Accommodated Testing

The Testing Center is located in the LEAD Center on the second floor of the Library. When students arrive at the LEAD Center to test, they should check-in at the front desk, where they will then be directed to the Testing Center. 

Students with scheduled tests should check-in at the LEAD Center front desk. The student will need to show their student ID to the front desk. Once the student enters the Testing Center, all personal items not needed for the test (backpack, watches, phones, drinks, etc.) need to be placed with the test proctor before testing can begin. 

Students will need to bring their student ID and any necessary materials not provided by the Testing Center. The Testing Center provides the following: Pencils, scrap paper, basic calculators, noise-cancelling headsets, and quiet fidget tools. 

If a student needs a computer, scientific calculator, screen reader, or textbook for the test, they must bring their own. 

If your exam was not scheduled at least three business days in advance, it will be denied and you will need to reschedule. If the course instructor does not upload exam instructions twenty-four hours before the exam, the testing appointment may need to be rescheduled once necessary materials are provided. There may also be a lack of proctor availability for the time/day selected for the exam. If you're having difficulty scheduling exams, please reach out to the LEAD Center in person or at lead@fairmontstate.edu.

Yes, students should communicate with their instructors about their testing plans. If students do not communicate with instructors, the information needed to administer the test may not be sent and the test will have to be rescheduled. 

Students with accommodations for readers need to see IT and have compatible screen reader software uploaded to their laptops prior to testing. 

Students with an accommodation for a scribe should contact the LEAD Center directly at lead@fairmontstate.edu to ensure a scribe will be available. 

For digital exams, the exam is submitted through Blackboard/Respondus as soon as the test is completed. A coversheet and any scrap paper used will be scanned and emailed to the instructor.

For paper exams, instructors can choose to either pick-up the original copy of the paper exam from the LEAD Center front desk or receive a scanned copy of the exam via email. Scans include any scrap paper/notes/formula sheets students used during the test. 

Instructors can submit digital copies for paper exams and additional instructions for the exam by following the instructions here. Paper exams can also be delivered to the LEAD Center front desk. Please submit all exams, materials, and instructions 24 hours prior to the exam being administered or the exam may need to be rescheduled. 

1. A. Set standards will help to ensure consistent and fair testing practices for all Fairmont StateUniversity students and faculty that seek the Testing Center’s services.
2. Following the outlined procedures maintains academic integrity, protects students’ right to reasonable accommodations, and improves communication between LEAD center test proctors, faculty, and students.

1. 1. Faculty and Student Responsibility
   1. All testing, including accommodated testing, is a faculty responsibility. Faculty members and instructors who can accommodate their students in their classroom, their office, or in an appropriate alternative location should do so rather than using the LEAD Center.
   2. It is recommended that faculty members and students who receive accommodated testing work together to create a personalized Testing Plan for the duration of the semester that considers the needs of both the student and the faculty member. If there are obstacles or concerns about creating this plan, please reach out to Abby Franks in Accessibility Services for support and ideas.
2. LEAD Center Responsibility
   1. The LEAD Center will assist in proctored accommodated testing when a professor indicates that they have been unable to make testing arrangements within their academic department area. However, the LEAD Center may not always be able to provide proctoring. There are only so many spots available to be booked per time slot because there is only so much room in the testing center.
   2. The LEAD Center will attempt to offer proctored tests, exams, and quizzes with accommodations at the requested time. However, if there are no available openings, the students will need to complete the test, exam, or quiz on a different day or at a different time in the Lead Center. Testing is done on a first-come, first-serve basis.
   3. The LEAD Center does NOT offer proctoring for make-up tests, exams, quizzes, or work if the student taking the test does not have accommodations. The LEAD Center only provides proctored testing for students with accommodations. 

1. Students must book their testing time slot in Accommodate at least three business days prior to the day they plan to receive their test. Exams can be scheduled from the  start of semester up to finals week. Finals must be scheduled separately. The following chart illustrates what day a request must be submitted by:
   

   Book by...	If the test is on...
   Monday	Thursday
   Tuesday	Friday
   Wednesday	Monday
   Thursday	Tuesday
   Friday	Wednesday

    

2. Instructors must have testing materials and passwords submitted through Accommodate (Simplicity) 24 hours prior to the scheduled exam. The following chart illustrates this schedule:
   

   Submit materials on...	If the test is on...
   Monday	Tuesday
   Tuesday	Wednesday
   Wednesday	Thursday
   Thursday	Friday
   Friday	Monday

   
   This includes printed materials for the exam, passwords for online exams, list of
   materials the student is allowed to use on the exam (calculator, notes, scrap paper, etc.), time of original exam before accommodated time is added, and method of exam retrieval (pick-up or scan).
3. Exceptions: Same day testing may be available based on test proctor availability. This will vary based on semester. Please check with the Testing Center to confirm current same day testing options. This option also requires the professor to contact the LEAD Center with all exam details. This can be done via email, phone, or in-person through the LEAD Center front desk. [Not available Fall 2024]
4. Failure of any party to follow this procedure may result in the scheduled exam being cancelled or rescheduled. 

1. Paper Exams: Instructors should indicate in Accommodate (Simplicity) whether they wish to pick-up the completed paper exam or have the exam scanned and returned to them via email. Paper exams that are marked for pick-up should be retrieved by the instructor within three business days following the scheduled exam. Exams will not be  delivered to instructors’ offices or mailboxes. Exams that are picked-up will be sealed in an envelope with the instructor’s name, date the exam was administered, and course-section number. For both retrieval methods, the instructor will receive the completed exam, a coversheet with pertinent information, scrap paper, and any note/formula sheets approved for the exam.
2. Online Exams: The LEAD Center will email instructors a scanned copy of an exam coversheet with all pertinent information and copies of any scrap paper or notes/formula sheets that were allowed for the exam. 

1. Test Center Provided Materials: The following materials are provided by the LEAD Center for students to use during exams if such materials are allowed by the exam or accommodation specifications: simple calculators, scrap paper, pencils, rulers, and sound cancelling headsets (for reduced distractions).
2. Professor/Student Provided Materials: Materials that are not provided by the LEAD Center but are allowed by the exam or accommodation specifications must be provided by the instructor or the student. These materials include, but might not be limited to, readers, voice-to-text software, notes and formula sheets, special calculators, other math, graphing, or drafting materials, books specific to exam, and computers (see electronics below).
3. Electronics: Certain electronic devices are permitted during certain exams or for students with certain accommodations.
   1. For students with accommodations for a reader or scribe, students are encouraged to see the Information Technology Department located on the ground floor of the library to receive software that is compatible with their electronic device. If no software is compatible with their electronic device, the Testing Center will endeavor to provide an in-person reader or scribe if one is available.
   2. If the student is completing an online exam in a program such as Blackboard or Respondus, they are permitted to use their personal computers until the time that the Testing Center can provide a Testing Center computer.
   3. Personal health monitors related to specific health conditions (such as glucose monitors for individuals with diabetes) are allowed during exams. However, devices tracking general health information such as steps, food, etc., for personal health goals are NOT permitted as they connect to students’ phones.
   4. Phones, personal computers not being used for accommodations or exam taking, smartwatches, ear pieces, smartrings, or other unauthorized electronics are NOT permitted while taking an exam.
4. Personal Refreshments: Students are allowed one food item and one beverage at their testing station as long as these items are silent. Items that cause noise distraction are not allowed. Any personal refreshments will be checked thoroughly by the test proctor to ensure there are no hidden notes concealed on or within them. 

1. The LEAD Center recommends students be 5-10 minutes early for testing to allow ID checking, testing station setup, resolving of tech issues, and decompression prior to the exam being administered.
2. Before entering the Testing Center, the student will check-in at the LEAD Center front desk. During check-in, they are required to show their ID. Accepted forms of ID include student ID, driver’s license, military ID, passport, government-issued ID. All accepted forms of ID must have a photo of the student. When the student checks-in, the LEAD Center front desk associate will also check them in digitally using Navigate to track their session time.
3. Once the student has checked-in, they will enter the Testing Center, relinquish their personal items to the front of the room, ensure all electronics are silenced or turned off, receive any allowed materials, move to their testing station, and receive their exam. 

1. Students are granted a 15-minute grace-period if they are running late. Students who fail to arrive within that 15-minute grace-period will be forfeiting their exam time slot and must reschedule through Accommodate following the outlined booking procedure or seek accommodated testing from their instructor. Students who arrive late but within the 15-minute grace-period will be permitted the remainer of their scheduled time slot but will not be allowed time exceeding this time slot. Example: A student schedules a testing window from 9 a.m. to 11:23 a.m., but the student arrives at 9:10 a.m.. The student’s test will still end at 11:23 a.m., and the student will NOT be granted an additional 10 minutes.
2. If a student needs to cancel a testing appointment, it is recommended the appointment is cancelled 24-hours prior to the exam if possible. If that is not possible, please cancel prior to the appointment time and send an email to the LEAD Center email (lead@fairmontstate.edu). Repeated no-shows without any form of appointment cancellation may result in disciplinary action. 

As many administered tests are scheduled for several continuous hours, students are permitted to use the restroom during tests. If a student requests a restroom break during a test, they must leave all testing materials and any personal items in the testing room with the test proctor while they use the restroom. (Exception: menstrual products, accessibility items, and personal medications.) They must not return with any items from outside the testing center upon returning from their break. (Exception: refreshments in the case of diabetic accommodation.) Exam time will continue uninterrupted during any breaks.

1. Once an exam is completed, it will either be returned to the test proctor (paper exams) or submitted digitally (online exams). All test materials such as scrap paper, calculators, notes/formula sheets, etc. must be returned to the test proctor. Once all materials are returned and the exam is submitted, the student may retrieve their personal items from the front of the Testing Center.
2. Students must check-out at the LEAD Center front desk before leaving the LEAD Center.