How to Make Online Exams Accessible
Cynthia Grimley, SASC Testing Coordinator
Wendi Mathews, SASC Director
Abigail Maher, SASC Graduate Student Coordinator
Stony Brook University
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Colleges and Universities quickly made the transition to online learning platforms. The Student Accessibility Support Center at Stony Brook University realized that students with accommodations would encounter new barriers in this online environment. Many online testing platforms do not provide for full accessibility for students, especially for those that use assistive technology. SASC was able to adapt by creating a format for virtual proctoring via Zoom. We have developed best practices for proctoring, which were shared with other local institutions. Through Zoom proctoring, we were able to better assist our students who were limited by these online testing platforms. Working with students and faculty alike, we were able to create a whole new system for testing that was able to accommodate all of our students’ unique needs.
This new online system for testing included a new scheduling tool, new forms to communicate with instructors, a Zoom Proctoring training for our proctors, and FAQ for faculty members. Under the new system, students and instructors both were actively involved in the scheduling process for exams. By looking at virtual proctoring models from other colleges and universities, we were able to pick and choose what elements would work best for our specific students’ needs. Our proctor training aimed to educate our employees on our new proctoring methods, procedures and protocols. This presentation aims to educate other members of higher education about our new online testing system in an attempt to make online testing more accessible to all students, not just our Stony Brook Seawolves.
Cynthia Grimley is the Testing Coordinator for the Student Accessibility Support Center at Stony Brook University. Cynthia has a degree in Psychology and Special Education from Molloy College. Cynthia has been working with students in higher education since 2003. As the Testing Coordinator, she works with students and faculty to ensure that students receive testing accommodations for exams. She has enjoyed working at Stony Brook University since 2019. Cynthia seeks to create a comfortable testing environment for students while also collaborating with faculty and staff.
Wendi Mathews is the Director of Student Accessibility Support Center at Stony Brook University. Wendi is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who holds her Masters in Social Work from Adelphi University. Before beginning her career in higher education, she worked in the mental health field providing clinical counseling at a non-profit agency where she specialized in working with individuals of all different abilities within a modified high school setting. She has enjoyed working at Stony Brook University to help create a universally accessible and inclusive environment where students have the opportunity to thrive in their personal, educational, and professional development.
Abigail Maher is a graduate student, working towards an MAT in TESOL and French, so education and accessibility for students is important to her. At SASC, it is her goal to coordinate proctors for students with testing accommodations in order to help them have an accessible educational experience. In this position, she has worked closely with Cynthia Grimley to establish new training, testing, and proctoring procedures and protocols to combat the challenges that distance learning and remote testing has brought our students during the COVID-19 pandemic.