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Seton Hall University

Proctoring & Exams Fall 2020

As we prepare to begin the Fall semester in the Hy-Flex model, we would like to remind you that Disability Support Services is available to support you in ensuring that your course remains fully accessible to students with disabilities. We invite you to contact us to consult regarding accessibility and the specifics of your course format.
 
While accommodations are individual to a student, there are some general guidelines that may assist in designing an accessible course. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that is intended to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Some strategies to keep in mind include: providing the syllabus early; ensuring courses are digitally accessible; recording lectures (captions/transcript); sharing PowerPoint slides, in advance when possible; providing a space for students to share class notes; providing varied means of presenting information (audio, visual, etc.); employing various forms of assessment. Additionally, professors are encouraged to maintain office hours, even virtually, check-in with students on a regular basis, and be flexible with due dates, when possible. 
 
We also wanted to share these excellent resources:

The staff from TLTC, who are supporting faculty through this transition to remote and Hy-flex instruction, have tools and suggestions for making your online content accessible. If you need additional assistance, please contact your instructional designer and/or register to attend one of their workshops.
 
We know that no matter how well designed an academic experience is, accommodations may still be necessary. If you have students in your classes who have been using accommodations, those accommodations should still be available to them. For example:  

  • Extended test time: Be sure to learn how to set extended test time within the LMS for any exams you are giving online.
  • Interpreting/CART: If you have a deaf student in your class, all audio or video material you plan to use will need to be captioned/interpreted. Please contact us if you need assistance in determining what is needed. 
  • Note-taking: If you will be lecturing, a note-taker for class may still be necessary. Please reach out to DSS by email if you are lecturing synchronously, so we can individually determine if this accommodation is still necessary.
  • Stop the clock breaks during testing: If a student in your class is entitled to occasional breaks during testing, please be sure to factor in this accommodation by adding additional time to their exam clock. Please consult a DSS administrator on your campus for guidance regarding the student’s specific need in your course.
  • Accessible electronic course materials, such as enlarged font and screen-reader friendly.

 When the state moves to Phase 3 and we return to the Hy-Flex model, DSS wants to support our students' needs in terms of exam proctoring. However, we will need your cooperation and flexibility because, just as in your classroom, our testing rooms have a significantly reduced capacity due to physical distancing requirements, which means we cannot proctor as many people at the same time as we have in the past.
 
As we continue to plan for this semester, we feel that it is important to point out that many students with disabilities would not choose to take online courses. There are some inherent challenges to learning online that may be more exacerbated due to a student's disability. To the degree that you can, please provide patience and flexibility. Students will benefit from virtual assistance, whether by phone, email or Teams. They may need accommodations that were not anticipated in their original accommodation plans, due to the new format.

Please be in touch with the Disability Support Services if any concerns arise. We want to support you and our students during this challenging time.