16 Exam Accommodations

• Exam platform feature comparison

• Online invigilation feature comparison

1. Canvas is not compatible with the adaptive technologies required by many students with disabilities. Instructors with students requiring this accommodation will be contacted by the Centre for Accessibility. Students will write a computer based exam with live invigilation provided by the Centre for Accessibility using Zoom. Instructors will be required to provide a readable PDF or word version of the exam. Details regarding the process for invigilation will be provided to instructors.
2. Extra time accommodation: please manage this for each student based on their specific accommodation. Students should have provided you with their accommodation letter outlining their time extension needs, otherwise you may also log in to our online exam system to verify each student’s extended time requirements. If you require assistance with this process please contact us at exam.coordinator@ubc.ca. Note: extended time accommodations do not apply in the case of take-home exams where students have multiple days to complete an exam; students who believe they need further time allowances should connect with their advisor as they do under normal circumstances.
3. Adjusted start time: Some students will require the opportunity to write exams at specific times of day due to the impact of their disability or on-going medical condition. Instructors may be required to allow access to an exam earlier than the scheduled start time. Students with this accommodation will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. For additional information, contact exam.coordinator@ubc.ca.
4. Alternate format: the ideal format for a soft-copy exam is a Word (.doc) file that is straightforward and does not utilize significant formatting (graphs and tables etc.) If you need assistance with this or your student requires other formats such as audio please contact exam.coordinator@ubc.ca.
5. Private or distraction-reduced environment: students will be responsible for finding a suitable space to write their exam.
6. Students requiring in person supports: Scribe, for example. There are very few students requiring this and we will work them out on a case by case basis. Please ask the student to contact their advisor.
7. Spellcheck: Spellcheck will not function fully in Canvas or Lockdown Browser. Students eligible for this accommodation will only see red underlines. Please allow for spelling errors without penalty if you require students to use the Lockdown Browser.
8. Adaptive software/technology: most students who require this technology should already have it on their personal computers. Students may require an alternate format of your exam to utilize their software outside of Canvas, such as Read and Write Gold.

An additional accessibility concern with online exams and international students returning to home countries is that their scheduled exam time may be during the night in their time zone. This is something to consider with take-home exams, perhaps extending the notion of a “full day” for responses to be completed.

For further background in terms of principles for accommodations, UBC’s Centre for Accessibility page on Exam Accommodations (for typical exam periods) is: https://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/academic-learning-resources/academic-accommodations-disabilities/exam-accommodations-guidelines-expectations.