Purpose
The Office of Disability Services (ODS) partners with faculty to provide approved testing accommodations when the faculty member or academic department cannot reasonably do so. Faculty remain responsible for ensuring that students receive all approved accommodations. To utilize the ODS Testing Centers, faculty must abide by the following policies and procedures.
1. Plan Before Using the ODS Testing Center
1.A. Faculty Must Provide Approved Accommodations
Faculty are encouraged to determine as soon as possible after receiving the Accommodation Letter whether they can provide testing accommodations within the academic department. The goal is to provide the testing accommodations in a testing environment as similar to the standard classroom testing environment as possible (e.g. parallel access to instructor, test materials, test information, etc.). Faculty may choose to use the ODS Testing Center when the department cannot reasonably provide the ODS-approved accommodations.
1.B. When Faculty May Use the ODS Testing Center
The ODS Testing Center serves only students with ODS-approved testing accommodations. All testing reservations depend on available space, staffing, and operating hours. Seats are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
1.C. Discuss the Testing Plan with the Student
Faculty should tell the student whether they will be providing testing accommodations within the department or whether the student should schedule their exams with the ODS Testing Center. Faculty should inform students of their expectations regarding testing dates and times.
1.D. Where to Find Detailed Procedures
For Accommodate portal steps and detailed procedures, see the Faculty Guide to Accommodate. Student conduct, check-in, arrival, and testing procedures are in the ODS Testing Center Student Policies.
2. Student Requests the Testing Reservation
2.A. Student Must Make the Reservation
The student submits a reservation through the Accommodate Student Portal. Faculty cannot reserve a seat for a student. For detailed policies around scheduling deadlines, please see the ODS Testing Center Student Policies.
3. Faculty Must Approve the Reservation Date and Time
3.A. Each Exam Request Must Be Approved or Denied
Faculty must approve or deny each exam reservation request through the Accommodate Faculty Portal. ODS will not administer an exam without explicit approval from the instructor.
It is the faculty member’s responsibility to review the date and time submitted by the student and confirm that the request meets their requirements for that exam.
3.B. If the Desired Testing Time is Not Available
If the desired testing time is full, the student and faculty member should discuss an alternate date and/or time that is available in the ODS Testing Center. If no allowable time is available, the faculty member must provide the ODS-approved accommodations through the department or another appropriate arrangement.
4. Faculty Provides Exam Information and Materials
Every testing reservation requires an Exam Information Form to be completed in Accommodate regardless of whether the exam is on paper or online. ODS must have a copy of the exam uploaded to Accommodate or delivered to the ODS office in order to administer it unless the student will access the exam directly through Canvas or another online platform.
4.A. Submit at Least One Business Day Before the Testing Reservation
Faculty must submit the Exam Information Form in Accommodate and a copy of the exam, if applicable, by 5:00 pm at least one business day before every scheduled testing reservation.
For a Monday exam, submit by Friday at 5:00 pm. For an exam after a university holiday, submit by 5:00 pm the last business day before the holiday.
If ODS does not receive all required materials and information by 5:00 pm on the business day before the scheduled testing reservation, ODS may require the student to reschedule for the next available date and time approved by the faculty member. If rescheduling with ODS is not an option, the faculty member must provide the ODS-approved accommodations.
4.A.i. Submit the Exam Information Form Through Accommodate
Submit an Exam Information Form through the Accommodate Faculty Portal for every exam. The form must be submitted through Accommodate regardless of how the exam itself is delivered to ODS.
See the Faculty Guide to Accommodate for submission steps.
4.A.ii. Submit a Copy of the Exam
Unless the student accesses the exam directly through Canvas or another online platform, faculty must upload the exam through Accommodate or deliver it to ODS in person by the deadline in Policy 4A. If the exam requires an access code or another password, it must be provided in Accommodate.
See the Faculty Guide to Accommodate for submission steps.
4.A.iii. Provide All Exam Materials and Instructions
Faculty are responsible for providing everything ODS needs to administer the exam exactly as intended.
This may include associated formula sheets, charts, tables, permitted-material instructions, time limits, access codes, special instructions, and current contact information.
4.B. Set Up Online Exams Before the Testing Reservation Time
Faculty are responsible for making the exam available and applying each ODS-approved accommodation, including the correct extended time.
For help adjusting an individual student’s Canvas time, see the Canvas Instructions or contact JMU Libraries Learning Technology Services at 540-568-5312 or liddesk@jmu.edu.
4.C. Faculty Must Notify ODS of Changes
To make changes to an exam or exam information, update the Exam Information Form in Accommodate and notify the ODS Testing Center at ODSexam@jmu.edu as soon as possible.
Accommodate does not alert ODS when faculty revise a submitted form or upload a new document. A change is not received until faculty notify ODS directly.
5. Exams that Require Advance Planning
5.A. Converting Accessible-Format Exams
Faculty are responsible for submitting the exam and conversion request by 5:00 pm at least five business days before the testing reservation when ODS must create large-print, Braille, screen-reader-accessible, or other converted materials.
Late materials or later content changes may require the scheduled testing reservation to be rescheduled to allow sufficient time for preparation.
If you are unsure if an exam requires conversion, please contact us at odsexam@jmu.edu.
5.B. Proctor-Controlled Audio or Visual Components
ODS cannot administer media that requires a proctor to play, display, or control content at a specific time. Faculty must provide assessments that require time-specific components within the academic department. ODS can administer exams which contain media that the student can independently access and control when it is consistent with the student’s accommodations and the submitted instructions.
5.C. Scribe Accommodations and Specialized Course Knowledge
ODS can provide a general scribe. ODS does not have scribes on staff with specialized course knowledge.
If the exam requires the scribe to understand specialized content, notation, symbols, or language, the faculty member or academic department must provide an appropriate scribe.
A Scribe may record in writing what the student dictates, rewrite work legibly, or read the student’s work aloud when appropriate. A scribe may not explain content, supply ideas or answers, organize or proofread the response, or make independent corrections.
6. During the Exam
6.A. Faculty Must Be Available
Faculty are responsible for remaining reasonably available during the scheduled testing window and provide current contact information on the Exam Information Form.
When a question or issue arises, ODS will use the contact information provided. If faculty cannot be reached, ODS will document the question and return it with the exam. Reference Section 8 for more information.
6.B. Student Testing Responsibilities
Students are responsible for promptly reporting any issues with their exam to a proctor. See the ODS Testing Center Student Policies for complete student procedures and responsibilities.
7. Exam Security and Academic Integrity
7.A. Students Are Actively Proctored
ODS Testing Center staff actively proctor testing spaces during testing hours and follow the exam instructions submitted by the instructor. Students are always monitored during testing.
7.B. ODS Reports Suspected Violations
ODS Testing Center staff will document suspected violations of the JMU Honor Code or instructor-provided exam instructions and report them to the instructor. ODS will interrupt the testing center reservation to remove access to unauthorized materials. ODS may end a testing center reservation when student conduct prevents secure or effective exam administration.
7.C. Faculty Determines Follow Up
ODS will not make any judgment calls about whether a JMU Honor Code violation has occurred. ODS will report observations, and the instructor is responsible for reviewing the report and determining whether further action is warranted.
8. Problems That Prevent Testing
8.A. ODS Attempts to Resolve the Problem
ODS will try to contact the instructor. ODS may wait up to 15 minutes when doing so will not result in the student not receiving their full approved extended time due to the ODS Testing Centers closing or a student schedule conflict.
8.B. If the Problem Cannot Be Resolved
If the problem cannot be resolved in time (8A), ODS will instruct the student to work with their instructor to either schedule another available testing reservation or have the approved accommodations provided outside of the ODS Testing Center.
8.C. Closures and Operational Disruptions
A university closure, delayed opening, large-scale technology failure, facility issue, or other operational disruption may require a rescheduled testing reservation or another testing arrangement. ODS will notify the student and the faculty member as soon as feasible. The faculty member remains responsible for ensuring that the student receives the approved accommodations.
