test with DSS. This page provides information about requesting DSS testing support, faculty-proctored exams, academic integrity, and accessible exam practices.
DSS Faculty Test Form
Faculty should complete the DSS Faculty Test Form when a student with approved testing accommodations has requested to take an exam with DSS.
Submit the DSS Faculty Test Form
Please complete the form as soon as possible after receiving a test request from DSS, even if the exam itself has not yet been finalized. DSS needs the testing parameters (including the exam date, standard testing time, materials permitted, and other instructions) to schedule the student’s accommodated testing appointment.
How the DSS Test Request Process Works
- The student submits a DSS Test Request.
Students are responsible for requesting accommodated testing through DSS according to established testing-request deadlines. - DSS contacts the faculty member.
Once the request is received, DSS will email the faculty member with a link to the DSS Faculty Test Form. - The faculty member provides testing information.
Please complete the form promptly so DSS can determine the student’s accommodated testing window and schedule the appointment. - The faculty member submits the exam.
The exam copy should be provided to DSS at least two (2) days before the scheduled exam to allow sufficient time for preparation, printing, and accessibility review. - DSS administers the exam.
DSS will administer the exam according to the faculty member’s instructions and the student’s approved accommodations. - The completed exam is returned.
DSS will ordinarily scan and email the completed exam to the faculty member. Faculty who prefer to pick up the original hard copy should indicate this on the Faculty Test Form.
Unless other arrangements have been made, DSS will shred remaining hard-copy student exam materials at the end of each semester.
Faculty-Proctored and DSS-Administered Exams
Students with testing accommodations do not necessarily need to test with DSS. Faculty may administer an accommodated exam directly when they can provide the student’s approved accommodations, including appropriate extended time and/or testing space.
Certain assessments may need to remain under direct instructor supervision because of their format or academic requirements. Examples may include laboratory or practical exams, presentations or oral assessments, listening exercises, specialized software or equipment, assessments requiring active instructor interaction, or exams requiring heightened academic integrity monitoring.
In these circumstances, faculty may require direct faculty proctoring while still implementing all approved accommodations. DSS can consult with faculty when the standard DSS testing process is not appropriate for a particular assessment.
If faculty cannot reasonably provide an approved accommodation themselves, please contact DSS as early as possible to discuss appropriate arrangements.
Consistent Testing Conditions & Academic Integrity
Students receiving accommodations should be held to the same academic standards, exam rules, and academic integrity expectations as the rest of the class. Accommodations modify testing conditions necessary for disability-related access; they should not create additional restrictions unrelated to the student’s approved accommodations.
To the extent possible, accommodated exams should therefore reflect the same conditions as the exam administered to the class. For example:
- If the class exam is proctored, the accommodated exam may also require proctoring.
- If the exam is not proctored for the rest of the class, a student should not be required to test under DSS proctoring solely because they receive accommodations.
- Students testing with DSS should receive the same permitted notes, calculators, reference materials, technology, internet access, and other resources as the class, unless an accommodation requires otherwise.
- When the instructor is available to answer questions during the classroom exam, faculty and DSS should consider how students testing separately can receive comparable access.
Faculty should clearly identify all permitted materials and testing conditions on the DSS Faculty Test Form.
During DSS-proctored exams, students may not use unauthorized materials, electronic devices, websites, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, communication platforms, or outside assistance. DSS will document and report suspected testing irregularities to the faculty member. Faculty retain responsibility for determining and addressing academic integrity violations.
Moodle and Online Exams
For Moodle or other virtual exams, faculty may implement extended testing time directly for individual students. For example, a student approved for time-and-a-half should receive 90 minutes when the standard exam time is 60 minutes.
If an online exam is not proctored for the rest of the class, DSS proctoring generally should not be required solely because a student receives testing accommodations. If a DSS testing appointment has already been requested for an exam that does not require proctoring, please notify DSS so the appointment can be canceled.
Contact DSS if you need assistance determining how accommodations apply to an online assessment or require assistance with extending Moodle/virtual testing times.
Accessible Exam Design: Quick Tips
Accessible exam design reduces unnecessary barriers while maintaining the knowledge and skills an assessment is intended to measure.
Faculty are encouraged to:
- Use clear, direct instructions and consistent formatting.
- Use readable fonts, spacing, and page layouts.
- Avoid relying on color alone to communicate information.
- Ensure charts, diagrams, and other visuals are clear and readable.
- Use accessible digital text rather than scanned images of text whenever possible.
- Avoid making speed, handwriting, spelling, memory, or formatting part of the assessment unless those skills are relevant to the learning objective.
- Submit materials early when DSS may need to prepare an accessible format or assistive technology.
Accessible design does not mean making an exam easier or changing essential academic requirements. It helps ensure that the assessment measures what it is intended to measure.
Changes or Cancellations
Please notify DSS as soon as possible if you cancel or postpone an exam, change the date/time or standard testing length, change permitted materials or instructions, decide to proctor the student’s exam yourself, or determine that DSS proctoring is not needed.
Changes to the standard exam conditions may affect how a student’s accommodations are implemented.
Timely Faculty Response
Accommodated testing requires timely collaboration among students, faculty, and DSS. Faculty should respond to DSS Test Request emails and provide necessary exam information and materials within the requested timelines.
Repeated or significant delays can interfere with the implementation of approved accommodations. When necessary, DSS may contact the appropriate Department Chair, Dean, and/or Provost for assistance.
Questions or Unusual Exam Formats?
Not every assessment fits a standard testing model. Please contact DSS if an exam involves unusual technology, laboratory or practical components, oral assessment, group work, or other circumstances that may affect accommodation implementation.
DSS can work with faculty to determine how approved accommodations apply while preserving the essential requirements of the course and assessment.