Different people require different things in order to be successful. Some students, especially those with disabilities require more time to test. Other students/"regular" students might benefit from more review time. The importance is to stress to students that varying teaching strategies and thus testing strategies are employed in order to let all students succeed.
I agree with this comment. Exams are designed to assess different levels of student knowledge. Timed tests take into account a reasonable time needed to demonstrate knowledge related to the content and to the level of the test items. Within this timeframe students are able to be successful or not. Extended time is not necessarily indicative of success. For students with documented disabilities the extended time allows for the students to have the same opportunity at successful or unsuccessful completion of an exam based on the student’s level of knowledge.
Of course, all students would do better on tests with extended time, but then it would not be considered an accommodation for students with disabilities. it is not reasonable that extended time will be given to all students in all situations.
The student who complains that "it's not fair" that a student gets more time than they do to take an assessment/exam can be discussed discreetly by letting them know that everyone learns differently and that other students require more time due to an issue that isn't of their concern. You must be very careful not to compromise the student's confidentiality.
Sarah, in my own area of prelicensure nursing education one of the reasons for developing time-limited exams is to provide students an opportunity to work against deadlines and to prepare them for the eventual nursing licensure examination. We allocate a certain number of minutes for each question, depending on the type of question. A similar model is used in the national nursing licensure exam and the test will time out if students do not complete it within the maximum time allocated. Accomodations for additional time and a quiet setting are provided to students, as they are provided in the licensure exam. Accomodations, such as a reader, that would not be provided by the administrators of the nursing licensure examination, as identified by the state Board of Nursing, would not be provided.
Most of my students do not need extra time, nor do they want it
I respectfully disagree that all students would do better with additional time. Time management in education and life is important and provides students the opportunity to manage content within a reasonable time frame. In the professional world, employees are expected to meet deadlines and therefore the student needs to understand time management and expectations of employment. Additional time may enable students to slow down and second guess.
The question of fairness is different than the act of providing an equal and level playing field. Providing that extra time (for the student with disability) simply levels that field.
This question could just as easily be asked...
Is it fair that a student with a disability have to complete a test in the same amount of time as a student without?
Of course all students would have more of a chance at doing better if they had more time, but the person that has the disability that makes it tougher for them to absorb the knowledge cannot be expected to have the same chance at succeeded in the same time as those that do not have the barrier.
It's a question of fairness v. justice. It may be "fair" that everybody has the same time to take a test, but it's not "just" to people with learning disabilities.
I would probe deeper into why the time is really needed. Anxiety is one of the concerns that I hear the most, however most individuals have some form of test anxiety, at varying levels. That being said, there are some licensing agencies that would not allow for additional time when it comes to testing, so are we being fair to the student by allowing it during the academic process, only to have the licensing agency deny the same request?
Giving an extra time for student with disability is in a way disclosing Confidential information about the student. It is better in such situation, if we have student with ex. with LD, to say "this test requires one hour to complete, but I am allowing 1 hour and 30 minutes." I believe this is being fair.
I also do not agree that all students would do better with additional time. Also, going along with additional time is the student possibly needing just less distraction or quiet.
The student who might complain that "it's not fair" that someone else gets more time than they do to take an assessment/exam can be discreetly handled by explaining to them that everyone learns differently and that other students require more time due to an issue that isn't of their concern. You must be very careful not to compromise the student's confidentiality.
Clinton,
Great idea. However, I'm guessing that eventually there must be a due date, right?
Sarah Smoger
I try to give all my students time to complete their work, with a disability or not because all students do not learn at the same pace or they ask questions about the topic later and then understand what they need to know.
It has been my experience that more time does not equal better test scores. Extending time on a test is a scheduling issue and not an assessment issue. If students are assessed first and foremost on the material as stated in the course objectives (and perhaps secondarily on time management, etc), then a well-written test that was set to run for one hour can just as easily be extended to 1.5 hours.
After getting word of a needed accommodation, I might add the additional time for all students with no explanation to anyone.
It has been my experience that more time does not equal better test scores. Extending time on a test is a scheduling issue and not an assessment issue. If students are assessed first and foremost on the material as stated in the course objectives (and perhaps secondarily on time management, etc), then a well-written test that was set to run for one hour can just as easily be extended to 1.5 hours.
After getting word of a needed accommodation, I might add the additional time for all students with no explanation to anyone.
As a learning specialist, I absolutely do NOT subscribe to the notion that all students would do better with additional time. In fact, assignment deadlines and timed tests provide opportunities for students to manage content within reasonable parameters. Whereas a student with a disability may need additional time due to information processing issues or delayed response time, the mainstream student when given additional time may flounder by second-guessing and procrastinating.
Amanda,
Be careful! Students with disabilities who have an accommodation of extended time must be provided the time. I highly suggest you seek out the advisement of your campus/institution ADA officer. Many institutions have not done this, and have been reprimanded by The Office of Civil Rights/Department of Ed-which consequences that vary from mediation/resolution agreements to loosing their ability to provide Federal Financial Aid to their students.
Sarah Smoger
Rocco,
Ouch! Harsh words. So are you saying that a student with a reading disorder or a student with a disorder in written expression (not an intelligence issue) would not benefit from additional time to read, comprehend and process information?
Sarah Smoger
