Policy for Adaptive Testing
Overview
The Office of Disability Services provides adaptive testing accommodations for students with disabilities in cooperation with each instructor or teaching assistant. In order to receive services, a student must be currently registered with the Office of Disability Services and have provided documentation of a disability and recommendations for specific testing accommodations.
Although you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, it is not mandatory that you use this service for every testing accommodation; you do not have to take every test or quiz through our office. If it is preferred, you may choose to work out individual accommodations with your instructor. If you choose to do this, there is no need to complete the Adaptive Testing Request form for those particular exams/quizzes.
Important Reminder
When choosing to use your accommodations, you must make an appointment with each of your instructors to discuss your needs. If you do not meet with your instructors, you run the risk of not having some or all of your accommodations provided in a timely manner.
Testing Service Requirements
- Register with the Office of Disability Services at the beginning of every semester.
- Notify each instructor and teaching assistant of your registration with the Office of Disability Services and your specific accommodations (through the letter our office provides to you). Note: You do not have to disclose the details of your disability with the instructor or teaching assistant.
Testing Procedures
- You are highly encouraged to register at the beginning of each semester regardless of whether or not you choose to use our services. THIS INCLUDES FINALS WEEK EXAMS.
- Only one late test form will be accepted each semester. Subsequent late forms will scheduled based on room availability. Alternate times or dates for late exam forms may be suggested and would require approval and notification of approval from the course instructor.
- Instructors are encouraged to accommodate you themselves whenever possible by providing quiet space and/or extended time. Request Forms are not required for those exams in which your instructor will be providing accommodations.
- All Finals Exam forms are due in the Office of Disability Services before Thanksgiving break for the fall semester and before Spring Break for the winter semester.
- If you have concerns about getting the test forms in on time and do not want your adaptive testing accommodations to be suspended, please let the Coordinator of Services know so that we can assist you with a system that will work for you.
- Quizzes and in-class writing assignments present additional challenges due to short notice. It is important that you make your instructors aware of testing policies and the necessary advance notice. Arrangements with your instructors should be made accordingly. If a course requires repetitive quizzing and you take these quizzes in the Office of Disability Services, you may fill out one test form with the date left blank and our office will make copies of that form and enter the subsequent dates accordingly.
- All exams are administered by the Office of Disability Services during the class time. Any variations must first be approved by the professor and then coordinated with the Office of Disability Services.
- If your instructor has arranged for you to pick up the test prior to your test time, make sure it is in a sealed envelope with the instructor's signature across the seal.
- Tardiness for an adaptive exam will result in a phone call to the instructor notifying him of the exact time of your arrival. Your start time will also be noted on the return envelope. Subsequent action by the instructor is dependent upon his or her course policy.
- Time extensions may not be used for study or review.
- You are responsible for providing pencils, pens, calculator, Blue Book, or other materials necessary for the exam. ODS will not provide these items unless it is a documented accommodation. All materials will be inspected thoroughly by the test proctor before the exam begins. Only materials checked on the Adaptive Examination Request Form will be allowed in the testing room.
- If you do not take the test with the Office of Disability Services as scheduled, you must contact your instructor or teaching assistant right away. The Office of Disability Services is not responsible for rescheduling exams or determining if an exam may be rescheduled.
- If the instructor allows you to reschedule the exam, you may contact the Office of Disability Services to request assistance. However, we ask that your instructor provide us with 7-business-day notice if at all possible. If this is not possible, alternate dates or times may be suggested and must be approved by the course instructor. The instructor must provide the Testing Coordinator with permission to change the date or time on the completed request form.
- If you are scheduled to take an exam through the Office of Disability Services and then decide to take the test with the class, please call our office to cancel before the test time.
- If you are taking your exam through the Office of Disability Services and the exam room becomes unacceptable for any reason, such as a noise disturbance, etc., please inform your proctor or the testing coordinator as soon as possible. Do not wait until after the exam is completed!
- It is your responsibility to ensure that each Adaptive Examination Request Form is filled out correctly and timely. If any changes need to be made to any form that has already been turned in to our office, the testing coordinator must be notified by the instructor to make the necessary change(s).
- You are responsible for notifying the Testing Coordinator of a change in an exam date as soon as possible. The course instructor must also notify the Testing Coordinator directly with permission to change the date on the request form. We ask that your instructor provide us with 7-business-day notice if at all possible. If this is not possible, alternate dates or times may be suggested and must be approved by the course instructor.
For further guidelines, please review the Adaptive Examination Request Form available in the Office of Disability Services.
Academic Dishonesty
The same University of Missouri-Columbia academic dishonesty policy (Standard of Contact of the Collected Rules and Regulations) applies when taking exams through the Office of Disability Services.
Academic dishonesty is a serious charge with serious consequences if guilt is found. Discipline includes suspension and possible expulsion from the University of Missouri. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructor. Your instructor will be notified of any incident of academic dishonesty that occurs while taking an exam through the Office of Disability Services. Your instructor may choose to follow the University of Missouri-Columbia academic dishonesty policy.
