Testing Information for Instructors

Table of Contents

• Testing Center Overview
• Faculty Notifications
• Available Materials in the Disability Resource Center
• DRC Testing Center Policies for Instructors
• Administering Accommodated Exams Within Your Department
• How-To Guides for Accessible Information Management (AIM) Instructor Portal

Testing Center Overview

DRC Testing prepares and administers exams as specified on a student’s accommodation letter. Before receiving an accommodation letter, students connect with an Access Consultant to discuss disability-related impacts and barriers. The Access Consultant and student determine whether testing accommodations are appropriate. For clarification regarding specific accommodations, please connect with the Access Consultant who signed the letter.

To the extent possible, we encourage instructors to administer accommodated exams requiring extended time and/or a reduced distraction environment in a space and time available to them. This allows students greater access to their instructors if they have questions during the exam, and it is often closer to the experience of their classmates.

Instructors may also use Canvas Quiz functionality to administer exams. This reduces the need for exams to be taken in the DRC. The Office of Measurement Services can help convert exams into Canvas format.

​​Instructors who do not have access to space or are not using Canvas Quiz functionality are invited to refer their students registered with the DRC to complete their exams in the DRC as space allows. If space is not available for accommodated testing at the time the class is testing, the DRC will look for the next available time for the student to complete the exam in the DRC.

Faculty Notifications

When a student schedules an exam, instructors are notified 3 days before the exam date and sent instructions for uploading exam documents and submitting exam-related details in our AIM Portal.

At the start of the semester, when you receive an accommodation letter from a student who has testing accommodations, you will be asked to provide course information, including typical exam administration details and the dates of your exams.

Once you complete the testing information for your course, if you receive subsequent accommodation letters for additional students, details will automatically transfer to the new students without additional manual entry. If you have a student in another section of your course, you can copy the course information you’ve already completed to the additional section.

More information is available in our How-To Guides.

Available Testing Materials in the Disability Resource Center

DRC Computers

DRC computers are meant to be reserved if a student needs a specific assistive technology as a part of their approved accommodations to be able to use on an exam. Examples include the following:

• Type instead of handwritten answers
  • When a student is permitted to use a DRC computer to record answers for an exam, we use flash drives to create Word documents and our computers are set to disable internet usage.
• Use a screen-reader program such as Read & Write or JAWS
• Use a Voice-to-Text program such as Google Voice to record answers
• Use a screen magnifier such as ZoomText

Scantrons

The Testing Center orders its Scantrons from the Office of Measurement Services. We have several scantron types available (X500 A-E, X500 A-J, 1/2 Blue, 1/2 Red, Chemistry A-E, Chemistry A-J). If you or your department needs a different type of scantron, please send them to the DRC with a note that identifies for which exam(s) they are to be used.

Blue Books

The DRC Testing does not utilize blue books for exams. We provide students with lined paper.

Other items provided include: 

• Pens and pencils
• Ear plugs
• Noise-cancelling headphones
• Scratch paper (lined, unlined, graphing)
• White noise machines (provided per accommodation letter)
• Other items as necessary (If there’s ever a question about the appropriateness of making an item available to a student for an exam, we will check with the ​​instructor first)

DRC Testing Center Policies for Instructors

Syllabus Statement

The DRC encourages instructors to include a statement in their syllabus outlining their expectations for exams as well as specifications for students with testing accommodations. The Testing Center encourages you, as an instructor, to include a statement clarifying:

• Any additional course contacts who are responsible for implementing accommodations and who may receive a student’s accommodation letter— course coordinator, TA, instructor, or a combination.
• The location where the student should plan to take their exams and instructions for scheduling.
• Exam information, such as a list of exam dates, exam duration, materials allowed, and whether they're allowed to keep the exam or accompanying materials.
• Who the student and/or DRC coordinators can contact to request the exam file and administration details, if the student is testing in the DRC.

Faculty Expectations

• Check emails regularly for questions from your student for the duration of the student’s scheduled exam in the DRC.
• Review our How-To Guides.
• Provide your exam administration details and upload your exam to our portal as soon as possible, and at least 72 hours in advance.

Student Late to Exam Start Time Policy

• We will not extend the end time of a student’s exam due to lateness.
• Students are responsible for scheduling their exams at the correct times and planning to arrive at least 5-10 minutes before their exam start time.
• Students who are late for an exam due to disability related impacts will discuss the situation with an Access Consultant to determine whether or not it is reasonable to reschedule the exam.
• Students are welcome to schedule make-up exams with the DRC, but they are expected to coordinate permission, scheduling details, etc. with their course instructor.
• We strive to create a testing environment that accommodates the various access needs of an array of students while upholding the expectations of the class.

Scheduling & Late Scheduling Policy

The DRC Testing Center requests that students schedule their exams at least 7 business days in advance of the exam date, and our scheduling platform will not allow students to schedule later than 3 business days before the exam. An example of this would be as follows: 

• A student attempts to schedule an exam at 5 PM on Tuesday for an exam on Friday during the same week. This will be permitted because our end-of-business-day is at 6 PM, and this would be three business days before Friday.
  • Tuesday = Business Day 1
  • Wednesday = Business Day 2
  • Thursday = Business Day 3
• A student attempts to schedule an exam at 7 PM on Tuesday for an exam on Friday during the same week. This will not be permitted because it will be less than 3 business days' notice.
  • Tuesday = Day 0 because they scheduled after 6 PM
  • Wednesday = Business Day 1
  • Thursday = Business Day 2
  • Friday = Business Day 3 (the third business day cannot be the day of the exam)

Deadline for Scheduling Exams During Finals Week

Due to the amount of coordination and planning involved in finals week in the DRC, students are required to schedule their final exams by our final exam deadline. The deadline changes each semester and is located on our webpage banner and sent via email communication throughout the semester, but the deadline is typically 3 weeks before the last day of instruction. 

Providing the Exam File

Due to our high volume of exams throughout the semester, we ask for exams early to be sure we have time to print and prep exam materials and instructions for the student. Please be aware if any of your students have document conversion needs, as our conversion team will need additional time to prepare the exam.

Our office does accept physical copies of exams, dropped off at our office in advance, however, we still require instructors to visit our AIM Instructor Portal to provide us with the necessary administration details. This is the best way to ensure that an exam is administered according to your specifications and consistently reflects the class expectations.

If a student reschedules an exam, please email to let us know if you would like to provide an alternative exam version for the rescheduled exam date.

During An Exam

Please include the best contact method to reach you during the scheduled exam time. This allows us to contact you to provide clarification or answer student questions.

Please do your best to be available by phone, as this is often the clearest method of communication. Students often need to ask questions and have them answered verbally.

Please note we are NOT able to text. We are only able to call or email to contact instructors.

Exam Updates/Corrections

BEFORE the exam: We may ask you to visit the AIM Instructor Portal to update the attached materials. Before you replace an exam file, we need to clear existing files. Please let us know if you need to upload new files.

DURING the exam: If you find an error in your exam materials or need to provide students taking the exam with an update provided to the class, please email us the correction. We will print and distribute it.

When emailing a correction, please draft a NEW email, stating in the subject line: “Exam Correction for [Insert Course].”

Canvas Exams

Time Extension

Please review a student’s accommodation letter to determine if the student has a time accommodation. The time window will need to be extended for individuals with various time accommodations. Additionally, please adjust settings to accommodate alternative testing times when applicable. Please visit the Canvas Support Page for instructions.

Honorlock

Honorlock is the U’s standard online proctoring system. For privacy reasons, the Testing Center has limitations on how Honorlock can be used for exams administered in the DRC. Instructors have two options in the DRC for Honorlock: 

1. Instructors can disable "Record Webcam,” "Test Taker Photo", "Test Taker ID", and "Room Scan" and still use other features in Honorlock, such as screen recording and monitoring.
2. Instructors can provide an Honorlock Bypass Pin to us to bypass this software entirely so there is no use of Honorlock on the exam. Please refer to the email you will receive from our office the day before the exam with instructions for how to set this up.

Visit the OIT Honorlock Helpguide for more information or contact us at [email protected].

Cameras

The DRC utilizes cameras in many of our testing spaces in the DRC. The cameras allow us to remotely proctor exams to strengthen academic and exam integrity and improve student safety in testing spaces. The cameras are visible and mounted on the wall in the testing spaces. The video streams will be accessible only by DRC and UMN Security staff. The videos will be monitored by proctors, and stored on a secure server for approximately one month.

DRC Staff are not permitted to share video footage with instructors. DRC Staff will also not review footage retroactively upon instructor request after an exam has already taken place. Our role is to report what we have witnessed in our Testing Center and request that the footage gets downloaded by UMN Security Staff if an incident of Academic Dishonesty occurred in case you would like to open a formal investigation with the Office of Community Standards.

During busy exam seasons, the DRC often has to utilize other space on campus that is not monitored by cameras. In semi private spaces, we have proctors available in the room with the students. In private spaces that do not have cameras, we do require that students store any belongings that cannot be used on an exam in our locker space before entering the testing room.  

Please review the UMN's Access to and Use of Physical Security Data Policy for more information.

Academic Integrity

If the DRC Testing Center Staff finds that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty during an exam, we will end their exam in the DRC, notify the instructor, the student's DRC Access Consultant, and the Assistant Director of Testing & Access Assistance, and we will also provide the student with a resource document following the incident. 

Incidents of Academic Dishonesty that are caught on camera will be documented, and a notification will be sent to UMN Security to download the footage in case an instructor would like to open a formal investigation with the Office of Community Standards.

Health & Safety 

The Disability Resource Center values the health and safety of all students and staff.

If a student contacts us about not feeling well as their exam approaches, we ask that they contact their instructor and let them know that they will need to reschedule their exam. The Policy: Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences: Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester applies to all course requirements when a student has a legitimate absence due to, among other things, illness such as COVID-19. 

Administering Accommodated Exams Within Your Department

It is beneficial for students and faculty for exams to be taken as close to the rest of the class and as close to simultaneously as possible. We encourage instructors to provide accommodations within the department when possible. 

Review Student Accommodation Letter

Consider testing accommodations listed in a student’s accommodation letter, such as extended time/duration, space needs, etc. If you have questions about providing specific testing accommodations, please connect with your student and the access consultant who signed the letter. 

Reserve a Testing Space:

When making arrangements for a testing space, it is important to reserve a private or semi-private space as specified in a student’s accommodations letter. 

• The Office of Classroom Management is an excellent resource for finding available spaces. You can search by General Purpose Classroom or Departmental rooms.
• Reserve an appropriate room (conference room, private office) in your department.

Prepare the Testing Space

If you decide to administer the test in or near the department or main classroom, please consider providing the following:

• A clock or a timer accessible to the student
• Extra exam resources (scratch paper, bubble sheet, pencils, erasers, etc)
• A proctor or someone who can check in on the student and is aware of the start and end times of the exam
• Ways to contact you during the exam
• Storage area for backpack/materials not to be accessed during the exam

How-To Guides for Accessible Information Management (AIM) Instructor Portal

Completing the Testing Accommodation Form 

The Testing Accommodation Form is the form that all instructors will need to complete in order for the Testing Center to know the dates of your exams and the standard exam administration details (these details can be edited per exam date as well). To complete the Testing Accommodation Form, it can be accessed two different ways:

1. Via a link included in the emailed accommodation letter (called a Faculty Notification Letter in AIM) that you receive when a student selects testing accommodations for a course you are the instructor for.

2. By logging into the AIM Instructor Portal in the Testing Center section under the TESTING ACCOMMODATION FORM (TAF) tab located in the top navigation bar. 

   

Once you are in the Testing Accommodation form by following either of the options listed above, you will see the courses that you need to complete TAFs for and the ones you might have already completed. Detailed instructions for how to complete the TAF are as follows:

1. Select Testing Center > Testing Accommodation Form (TAF)
2. Select blue “Specify Testing Accommodation Form (TAF)" for the relevant course
   1. 
3. Select Exam Management Method from dropdown menu and select “Confirm to Proceed” in “Confirm Task” dropdown and select “Submit your Selection”
4. Fill out the Testing Accommodation Form to the course’s specifications - this will be copied to all of your exams for the semester, you may go in to edit throughout the semester if needed
   1. You may copy this form to other courses by selecting “Copy Testing Accommodation Form (TAF)” on the top banner under the course name
5. Select “Submit and continue to specify exam dates” or if you are doing this after submitting a TAF earlier in the semester, by selecting “List Exam Dates” on the top banner under the course name
6. Fill out the form for exam dates to the course’s specifications - these may be edited closer to the exam date
   1. 
7. By filling out the information on the "Exam Detail" left hand side, you will give your students a list of exam dates that they can select while scheduling. You do not have to fill out the"Exam Date Instruction" information on the right hand side until it gets nearer to the exam date. The DRC Testing Center requests that the "Exam Date Instruction" information is filled out at least 2 business days before your exam.
8. To modify your exam dates to add the requested information on the righthand side, click “Modify” next to your exam date from the list of exams.
   1. 

You will also be able to modify any of your previously completed TAFs throughout the semester.

Uploading an Exam to AIM

1. Log into the AIM Instructor Portal.

2. Under the Home navigation menu, select “Testing Center.”

   
3. Once you are in the Testing Center section, navigate to the heading labeled “UPCOMING EXAMS SCHEDULED.”
4. Continue to “STEP 1: SELECT EXAMS (FOR BULK ACTIONS).”

5. Select the course for which you need to upload an exam.

   
6. Continue to “STEP 2: SELECT AVAILABLE OPTIONS” → “UPCOMING EXAM FILE UPLOAD.”
7. Title your exam.
8. Select “Choose File” and select your file from your computer.

9. Then select the button labeled “UPLOAD FILE.”

   
10. To confirm that you have uploaded your exam, you can navigate to the upcoming exam request, select the “View File” drop-down menu, and that will show the name of the file, the date you uploaded the file, and an option to delete the file if you have uploaded in error.

Review a Completed Exam in AIM

1. Log in to the AIM Instructor Portal.

2. Under the HOME navigation menu, select “Testing Center.”

   

3. In the navigation bar at the top of the page, select the “COMPLETED FILES” option.

   
4. This will bring you to the list of completed exams where you can choose to download the files.