Alternative Testing: Instructor Guide
Minnesota State University, Mankato strives to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to all opportunities, including those to demonstrate mastery of course content. For students who have alternative testing accommodations on their accommodation plans, Accessibility Resources forges partnerships with instructors to ensure the students' accommodation needs are met. As one option for such accommodations, Accessibility Resources operates the Alternative Testing Center in an effort to provide an equitable, accessible, and low-stress testing environment.
In short, for alternative testing in Accessibility Resources, an effective partnership between Accessibility Resources and instructors includes:
- Completing the Alternative Testing Agreement.
- Maintaining open and frequent lines of communication, especially when there are delays, changes, or time-sensitive issues.
- Providing test materials to the proctoring staff in a timely manner.
We recommend you visit this page periodically so you are aware of policies and procedures related to students taking tests in Accessibility Resources.
Contents
- Key Points
- Alternative Testing Policies
- MavAccess Instructor Portal
- Completing the Alternative Testing Agreement
- Exam Scheduling Concerns
- Student Expectations
- Location, Hours, and Contact Info
Key Points
- Communication and Collaboration: to ensure that students registered with Accessibility Resources get the alternative testing accommodations they need, frequent communication and opportunities to brainstorm solutions are essential. This is a required element of the University's operations, as students with disabilities are entitled to equal access to demonstrate mastery of course material.
- Initial Setup: when a student in a course submits a request to take a test in Accessibility Resources' Alternative Testing space, MavAccess will generate an email to you regarding the Alternative Testing Agreement (ATA). Please complete this agreement as soon as you are able so we can maintain accurate test proctoring conditions for the course. More information on the ATA is listed below.
- Timely Provision of Test Materials: students taking tests in Accessibility Resources must submit their testing appointment requests at least three school days in advance. This allows us—and you—adequate time to prepare. For the most efficiency, we request you submit the testing materials by 4:00pm the day before the exam. If you are unable to do so (life happens!), please email ar@mnsu.edu to let us know when you plan to provide the materials, otherwise you may receive multiple reminders.
Alternative Testing Policies
- Self-Proctoring: from a compliance standpoint, instructors are required to make sure students with testing accommodations get those accommodations. If you are able to proctor a student's test with their accommodations, you are certainly welcome to do so. You can contact the AR staff member who coordinates testing to double-check that the student's needs are met (email Alex at alex.lucier.2@mnsu.edu). If you are unable to proctor the test yourself, students may schedule to take it in Accessibility Resources.
- Academic Honesty: we take test integrity very seriously. All testing desks are monitored via CCTV and microphone, and staff watch the cameras at their desks and communicate with each other via Teams. Should we suspect a student of academically dishonest behavior, we will stop their exam and investigate. If we confirm our suspicions, we will end their appointment and contact you, providing a summary and giving you access to view the footage. That said, please ensure that the ATA is correct when you submit it, as we follow what it says, even if the instructions are vague.
- Student Arrival: when students arrive to take their scheduled test, they have to check in with their MavCard/photo ID and put all items not related to the test away in cubbies in the front office. This includes turning phones/watches off and storing them in the cubbies. While we cannot pat down students, we ask that they show their pockets/hoods are empty and that their arms are free of writing.
- In the testing space: other than writing utensils and provided water bottles, students are only allowed to bring in the test and the items you specify on the ATA/instructions. Students with accommodations that require other items (spell checker, glucose monitor, etc.) will have them checked and given to use. At each testing desk, we provide tissues, fidget toys, and earplugs.
- Contacting the instructor: on the ATA, we ask for two types of contact information.
- The first question asks how to contact you ASAP, should there be issues with proctoring the test. This more commonly applies to online tests, related to a password not working or the test not being open at the correct time. Please keep an eye on this contact method when a student is testing in our center. If we are unable to reach you quickly, we may call your department office, or possibly the department chair.
- The second question asks what to do if a student has a question regarding the content of the test. Please keep in mind that students taking tests in our center are afforded the same attention and access to information as students taking the test in class.
MavAccess Instructor Portal
MavAccess is the branded name of the accommodation management system we use, called Accessible Information Management. This is where we store all information relating to student accommodations, including case notes, documentation, and student requests. MavAccess has an Instructor Portal, where you can view information including:
- All students who have submitted accommodation notifications for your course(s) along with a copy of the notification letter.
- All relevant requests for the semester, including those for items already completed.
You can access the portal here:
Specific to Alternative Testing accommodations, the instructor portal is used to:
- Complete the Alternative Testing Agreement (ATA) for a section of a course for the semester.
- Specify Individual Test Instructions for a given test.
- Verify and confirm the accuracy of a student's request for a testing appointment (check dates, start time, time limits, and other parameters).
- Pre-fill test dates (optional).
- Securely upload test files.
Completing the Alternative Testing Agreement
The Alternative Testing Agreement (ATA) serves as documentation for test proctoring procedures in your course(s). Accessibility Resources follows the ATA when proctoring while applying the individual students' accommodations. We cannot be held responsible for errors due to what is entered into the ATA, so please double check that it is completed accurately.
Important: the ATA applies to all students in that section of the course for the entire semester. Individual students' information should not be entered into it, or else it will appear on ATA for other students.
Please keep the following in mind when completing the ATA for a course section:
- You can find the link to complete the ATA in a few places:
- In a red box at the end of a student's accommodation notification letter.
- In a red box at the end of a testing request.
- In the MavAccess Instructor Portal in the Alternative Testing module in the left menu.
- The two methods of contact are essential to contacting you in case of a time sensitive matter. This includes the incorrect test being sent, the password not working for an online exam, or a discrepancy between the ATA and information shared with students in-class.
- The first checklist of items designates what students need for the exam. Examples include Scantrons, laptops, or LockDown Browser.
- The second checklist of items designates what students are allowed to use for the exam. Examples include calculators, scratch paper, or pre-approved formula sheets.
- If your tests are online and require passwords, designate that passwords are needed, but do not enter it in the ATA. Share it with Accessibility Resources staff closer to the individual test.
- For paper exams, in an effort to reduce turnaround time and the need to walk around campus multiple times a day, the default return method is for the proctor to scan it and email it to your MNSU email address. If there is a different way you want tests returned, designate that in the drop-down question.
If your ATA applies to multiple sections of a course, we can easily copy it across the other sections. Just email ar@mnsu.edu, letting us know which sections the ATA applies.
Exam Scheduling Concerns
Accessibility Resources proctors only have the information about a test provided by the instructor and the student. We request that you read the exam request email generated when a student schedules to make sure the information is correct. You may also send your syllabus or list of exam dates/times to us so we can proactively enter the correct test dates and times, after the ATA is completed.
Any discrepancies or concerns can be addressed via email to ar@mnsu.edu.
Student Expectations
Students using the testing space in Accessibility Resources are expected to follow established procedures. These include:
- Scheduling appointments to take tests at least three school days in advance, unless extenuating circumstances arise.
- Following the instructions provided by proctors and posted on the walls and desks.
- Avoiding behaviors that violate the academic honesty policy, as well as parameters established by the instructor. Suspected violations are reported to the instructor immediately.
- Treating taking the test in Accessibility Resources with the same respect as taking it in class. This includes arriving on time.
More information about student expectations can be found in the Alternative Testing Student Guide, found here:
Alternative Testing: Student Guide
Location, Hours, and Contact Info
Accessibility Resources
Memorial Library 132
Open Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Voice/Text: 507-389-2825
Email: ar@mnsu.edu
Alternative Testing Coordinator:
Alex J. Lucier
Assistant Director for Accommodations & Student Success
Voice/Text: 507-389-5242
Email: alex.lucier.2@mnsu.edu
