Exam support
Examples of exam support are extra time, scribes, use of a computer, and no penalties for poor spelling or grammar.
Adjustments to exams and tests
Exam support covers a very wide range of “reasonable adjustments” that can include the following real examples:
- Providing additional time e.g. 25% extra time
- Providing an alternative method for the student to undertake the exam e.g. student can use a standard PC in exams or use the services of a scribe in exams.
- Ensuring that no penalties are given for poor spelling, grammar, punctuation and structure in examination scripts, unless these are being directly assessed and are core to an understanding of the course
- Changes to the physical environment in which an exam is taken e.g. allowing a student to sit an exam in a smaller room or even a room on their own
- Altering the sequence of exams e.g. ensuring a student does not sit two 3-hour exams in a single day
Important exam deadlines
Exam adjustment deadline
The current exam adjustment deadline is Friday 15th March 2013.
Some of these adjustments can take time to arrange and implement, and the University generally requires any changes to exam arrangements to be implemented 6 weeks before the first exam of each cycle. It is therefore important that you discuss any specific exam requirements that you may have with a Disability Advisor well before your exams are due to commence.
Additional support and adjustments
As with all adjustments recommended by the Student Disability Service, they are discussed and agreed with you, before being communicated to colleagues in Registry, who run all the exams and to the Schools of the University via your personal Learning Profile.
This article was published on Jan 8, 2013