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Special Accommodations Process

This article explains how special accommodations work, a system designed to support candidates with specific accessibility needs during online exams. By understanding and implementing this process, test administrators can help create a fair, inclusive, and accessible testing environment for all candidates.

Accommodation Types

Special accommodations are tailored support measures provided to candidates with specific needs during a test. These adjustments apply solely to the individual test attempt for which they are set. Examples include extended time, screen readers, and other accessibility features.

YouTestMe offers the following accommodation types:

  • Time Accommodation – Available only if the test has a time limit for the entire test, includes the following options:
    • Manually defined time.
    • Extra time – Double the amount of the original test time.
    • Extra time – 50% of the original test time.
    • Extra time – 1 hour.
  • Other Accommodations – Custom instructions entered in free-form text, such as:

    • Allowing food or drink during the test
    • Using assistive technology (e.g., screen readers)
  • 1-on-1 Proctored Session – Allows the candidate to take the test in a private session monitored by a dedicated proctor.

    Before special accommodation requests can be created, the feature must first be enabled in the system. To do so:

    1. In the main menu, select System and navigate to Settings and customization.
    2. Go to the System preferences tab and select Additional modules setup.
    3. Scroll down and enable the option labeled “Enable request special accommodation.”

    Once enabled, this option will become available to users depending on their role permissions.

    Allowing Candidates to Request Special Accommodations

    Administrators have the option to either create special accommodations on behalf of candidates or allow candidates to submit their own requests. To allow candidates to submit special accommodation requests, the appropriate permission must be granted to the Student role. To enable this:

    • In the main menu, select Users and navigate to the Roles and Permissions module.
    • Click on the edit option next to the Student role.
    • Scroll down to Permissions and enable “Request special accommodation.”
    • Click Update to apply the changes.

    For more information on managing roles and permissions, please visit this article.

    Submitting a Request (Candidate Perspective)

    Once the permission is granted and the special accommodations module is enabled, candidates can request accommodations after booking a test by following these steps:

    1. From the main menu, navigate to the Assignments section, then select My Tests.

    2. Find the test for which you want to request accommodations.

    3. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the test.

    4. Select Request Special Accommodation from the dropdown menu.

    1. A pop-up window will appear where the candidate can:
      • Enter the type of accommodation needed.
      • Provide additional notes or justification (if applicable).
      • Click Save to submit the request.

    Request Status Indicator

    Once submitted, an icon will appear next to the test name, indicating that a special accommodation request has been made.

    Viewing and Managing Special Accommodation Requests

    To find and manage special accommodation requests, follow these steps:

    1. From the main menu, navigate to Tests, then click on Manage Tests.
    2. From the list of tests, select the desired test.

    1. Navigate to the Proctoring tab.
    2. Click on the Special Accommodations view.

    Here, you will see a table listing all special accommodation requests created for this exam.

    From this table, you can:

    1. Filter requests by session name.
    2. Use additional filters such as:
      • Show suspended attempts — Includes special accommodations for users whose test attempts are suspended.
      • Show special accommodations from inactive users — Includes accommodations from users whose profiles are inactive.
    1. In the Actions column, you can:
      • Manage special accommodation requests with a Pending status by approving or rejecting them.
      • Edit special accommodations (available only if the status is Pending).
      • Remove a special accommodation (available regardless of status).
      • View details of Approved or Rejected requests.

    Setting Up Special Accommodations for a Candidate

    Administrators can manually create special accommodation requests on behalf of candidates from the Special Accommodations view.

    To create a special accommodation request, follow these steps:

    1. Click the “Create Special Accommodation Request” button.
    2. In the pop-up window, select the candidate for whom you want to create the accommodation.

    1. After selecting the candidate, a new pop-up window will appear where you need to define the accommodation details:
      • Choose a time accommodation option (e.g., extra time, 1 hour).
      • Enter any custom accommodation text if applicable (e.g., “allow water bottle”).
      • Optionally, check the box to assign a 1-on-1 session with a proctor.
    2. Once all details are entered, click Save to submit the request.

    Responding to a Special Accommodation Request (Approve/Decline)

    Once a special accommodation request is created, whether by the candidate or by an administrator, the system notifies all users with the “Respond to Accommodation Requests” permission. You can review and manage these requests in two ways:

    Responding via Notification

    1. Click the notification icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
    2. Find the notification related to the special accommodation request and click “Preview Special Accommodation” to view the details.

    1. In the pop-up window, click Respond.

    1. The window will expand, allowing you to:
      • Change the status from Pending to Approved or Rejected.
      • Add a comment.
    1. Click Respond again to save your changes.

    Responding via the Special Accommodations View

    1. Navigate to the Special Accommodations view.
    2. Use the Status filter to show only Pending requests.
    3. In the Actions column, click Manage Special Accommodation Requests for the desired request.

    1. In the pop-up window, change the status to Approved or Rejected.
    2. Add a comment.
    3. Click Respond to finalize your action.

    Managing Special Requests from the Testing Center

    In addition to managing special accommodations through the Manage Tests module, administrators with access to the Testing Center can also create and manage special requests here. The Testing Center offers a dedicated interface for viewing and handling all special accommodation requests in the system.

    To access this interface, follow these steps:

    1. From the main menu, click Testing Center.
    2. Select Candidates.
    3. Navigate to the Proctoring tab.
    4. Click on the Special Accommodations view.
    5. You will see a list of all special accommodations in the system, where you can filter requests by test name and session.

    Note: YouTestMe is 508 compliant and supports a range of accessibility features for candidates. Users can navigate the platform using only their keyboard by pressing the Tab key to move between elements and Enter to select. This ensures that candidates who rely on keyboard navigation can access and complete their tests with ease.

    For additional related topics, please refer to the following articles:

     

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