Online FAQs for Students
Below are frequently asked questions for students regarding Testing and Note Taking services. If you do not see your questions please contact us at dsstestproctor@fhda.edu
Do I still get accommodations for quizzes and exams since everything is online?
Yes, once you have met with your DSS counselor or LD Specialist and accommodations
have been approved, your instructor will be notified by email. Please also follow
up with your instructor(s) to discuss time adjustments shortly after meeting with
your DSS counselor/ LD Specialist.
My teacher has not changed my time online, what should I do?
If you have already meet with your DSS Counselor/ LD Specialist and been approved
for accommodations, attempt to reach out to your instructor to request the time adjustment.
If there are any concerns after reaching out to your instructor, email>dsstestproctor@fhda.edu with information pertaining to your class.
What do I do if my teacher is not providing me with my accommodations?
Contact Testing Center staff as soon as possible to discuss any concernsdsstestproctor@fhda.edu and we will work to resolve the issue. We may reach out to your DSS Counselor/ LD
Specialist if needed.
I use a screen Reader, will taking classes through Canvas work for me?
Yes, please review the supported Screen Readers and Browsers for Canvas below and
email us if you have any questions dsstestproctor@fhda.edu.
- VoiceOver (latest version for Safari)
- PC:JAWS (latest version for Firefox)
- PC: NVDA (latest version for Firefox)
- There is no screen reader support for Canvas in Chrome
Am I still allowed breaks while testing online?
"Breaks” is an accommodation that may have online, timed implications. If you are
approved for breaks during exams, and the exam cannot be paused, your instructor should
add in your total break time to the exam. For example, if you are approved for a 5
min break every hour and your exam is 2 hours, then your instructor will add 10 min
to the end of your exam time making the testing time 2 hours and 10 min.
How do I reduce distractions while testing at home?
The following are suggestions to help reduce distractions, students should prepare
their space before starting an exam online.
- Set up your space before taking your exam to minimize distractions. Make the environment feel like a testing environment (for example, don't have your television on in the background).
- It may help to turn off phones. If you have a landline, set the ringer to silent or low.
- Place a “do not disturb” or “testing in progress” sign on your door.
- Inform family members (who might also be home) that you will be taking an exam for a specific span of time to minimize interruptions.
- You might want to use a lock down browser if you're prone to surfing the internet.
- Have all allowed materials available and organized before starting the exam.
- At least 15 minutes before the exam, set up your environment to make sure you do not have any computer or internet access issues.
- If fidgets or music/sound help you, make sure you have these items available.
After I am approved for accommodations, what should I do before my first test?
In General, know the rules and expectations of taking the exam online.
- Is it open book/ notes? Are you being proctored remotely by your professor or a computer program?
- Can you start the exam at any time or is the exam only available during a certain time frame?
- If your accommodations allow for breaks during exam, is there a way to pause the exam or has the time been added in?
- Before starting the exam, make sure you know how much time you have so you can plan accordingly. Since we won’t be there to give a warning, you might want to set a timer to go off 10 minutes before your time is up.
- Have a clock or timer nearby so you can track how much time you have if it is not given.
- Questions may be presented one at a time and it may be more difficult to navigate an exam and go back to review questions. Jot down question numbers and note any questions you may have.
- If you have clarification questions for your professor, will you be able to reach the professor? How will you do this? Find out before you take your exam
- You may have finally gotten used to the format of your teacher’s in-class exams and suddenly that format might be different as it shifts to an online platform.
- Reach out to your teachers and ask if the exams will be different. The more prepared you are with what to expect, the better.
- If you are suddenly allowed to use notes or access your books during an exam, be careful not to use up all of your time and rely too heavily on these materials. It is better to put an answer down that you think is correct and then return to that question later if you have time at the end to double check than to spend time searching for each of the answers if the test is timed.
Disability Information Student Handbook (DISH)
Disability Information Student Handbook