Testing Accommodations

The student’s Accommodation Letter lists their pre-approved accommodations with descriptions, including any testing accommodations.

The DS Test Center

Only students with disability-related testing Accommodations can schedule tests in the DS Test Center. Tests are by reservation only; we aren’t a drop-in center.

  • Location: Main campus in FRET 230, inside the Disability Services suite.
  • Hours for Fall 2025: Mon-Thur, 8 AM – 6 PM; Fridays, 8 AM – 5 PM

Scheduling Deadlines for Students

  • Fall/Spring: 6 days prior to the in-class test date
  • Summer: 3 days prior to the in-class test date
  • Finals: Posted on our website under Important Dates (right side).

Scheduling Tests in the Test Center: 2 Paths

Path 1: Student-Initiated

  1. The student schedules the test in the Test Center.
  2. The Instructor is notified via email of the test reservation. Instructor enters the proctoring information.
  3. Instructor uploads the test — the test may be uploaded at a separate time, once ready.
    • During the regular semester, test files should be uploaded a minimum of 3 hours before your specific student’s start time.
    • During Final Exams, test files should be uploaded a minimum of 12 hours before your specific student’s start time.

Path 2: Instructor-Initiated

  1. The Instructor sets the date and and time of the test to correspond with class time.
  2. Next, the instructor can enter proctoring details linked to this date and time.
  3. Instuctors notify students that they have set the date/time so that students can schedule their test.
  4. The student selects the date/time the Instructor entered in the Portal system, and the system will adjust for their accommodatiions – extended time, etc.
    • With the Instructor-Initiated Path, the Instructor should have to enter proctoring information and upload the test only once per section. Each section is considered a different course, and sections cannot be linked.

Test Security

  • The DS Faculty Portal is the secure system for sharing information with the testing staff. Student test-takers receive that information only when they arrive for their test.
  • Tests in the DS Test Center are proctored by DS staff and monitored by surveillance cameras. During finals, we additional classrooms in FRET that are monitored by a human proctor physically in the room.
  • Cell phone use by test-takers is not permitted while actively testing. The only use is for Duo, needed when accessing online tests.
  • Academic integrity concerns are reported to instructors via email.

If Faculty Provide Testing Accommodations

Faculty may accommodate students directly, and some faculty might prefer this. Advantages include that students have direct access to the instructor during the test or exam.

Plan Ahead: Students who request for faculty to provide testing accommodations must work directly with their faculty and in advance of the exam. Planning ahead is critical: faculty may need to arrange the time, location, and staffing in order to provide exam accommodations effectively. Simply providing your professors with your Accommodation Letter is not the same as planning with faculty in advance of the test. Remember: Not all faculty are able to provide testing accommodations. They may recommend that in order for you to have your accommodations, you will need to test in the DS Test Center.