Inclusive Examination Accommodations

Main idea

Outline

The Inclusive Examinations Accommodations is a pilot project in the study programme Social Work at Artevelde University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). This project came to be because there’s a growing number of students receiving accommodations due to their specific needs (e.g., students with a mental or physical functional limitation, students who are in paid employment for at least 20 hours per week…)

Currently, one in three students in this study programme has specific needs. This high number led to difficulties meeting the needs of these students. There was, for example, a room in which all students with accommodations could take their exams. This was set out to be a low stimulus room, but it quickly became too crowded. Another issue was that some students who could benefit from these accommodations, slipped through the cracks because they didn’t have the right paperwork to apply.

The high number of students with specific needs can be interpreted as a sign that the standard processes weren’t up to par. This realisation, combined with the principles of universal design and inclusivity, were the motivation behind making some of the examination accommodations for students with specific needs available to all students.

Some changes that were made are:

• All students receive more time to take their exams.
• Students will not lose points based on spelling mistakes if these mistakes are not part of the assessment criteria.
• All students now take their exams in the same room, instead of having a special room for those with specific needs. Students who need a laptop or who need less stimuli do still take their exams somewhere else. The low stimulus room is no longer available to all students with specific needs, but only to those who actually need it. It is no longer crowded.
• AUAS bought earbuds and headphones for the students in the normal examination room so they can regulate the stimuli better as well.

By differentiating more between students with specific needs instead of just grouping them together, they are encouraged to actively think about their needs and how they can be met. This is a skill they will need throughout their professional career as well.

Goals

Enhance support during exams for all students by making some accommodations available for all and making sure that other accommodations are given to those who truly need it.

Obstacles targetted:

• Disability
• Economic obstacles
• Educational difficulties

Students involvement

Students were not involved in the design or delivery of this project. Although there were conversations with student representatives about the project before any changes were made, the decisions about the design and delivery of this project were mostly made based on good practices.

Inspiration and evidence

• Information on good practices
• The principles of universal design

Success criteria

• By differentiating more between students with specific needs instead of just grouping them together, they are encouraged to actively think about their needs and how they can be met. This is a skill they will need throughout their professional career as well.
• The low stimulus room is now truly what it’s supposed to be.
• The students who can use a laptop to take exams are better served.
• The examination process runs more smoothly.
• Less students have asked for extra accommodations since the changes were implemented.
• Since there are less students applying for accommodations, the diversity coaches have more time to improve and extend student support.

Points of attention

• Some students experience the fact that their accommodations are now part of the standard examination process as a loss.
• It’s important that this project receives institution-wide support, so that it can be implemented on a greater scale.
• You need to keep a close eye on the duration of the exams. The fact that students now receive more time to fill in the questions, does not mean that lecturers can add more questions to their exams.

Effectiveness

The amount of students applying for accommodations is monitored and less students have asked for extra accommodations since the changes were implemented. This implies that the inclusive examination accommodations are effective.

Do you feel you can effectively provide the support that students require?

Would you recommend this to other institutions?

agree

Evaluation

The project was evaluated with:

• staff members who organise exams;
• staff members who monitor during exams;
• students;
• student representatives;
• and representatives from the curriculum committee.

What was evaluated?

• The time that students needed to finish their exams
• The changes that were made (inclusive examination accommodations)
• The communication strategy

What were the results of the evaluation?

• The representatives from the curriculum committee thought of the new inclusive examination facilities as an improvement.
• The most critical voices were those from students with a specific needs from the second and third year. Some of them experienced the fact that their accommodations are now part of the standard examination process as a loss. First years did not share this sentiment, and the students who aren’t considered students with specific needs were happy with the changes.
• The communication about this project wasn’t clear for students. Although the changes were announced in the newsletter and by mail, this information got lost between all of the other announcements.

Communication

The communication was targeted towards all students. The changes were announced in the newsletter, via mail, etc.

Timing

This project pertains to the examination periods.

Resources

AUAS bought earbuds and headphones for the students in the normal examination room so they can regulate the stimuli better as well.

Transferability

We think it is quite easily transferable to other contexts or groups.

The project itself is quite easily transferable, but there can be a lot of resistance due to the nature of the project. Change can be difficult, even if it’s an improvement.

Universal design

The high number of students with specific needs can be interpreted as a sign that the standard processes weren’t up to par. This realisation, combined with the principles of universal design and inclusivity, were the motivation behind making some of the examination accommodations  available to all students.