Accessibility Liaison Communication

• Testing information - see the red box on student's letters of accommodations
• Information on the three testing centers on campus
• Instructions for completing the alternative testing agreement
• How to add time to quizzes/tests in Brightspace

Dear Accessibility Liaisons, 

Hopefully your semester is off to a smooth start. The accessibility committee is working on an accessibility training course on Brightspace and we are hoping to end the training with different liaisons saying, "I'm an accessibility ally." If this is something you are interested in please complete this survey.

As a reminder, student accommodations are not considered to be active until they speak with you and express their intention to use an accommodation. 

The accessibility committee would like to provide more detail on how testing accommodations work. As a reminder, if a student has testing accommodations, you will need to complete a Testing Agreement. The link for this can be found in the student’s letter of accommodation in the red box. It looks like this:

You can also access this link in the Instructor Portal. See how to complete the alternative testing agreement.

Students are told during their intakes that they have several options for taking tests. Below is an excerpt from the Testing Supplement that they sign explaining those options:

Possible Testing Locations

1. Take tests with the class without utilizing accommodations.
2. Take tests with appropriate accommodations by working with instructors to agree on time/place.
3. Take tests at alternative testing location assigned during the student's intake appointment. Assigned alternative testing location will be either:
   1. Counseling & Testing Center (CC), (330) 972-7084, in Simmons Hall 304.This is a certified testing through the National College Testing Association.
   2. Office of Accessibility (OA), (330) 972-7928, in Simmons Hall 105.
4. Take tests at Computer Based Assessment & Evalutation, (330) 972-6511, in Schrank Hall North 153, if that is the requirement of the course.
5. Take tests on Brightspace with appropriate accommodations if that is the requirement of the course. The student should work directly with his/her instructor to request testing accommodations. Students should contact their instructor prior to each exam to ensure the proper time extension has been allotted. Test requests are not necessary for Brightspace exams unless the student is requesting use of a reader and/or scribe, or a physical testing space in OA or CC.

Each of the three campus testing locations are secure. All rooms have either a camera, which is monitored by a UA employee on a screen at the front desk, or by proctors physically present in the space. Proctors will not allow students to test with any items other than what faculty specify in the Testing Agreement (I.e., calculators, scrap paper, notes, etc.)  Students who are testing are required to store their belongings in a locker by the main desk and take the key to the locker into the testing room with them. 

There are two testing centers in Simmons Hall. You can tell which testing center a student is assigned to by reading the text of their letter or looking at the initials after the accommodation. CC stands for the Counseling and Testing Center, which is on the 3rd floor of Simmons Hall, room 304.  OA stands for the Office of Accessibility Testing Center, which is on the first floor of Simons Hall, room 105.  Students are assigned to these centers based upon their needs; for example, a student needing a screen reader would be assigned to OA because that equipment is kept there. 

If your tests are assigned to take place in Computer Based Assessment and Evaluation (CBAE) in Shrank Hall North, room 152, students can access their accommodations there as well. They can use the RegisterBlast link to reserve a room, and their accommodations, which are linked with their account, will be included as options in the registration process. 

If you give tests through Brightspace, you can adjust the time students have to take the test in the Classlist under Communications. Choose the drop-down arrow next to the student's name and select “Edit Accommodations.”  Specific directions for editing the test time in Brightspace.

Based on past experiences, here are a few tips for making the process go smoothly: 

Be aware that students are unable to request testing from until Testing Agreement is completed 

• Make note of where your student is taking their test (OA or CC) if you have to drop off/pick up physical tests. 

• Be sure to check the test time to check if it’s before or after the actual test date.  Students are advised to take their tests at the same time as the class, and if that’s not possible, on the same day. If the same day is not possible, they are advised to check with you about whether they should take it before or after the test date. 

• Be sure to list everything a student might need while testing (calculator, scrap paper, formula sheet, open-book) to avoid frantic calls later. 

If you have any questions or need more specific information, contact the accessibility office or reach out to the student's Disability Specialist (found on their accommodation letter). Please fill out this survey to let us know how helpful you find this information and what else you would want included. See other Accessibility Liaison Communication.

Thank you for working with the office of Accessibility to provide students with disabilities with equal access to a quality education.

Regards,
Accessibility Committee

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