Private Room for Exams
An alternative testing location is a distraction-free private setting in which students can attempt assessments.
Who is this for?
A private room 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.
- Who require a quieter space to manage a variety of disability-related symptoms.
This accommodation supports students to:
- Reduce visual or auditory distractions due to attention related disabilities.
- Comfortably attempt assessments in private to mitigate symptoms of clinical anxiety.
- Use assistive or adaptive technology (speech-to-text, text-to-speech, etc.) that could be a distraction to other students.
- Engage with readers, scribes, or interpreters that could be a distraction to other students.
What it is
A private room 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.
- Private rooms are managed and monitored by accessibility services staff.
- A private/semi-private room 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.
