Exam Accommodations

We proctor all exams virtually via Zoom. During each exam session, the proctor continuously monitors the student’s test and pays close attention to what the student is viewing. The proctor keeps an eye out for any prohibited items or devices on the test taker’s desk, lap, hands and floor. Our staff monitor every test taker for the entire testing session.

Yes, we encourage faculty and departments to be independent when arranging exam accommodations for students. While academic departments and faculty members are primarily responsible for providing testing accommodations to students with disabilities, we understand that you may need some assistance from us with scheduling and managing proctored exams. If you have any questions about specific accommodations for any student, please contact us for assistance.

If you and others in your department are unable to proctor exams due to scheduling or space constraints, please submit a request via email (disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu) for us to conduct a virtually proctored exam.
 

Students need to complete their exam on the exam date, but can do so at any time between 8:30 am–4:30 pm. We will honor preferred time for exams as capacity allows. However, we  may move students' requests for exams to a start time other than that requested by the instructor in order to maximize our seating capacity.   If a student has a legitimate class conflict and has to move their exam to a different date or time, it is your and your student’s responsibility to negotiate a new date or time and then inform us on when to reschedule the exam.

We cannot proctor evening exams. All regular semester exams must end by 4:30 pm on the scheduled exam date. Please email us (disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu)  to discuss your needs.
 

Students who miss exams may be eligible to make them up with their instructor or with us. Students who are approved for a makeup exam should first make every reasonable effort to coordinate makeup exams with their instructors. If you and the student can not identify a mutually convenient makeup time the student may request a makeup exam with us. All make-ups must start and end during regular proctoring hours,  Mon–Fri between 8:30 am–4:30 pm. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate all requests for make-up exams.
 

You will receive completed exams via email from our staff within 24 hours of the student completing the exam. 
 

If you use exam accommodations and your instructor has indicated that they cannot administer your exam, you will need to make testing arrangements with us in Disability Support Services. You must contact Disability Support Services a minimum of one week before the scheduled exam via Accommodate or by filling out the DSS Testing Form.
 

We encourage you to submit your accommodation letter at the start of the semester. If you use exam accommodations and your instructor has indicated that they cannot administer your exam, you will need to make testing arrangements with us. You must contact us at least one week before the scheduled exam. If you do not provide one week notice, your exam may not be scheduled. We can not guarantee requests made within less than one week. 

If you are taking a proctored exam with us, please ensure you have a space that is quiet and private, with no distractions and strong internet connection. There should not be anything on the desk or tabletop where you take the exam. While taking the exam, you must abide by the following testing requirements:

• You cannot leave the room before asking. This includes taking the computer with you. The exam should be taken in the same room that the “Exam Environment View” is completed in.
• You may not communicate with others by any means. Talking out loud to yourself is acceptable.
• You may not use textbooks or notes unless otherwise instructed. 
• You may not use a cellphone.

If you need to reserve a space on campus, Fleet Library’s conference and classrooms are available for use by RISD students, faculty and staff during library hours. The library uses an online room reservation system accessible through 25Live. 
 

To make sure your laptop or computer is compliant with our requirements for taking a proctored exam, it should be:

• equipped with a camera and microphone, either built in or external.
• Wi-Fi compatible and able to maintain a stable internet connection. 
• equipped with Zoom desktop client.

During the exam, you must: 

• focus your webcam on you while taking the exam.
• not have anything covering the lens of your camera at any time during the exam. 
• not use virtual background or background blur.
• not use webpages or applications unless instructed.

If you need a laptop to take your exam, you may use the variety of Laptop Loan Programs offered by Media Resources.

If you need to step away from your computer, with the intention of returning to the testing environment (e.g., to take a restroom or water break), you must let your DSS proctor know beforehand. Please notify them through the Zoom chat function and wait for their confirmation before you leave.

We encourage you to coordinate with your roommates about your exam time and privacy needs. In the event that another person enters the room during the exam, kindly inform them that you are in the middle of an exam and ask them to give you some privacy until you finish your test.
 

Before the exam, make sure your computer is working, charged and has a good internet connection. Please inform your DSS proctor if you encounter any technical problems. You can chat with us via Zoom or Gchat, email us at disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu or call 401 709-8465. 
 

When you finish your exam, send the document to disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu. Please wait for our confirmation before leaving the virtual proctoring session. A DSS staff member will then forward the completed exam to your faculty member. Please be patient, as your proctor may be communicating with other students at the same time.