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ADS Testing Office

Please note: Effective June 1st, 2020, ADS will have a new accommodation letter procedure that requires students to provide their accommodation letter to their instructors via the portal. ADS students with testing accommodations will not be able to schedule their exams online (or manually in person) until they have shared their accommodation letter with their professor through the portal. Test bookings will only be enabled in classes in which you have shared your accommodation letter.

Accessibility and Disability Service (ADS) has a dedicated Testing Office for registered students with testing accommodations such as extended time testing, reduced distraction, and alternate formats. Students are required to reserve their seat with the Testing Office a minimum of 1 week in advance of their testing session during Fall and Spring semesters.

Handouts for Registered Students

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if there is a delayed opening or snow day on the day of my exam?
The ADS Testing Office follows the same schedule as all other UMD offices.

  • In the event of a delayed opening, the ADS Testing Office will open at the advertised time. Testing sessions that were scheduled during or overlapping the delayed time, will need to be rescheduled in 3 business days.
  • In the event of a snow day, the ADS Testing Office will be closed, and your exam will need to be rescheduled. Exams can be rescheduled in 3 business days.

What do I do if my exam reservation is cancelled?
If an exam is cancelled, your instructor may either administer the accommodated exam personally OR assist you (the student) in rescheduling the exam with ADS. Please note that 3 business days' notice is required for rescheduling.

Am I allowed to make either a same-day reservation or a reservation the day before my testing session?
ADS Testing is unable to allow either same-day or day before testing reservations. All reservations must be made 1 week in advance during Fall and Spring semesters.

I forgot to make a reservation, what can I do?
ADS Testing Office is unable to make adjustments for last-minute reservations. Students are encouraged to speak with their professors about what options are available to them.

I am running late for my exam, what important information do I need to know?

  • Students who arrive to complete their exam 20 minutes or more late forfeit their ability to complete their exam. Students will have to speak with their instructors regarding the ability to reschedule with the ADS Testing Office.
  • Students who arrive late to take their exam, forfeit the volume of time they were late from their testing reservation (up to 20 minutes).

How do I know what testing location to use?

  • A student’s testing location (classroom building and room number) will display in the Online Portal the morning of the scheduled testing date.
  • If a student arrives at the wrong testing location, please obtain a ticket from the proctor. This ticket can be submitted to the proctor of the correct location to offset lateness.

What materials am I responsible for bringing with me to my testing session?
Students are responsible for bringing:

  • Photo ID
  • Calculator (when permitted by instructor)
  • Personal computer (for ELMS exams)
  • Notes, cheat sheets, or reference materials when permitted by instructor

ADS Testing staff provides:

  • Scantrons
  • Answer booklets
  • Scratch paper
  • All necessary assistive technology related to approved testing accommodations
  • Noise-canceling earbuds

My exam is supposed to take place online via ELMS, what do I do?

  • Students are responsible for providing their own personal computer to complete an ELMS exam at the ADS Testing Office.
  • Prior to the start of your testing session, your Instructor will adjust the online exam to reflect the approved accommodations for each student.

My additional testing time overlaps with a different course, what should I do?

  • You should never skip class, be late, or leave early to obtain your additional time in another course. ADS cannot excuse absences if a student makes a personal decision to do this.
  • If a time conflict prevents you from testing at a specific day/time, please inform your professor as soon as possible. ADS can assist in making arrangements to allow you to test without any scheduling conflict.

 

Informational Handouts for Instructors

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you be notified of a students’ desire to utilize their testing accommodations?

  • It is the students’ responsibility to share their accommodation letter with you and to have a discussion about which assessments (i.e. quizzes, tests, exams, midterms, and finals) for which they need to implement their accommodations.
  • Students make a reservation via the Online Portal system. Instructors can see all testing requests and review the scheduled date and time input by the student. Please note students are able to make testing reservations once their accommodation letter has been shared digitally with you. This may or may not occur before they are able to speak with you privately about their accommodations
  • The Online Portal sends automated emails to professors as a reminder about outstanding exam submissions.

Can I make alternate arrangements with students outside of the ADS Testing Office?

  • Yes, course instructors are more than welcome to make an individualized plan with students as long as all of the students’ testing accommodations can be implemented by the instructor. Some examples of these plans include:
    1. allowing students to arrive to class early or stay late and test with the class
    2. reserving an additional classroom in your classroom building for all students with additional time
    3. allowing students to test within your office or another location
    4. ensuring that all accommodations such as private space or an adjustable height table are available when necessary

How do I provide additional time to students in an online course?

Where do students test if my class or assessment is online?

  • Students taking online or hybrid courses in which quizzes and exams are administered via the course website should not be required to take exams/quizzed at the ADS or other locations on campus. Students should complete these quizzes and exams in the same manner in which all students in the web course complete the assessment.

What is the responsibility of the course instructor to ensure students obtain their additional time at the ADS Testing Office?

  • Please submit all exam materials and directions for each assessment to the ADS Testing Office no later than 12 noon one business day before the scheduled testing date during the semester. This deadline is two business days before the exam date for final exams.
  • Please ensure a contact email is provided so that ADS proctors can contact you if a student has a question during their exam. Please be aware that all student questions are submitted to instructors by email and ADS may not always be able to provide your emailed response to the student prior to their exam completion. Students will be instructed to write a note to include with the completed exam materials. Please make arrangements to speak with the student during office hours for possible recourse options
  • Please ensure a return method for completed exams is indicated. Note if no method is indicated the default is to have the ADS staff return the completed exam to your department office. ADS will not return exams to instructors’ offices or mailboxes.

Will I receive a reminder notification if exam materials are not delivered in advance?

  • Yes, the ADS Testing Office uses an automated email reminder system that will automatically send reminder emails to you. Staff will additionally send manual emails when materials have not been received by the business day prior to the exam.

How can I deliver exam materials to the ADS Testing Office?

  • Materials should be delivered by uploading to the Online Portal. For any exam materials dropped off in person, the instructor must include the course and section number, a list of the approved students’ names, and exam administration instructions.

How are completed exams returned?

  • When completing the Test Authorization Form (TAF), you will select one of the following options:
    1. (Fastest) Professor Pick Up
    2. ADS Return to the main department office
    3. Scan and email, then return to the departmental office
  • Please note, if you do not select an option, the ADS Testing Office will automatically return the completed exam to your departmental office.
  • Due to exam security, any exam selected for professor pick up at the ADS Testing Office will require the professor (or named designee) to present a photo-ID.

How is exam integrity maintained?

  • Testing sessions are monitored by a test proctor at all times. Students are only allowed to have materials as designated by the Test Authorization Form (TAF). Completed exams are sealed in an envelope and must be signed for at delivery/pick-up to account for the chain of possession.

How is academic dishonesty addressed?

  • In the event that any form of academic dishonesty is observed, any unauthorized materials are confiscated, and the student will be permitted to complete the remainder of the exam with all unauthorized materials removed. The instructor will be notified with complete details as soon as possible. Course instructors have the discretion to pursue any code of conduct violations as necessary.

Accessibility and Disability Service Testing Office
0118 Shoemaker Building
Phone: (301) 314-7217
E-mail: ADSTest@umd.edu


Final Exam Week (Fall and Spring Semesters Only)
Extended Hours

Monday-Friday: The Testing Office will be open from 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (If the first day of exams falls on Saturday, the extended hours are as follows: Saturday thru Thursday - 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.)

If you have any difficulties accessing the online forms, please contact the ADS Testing Office at adstest@umd.edu

Please Note: Business days DO NOT include Saturdays and Sundays.

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