Instructor Resources for Accommodated Testing

At Purdue University, we all play a role in ensuring students have access to learning environments that work for them, are usable by all and support long-term success.

For students with disabilities, it is the responsibility of students to request accommodations, the responsibility of instructors to fulfill accommodations and Purdue Testing Service’s responsibility to be a resource for both parties.

Testing accommodations are granted by the Disability Resource Center to students whose condition may impact their access to learning assessments. Instructors can find approved accommodations listed on a student’s Course Accommodation Letter (CAL).

How to arrange for the exam to be administered through Purdue Testing Services.

If instructors are unable to provide testing accommodations to students in their department, they can facilitate accommodations with Purdue Testing Services using the following steps:

Delivering Exams to Accommodated Testing

Instructors must provide a copy of the exam or password for online exams to Purdue Testing Services no later than 12 p.m. one (1) business day before an exam is to be administered.

• Copies can be submitted via RegisterBlast or hand delivered.
  • Hand Delivery
    • Locations 
      • West Lafayette - Stewart Center (STEW), Room G39
      • Indianapolis - Student Center (SC), Room 235
    • Please bring with you the completed Hand Delivered Exam Form.
    • You must bring enough copies of the exam for each student testing with PTS.
• We cannot accept late submissions. Not submitting an exam or password by the deadline means PTS will be unable to administer the exam. As a result, the student’s appointment will be canceled, and it becomes the instructor’s responsibility to administer the exam and provide accommodations.

Exam Returns

Completed exams may be returned by three methods. Instructors identify their preferred return format when approving exam requests.

• Pickup: The hard copy of the exam will be collected directly from PTS (West Lafayette - Stewart Center (STEW G39) |Indianapolis - Student Center (SC), Room 235) Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm. We ask those picking up exams to present an ID for security purposes.
• Scanned copy uploaded to Instructor Portal: A scanned digital copy of the exam will be uploaded to the Instructor's RegisterBlast Portal. Please allow 24 business hours for this return method.
  • Instructors need to download a copy of the exam file within 48 business hours and inform PTS if any rescans are needed. 
  • Instructors may pick up the paper versions of the exam within 2 weeks of receiving the digital file. After this time, PTS will confidentially shred any paper versions remaining in their possession. 

  • Steps for accessing the completed exam file:

    1. Click the RegisterBlast link in your Brightspace course
    2. Click “History” tab in the top right corner
    3. Find the student’s exam registration you are trying to access (note: you may need to expand the date filter and click “Apply”)
    4. On the far right column in the row of the student’s exam registration, you should see a post-it note looking icon. Click on this icon.
    5. Click on the file of the exam

Additional Guidelines

• Purdue Testing Services is unable to make modifications to an exam after it has been submitted due to the time it takes to process and prepare materials.
• PTS is not able to administer webcam-monitored exams. If this format is required, it will be the instructor’s responsibility to administer the exam and provide accommodations.
• PTS is not able to support cohort testing — also known as simultaneous test administration — which requires all students with accommodations from a single class to be tested at the same time. If cohort testing is required, it will be the instructor’s responsibility to administer the exam and provide accommodations.
• Students cannot schedule with PTS until a TIF is submitted by their instructor. If a TIF is not submitted in time for the student to schedule their exam, it becomes the instructor's responsibility to administer the exam and provide accommodations.
• Purdue Testing Services schedules exams on a first-come, first-served basis. There may be times we are unable to administer exams, even if a request is received prior to the scheduling deadline. If PTS is unable to administer an exam, the instructor and student will be notified immediately. It will then become the instructor’s responsibility to provide accommodations or offer an alternate date and time for the student to take the exam with PTS.

In addition to these guidelines, Purdue Testing Services asks that instructors provide as broad of testing windows as possible. We ask that testing windows be more than five (5) hours. This increases the probability that PTS is able to assist with accommodations.

• Example: If a class exam is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, the instructor can indicate in the TIF that students with accommodations are allowed to take the exam any time on Monday or Tuesday.

Students may take accommodated exams and quizzes through Purdue Testing Services. However, if an exam falls under one of the following categories, instructors will need to consult with PTS ahead of time:

• Contains audio or video components
• Contains digital images or interactive presentations
• Computer-based or online exam
• Administered on a student’s computer
• Requires specific software
• Student requires specific formats to access information (e.g., Braille, digital text, etc.)

When any of the above characteristics apply, instructors are encouraged to inform Purdue Testing Services as early as possible. Without adequate lead time, PTS reserves the right to alter the date the exam is given.

Additionally, there are times when PTS’s space reaches capacity. When that occurs, instructors are responsible for providing the appropriate testing conditions outlined in a student’s CAL.