Exam accommodations are determined in the same way as other accommodations, and are informed by professional documentation that shows the specific ways in which a student's disability may impact exam-taking. The university is required to provide reasonable accommodation to minimize the effect of the disability on the examination process.

Instructors are generally not expected to administer accommodated exams, except in the case of practical lab exams.  Accommodated exams are administered at the CAL exam facility, which is located in the Maggie Benston Centre at the Burnaby campus.

It is the student's responsibility to schedule to write any exams at the CAL using the Centre's online exam booking system.  If you do not receive an official CAL notification of a student's exam request, it can be assumed that the student has elected to write the test with the class and without accommodations. 

You will receive notification of test booking requests 6 days prior to a midterm test or quiz, and at least 13 days prior to a final exam.  Notification emails will provide a link to the online booking system, where you will be asked to indicate test administration details such as exam restrictions or allowances (e.g. no books or notes, but non-programmable calculators are permitted) so that the exam may be proctored at the CAL according to your specific requirements.  You will also be asked to provide information as to how the exam will be provided to the CAL, and how the finished exam will be returned, and the system will provide you with the option to securely upload an electronic copy of the exam. 

Some minor exam accommodation needs can be readily met by the instructor during the course of the regular administration of the exam (e.g. provision of a dictionary).  In these cases, it may be appropriate to support the student in the classroom.  If there are questions or concerns about how a student can or should be supported, you should feel free to contact the student's Disability Access Advisor.  The contact information for the Disability Access Advisor can be found on the accommodation notification.

Faculty are responsible for delivering exams to our office. This can be done by uploading to the CSD's secure exam booking system, or delivery in person by either yourself or an assistant. Please be sure to tell us if the exam requires a scantron sheet or exam booklet. When you complete the "Test Information" section of the online exam booking system, you will be asked to indicate the method you plan to use to deliver the exam to us.

Exams need to be provided to the CAL in advance of the student's scheduled writing time at the Centre, which may differ to some degree from the actual class writing time.   Information regarding the scheduled writing time at the Centre can be found on the exam booking system.  

Students writing at the CAL are required to leave all materials, other than those specifically designated by you in the online exam booking system, in a locked room at the CAL office prior to entering the exam room.  Where exam accommodations include use of a laptop or other technologies or software, the student is provided with a CAL laptop, which has been set-up to ensure the integrity of the exam process is maintained (e.g,. no access to internet, USB ports disabled).  

Exams are administered in private or group rooms and CAL staff, or its agents, monitor students closely in order to maintain the integrity of the exam. The CAL also uses video monitoring as a means of deterring incidents of academic dishonesty. If a student were to be suspected of an act of cheating, the exam would be temporarily suspended to allow CAL staff to secure any contraband and document all relevant facts. All information would subsequently be provided to you for consideration and action.  Complete information on the processes and policies that ensure academic integrity during exam writing with the CAL can be found on the Exam section of this website.

For midterm exams there are two exam return options available to Faculty:

1) the Faculty member or his/her agent can retrieve the exam from the CAL.  If you require that the exam be picked up as early as possible, arrangements can be made to have the CAL inform you of the time of completion by the student and you or an assistant can pick up the completed exam at the CAL, or

2) the CAL can scan and email the completed exam to the Faculty member and send the appropriate department office the hardcopy in a sealed, signed envelope.

For final exams, the above two return options exist, however you can also select the option of having the CAL staff or its agents return the sealed, completed exam to the appropriate departmental office on the Burnaby campus within 2 working days of completion of the exam. 

Except where exams are returned electronically, a signature of the receiving party on a Verification of Exam Receipt slip is required for all exam returns.  This slip will be filed at the CAL, allowing the Centre to track exams from the time they arrive at the CAL until they are returned to the instructor or departmental representative.