Learn how to implement student accommodations for exams.
Accommodations administered by DOE
DOE can proctor assessments where students need the following accommodations:
- reduced distraction environment
- extended time
- frequent breaks
- access to food/drink/medications
- access to physical or memory aids
For more information about each accommodation listed above visit: https://sds.studentlife.uiowa.edu/accommodations
North Campus Test Center
The North Campus Test Center (NCTC) is our primary on-campus test center. Students in any type of University of Iowa course can complete both online or paper exams with accommodations at NCTC. Use the Proctored Exams Portal in ICON to arrange for students with exam accommodations to test at the North Campus Test Center.
Honorlock
Honorlock provides on-demand virtual proctoring for online exams only. Students with reduced distraction and/or extended time accommodations may choose to use Honorlock instead of the test center, as the platform allows students to select the testing environment.
- Honorlock is only available for sections with the online delivery mode in MAUI.
- Honorlock is compatible with adaptive equipment.
Student Disability Services has integrated their exam processes, and exam scheduling, into the Proctored Exams Portal in ICON. Letters of Accommodations (LOAs) no longer need to be forwarded to our team.
Implementing accommodations
SDS accommodations that students have elected to use in each section will display in the Proctored Exams Portal. Faculty can view those accommodations and set up a proctored exam request for their students at the North Campus Test Center (W216 CB) or Student Disability Services Test Center (141 UCC) via the portal. Then, students will enter the portal and select from among the available times at the test center.
If the exam is administered online, then extended time should be added to the exam in the Quizzes page on ICON. See instructions below. If you are teaching a section with the online delivery mode in MAUI, adding extended time to online exams can be completed either by you or by Exam Services staff. Contact doe-exams@uiowa.edu/319-384-4800 for assistance.
Extended time
Instructors must provide additional time on exams for students with this accommodation.
Accommodations administered by SDS
Student Disability Services Exam Services (SDS) offers proctored exam support for certain exam accommodations, such as use of computer or other adaptive equipment for exams, in the University Capitol Centre (UCC). These accommodations are indicated with an asterisk in the student's Letter of Accommodation (LOA).
Use of a computer or other adaptive equipment for online exams
The proctoring tools for online exams, Honorlock and Respondus Lockdown Browser, interact differently with adaptive equipment. Respondus Lockdown Browser is not compatible with adaptive equipment. Honorlock is compatible. Some examples of adaptive equipment are Read&Write, JAWS, Dragon Naturally Speaking, and ZoomText. See the following website for a more complete description of adaptive equipment: https://sds.studentlife.uiowa.edu/accommodations#use-of-a-computer-or-other-adaptive-equipment-for-exams
Sections with online delivery mode
If a student in your section needs to use adaptive technology for online exams and you have all students completing exams using Honorlock, you will need to schedule an appointment for the student to test at SDS. Your online exam that uses Honorlock will require slight modifications to allow the student access while at SDS. Please contact doe-exams for assistance. Once modifications are made to the exam, your student will be able to test under the supervision of proctors at SDS.
Sections with in-person delivery mode
If a student in your in-person section needs to use adaptive technology for online exams and you generally have all students complete exams using Lockdown Browser, you will need to schedule an appointment for the student to test at SDS. We recommend providing SDS with a paper copy of your online exam or setting up a second version of your online exam which uses password protection instead of Lockdown Browser. If you use a password to protect the new version of the exam, be sure to forward that password to SDS and not to the student.
For more information about SDS accommodations and exam proctoring, visit the Student Disability Services website. Contact SDS at sds-exams@uiowa.edu with any additional questions.