Disability Resource Center encourages faculty to use Blackboard to administer tests this fall

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, for safety reasons the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is not offering face to face proctoring of tests and exams this fall.

In order to protect the integrity of your tests and in an effort to keep students, faculty and staff safe through social distancing policies, we are also avoiding printing exams as a safety measure to avoid circulating items between people.

We strongly encourage faculty to use Blackboard to administer tests this semester as the DRC will not be able to proctor tests as it has done in the past. Blackboard allows you to provide the accommodation of extended time for individual students, and Kate Bohan in the Office of Instructional Technology can teach you to adapt for that in Blackboard. Students eligible for extended time on tests, exams and quizzes are still eligible for this accommodation.

Faculty will continue to receive accommodation letters through Accommodate directly to your email. Students with testing accommodations should be assigned the extended time automatically for all online exams/quizzes. All other accommodations, such as textbooks in alternate formats, assistance with note-taking and other accommodations will be coordinated through the DRC. The DRC will work with faculty to develop testing arrangements on a case by case basis if using Blackboard is absolutely not an option.

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is operating remotely all weekdays from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. with various staff working in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the fall 2020 semester. Please feel free to call our office at (845) 257-3020 with any questions.

Sincerely,

Jean Vizvary
Director, Disability Resource Center