Distraction Reduced Environment
An alternative testing location or environment allows for a distraction-reduced setting in which students can attempt assessments in a private, semi-private, or room with fewer students or fewer distraction than a traditional classroom or lab setting.
Who is this for?
A distraction-reduced environment may be necessary to support equitable learning opportunities for learners:
- Who experience difficulty in their ability to filter out distracting visual and auditory stimuli including crowded and noisy environments.
- Who experience hypersensitivity to light and or noise.
- Requiring the use of assistive technology such as speech to text or text to speech software.
- Who use a reader and/or scribe or other service provider.
- Who require a quieter space to manage a variety of disability-related symptoms.
This accommodation supports students to:
- Equitably attempt assessments.
- Reduce visual or auditory distractions due to attention or other neurological, chronic health, or mental health related disabilities.
- Comfortably attempt assessments in an environment designed to mitigate symptoms of their disability
- Use assistive or adaptive technology (speech-to-text, text-to-speech, etc.) that could be a distraction to other students.
- Engage with readers, scribes, interpreters, access aides or other service providers that could be a distraction to other students.
What it is
Alternative assessment location is approved by disability experts based on medical documentation.
- Students will attempt the same assessment as other students. A copy of the assessment must be provided to accessibility services or testing centres.
- Exam rooms are managed and monitored by accessibility services staff.
- A distraction-reduced environment allows students to equitably attempt assessments.
What it’s not
An alternative assessment location does not:
- Allow for unlimited time.
- Change the format or number of questions.
- Change modality from in-person to take-home.
- Provide students with an advantage.
- Allow students to access material other students cannot.
- Offer students additional time to edit, refine, or double-check responses.
- Guarantee a student will finish an assessment.
- Address general test anxiety not related to diagnosed disability.
- Address general concerns about grades or finishing exams not related to diagnosed disability.
How can I support this in my classroom?
To facilitate alternative assessment locations, ensure timely coordination with accessibility services and testing centre staff. Understand that professionals will manage and invigilate the assessment, maintaining strict academic integrity standards while ensuring students have their needs met. If the format of the assessment cannot be replicated in an accessibility services exam room (e.g. a science lab), consider offering a quieter or alternate time for the student to complete the exam, potentially immediately before or after the scheduled time.
