Q4. Must I write a different exam for a student with a disability that will take the exam at a different time from the rest of the class?

Q5. What about cheating on exams?

Q6. When we provide these accommodations, are we preparing students with disabilities for the real world where they have to meet deadlines and write reports in a hurry?

Q7. Why do students with disabilities make test accommodation requests in the middle of a semester?

Q8. What kind of verification should I ask for if a student requests extended time to take a test?

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Q1. Is it fair to give extra time to students with disabilities, when other students have to work under time constraints?

A1. Yes, it is fair, as long as the accommodation for the student with a disability does not fundamentally alter the nature of the curriculum.  The accommodation should be viewed as leveling the playing field for the student with a disability and not as a means to disadvantage other students.

Q2. If a student with a disability really understands the material thoroughly, why take extra time to write answers?

A2. Students with visual impairments, mobility impairments, or specific learning disabilities often need more time to take examinations because they may use adaptive devices, readers, scribes or simply because their disability affects the process of writing.  They are protected under the law, which specifically mandates auxiliary aids and services during examinations.  These auxiliary aids and services, by their very nature, require more time.

Q3. Do I have to rewrite my exam to accommodate a student with a disability that has difficulty with the multiple-choice format?

A3. No, it is not required that you rewrite an exam.  Accommodations are usually provided by adjusting the way in which the student takes your exam.  To accommodate such students, you may wish to do one or more of the following: 

• Allow the student to write a straight answer to the questions on the exam

• Meet briefly with the student before the exam to allow the student to clarify the questions encourage students to ask you to restate the question in different words.

Q4. Must I write a different exam for a student with a disability that will take the exam at a different time from the rest of the class?

A4. The choice is left to the professor.  If the exam is given close to the time the rest of the class is taking the exam, there may be no need to give a different exam.

Q5. What about cheating on exams?

A5. Students with disabilities exhibit the same range of moral integrity as able-bodied students.  You may wish to ensure the integrity of your exam by accommodating the exam yourself.  You can monitor the extended time in your office; you can have the student take the exam in an adjacent empty room, leaving books and backpack with you; you can request Student Support Services to proctor the test.  Cheating on exams by students with disabilities should never be excused or tolerated.

Q6. When we provide these accommodations, are we preparing students with disabilities for the real world where they have to meet deadlines and write reports in a hurry?

A6. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that employers make the workplace accessible, and that accommodations be provided.  All private and public businesses must comply with the ADA and provide reasonable accommodations.  In addition, certifying and licensing examinations of all kinds, employment entrance tests, and promotion exams must be accommodated.

Q7. Why do students with disabilities make test accommodation requests in the middle of a semester?

A7. Legally, there is no obligation for a student to identify his or her disability at any particular time.  Keep in mind that talking about a disability may be uncomfortable for the student.  Also, some students use accommodations only after they discover that they are having problems.  Nevertheless, Disability Services encourages each student to self-identify and make his or her needs known at the beginning of each semester.  However, students who identify in the middle of the semester must do so far enough in advance of the exam to allow faculty or Disability Services to arrange for the accommodation(s).  Students are told that accommodations are never retroactive no matter when they self-identify.

Q8. What kind of verification should I ask for if a student requests extended time to take a test?

A8. The usual procedure for Disability Services is to provide the student with a Faculty Notification Form specifying the appropriate accommodation(s), which is signed by the Coordinator.  Or you may call the Coordinator at extension 2211.