Skip to Content

Student Disability Resource Center

Alternative Testing

The Student Disability Resource Center understands that some students may experience difficulties during exams due to disabilities or injuries. That’s why we’ve established our alternative testing services for registered students. Discover how we address these challenges by exploring solutions for students with alternative testing accommodations and collaborating with instructors to provide a smooth exam process. 

Students

Students must submit an exam request [PDF] within 5 business days to secure your seat in our Alternative Testing Suite. 

Instructors

Instructors must complete the Alternative Testing Agreement form [PDF] before your students are able to request exams to be proctored by SDRC.  

 

Alternative Testing Guidelines

SDRC is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations in a timely manner.  Failure to adhere to the guidelines below may impact the SDRC's ability to provide testing accommodations for your Student(s). 

Student are responsible for:

  • scheduling exam appointments (via AIM online portal).
  • requesting the exam to be proctored during the class period.Any other exam time must be specified by instructor in writing (via Alternative Testing Agreement or email sent to sdrctest@sc.edu).
  • bringing all required testing materials which are approved by the instructor.  SDRC does NOT provide Bluebooks or scantrons.

Instructors are responsible for:

  • providing approved testing accommodations for students registered with the SDRC.
  • providing materials in a timely matter.  This includes scantrons and Bluebooks.
  • being key participants in the testing accommodation process, whether the tests are administered within the SDRC test proctoring lab, Instructor's department, or Instructor's classroom or online course platform (e.g., Blackboard).

This Agreement competed by the Instructor allows :

  • your student to submit test requests.
  • your student to schedule exams through AIM management system.
  • your student to receive test accommodations for in-person and online tests.
  • SDRC to proctor your exam based on your class recommendations as well as expectations regarding the integrity of the exam

Completion of the Alternative Testing Agreement provides appropriate testing accommodations for your students registered with SDRC.

If you teach a course with multiple students that receive testing accommodations, only one Agreement is necessary for that course, not a separate Agreement for each individual student.

  1. Sign into AIM Instructor Portal.
  2. Click "Alternative Testing" side menu link.
  3. Within "Specify Alternative Testing Agreement" box at the top of the screen:
    1. Select the course from "Select Class" drop menu..
    2. Click the "Continue to Specify Alternative Testing Agreement" button.
    3. Answer the questions displayed on the "Alternative Testing Agreement" form and provide time amount for exam types (e.g, Quiz, Standard Exam, Midterm, Final).

You have the ability to copy a completed Agreement of one course section to be used for other sections.

  1. Sign into AIM Instructor Portal.
  2. Click "Alternative Testing" side menu link.
  3. Within "List Alternative Testing Agreement" box at the top of the screen:
    1. In the "Select" form field, select a course from the list of completed Agreements.
    2. In the "Copy to" form field, select the course to receive the existing Agreement copy.

Students are required to schedule their exams at the beginning of the semester or at least 5 business days before the exam date. Exams submitted after the deadline are considered late. The Testing Coordinator will review late requests and circumstances on a case by case basis and decide accordingly. Late requests may be approved with verification/ confirmation of certain exceptions/ emergencies.  

Rescheduling- Students with verified reasons are eligible to reschedule their exams for a later time or date. The rescheduling process can take up to 5 days after the initial request. Instructors can proctor the exams at an earlier time or date. 

Based on availability, students may reschedule for a later time. However, it is their responsibility to communicate any challenges to the SDRC Staff before the exam date. The Testing Center staff will consider exceptions for late exam requests in circumstances beyond the student’s control that are disability related. However, it is the student's responsibility to provide appropriate documentation and communicate with their coordinator or a member of the SDRC staff. The following are considered exceptions only with documentation: 

  1. Completed Registration with the SDRC within 5 business days.  
  2. Illness or disability-related incident - Students must communicate with their coordinator and/or instructor before or on the date of their exam and possible absence from class(es).
  3. Instructor completed the course/section Testing Agreement after the deadline.  

Note: The following, and similar variants, are not considered exceptions and are subject to a review with a decision shortly after: 

  • “I forgot” 
  • “Confused the exam date with a different date” 
  • “I thought the exam was remote” 
  • “I didn’t know about this policy” 

*Students experiencing issues with their AIM login or other technical difficulties must contact the SDRC by phone or email immediately.   

Students who submit late requests without an appropriate reason will be subject to test in class without their accommodations. Instructors can provide extended time if availability allows. 


Actions for Offenders: This process applies to students who repeatedly submit late exam requests without valid reasons, the following consequences will apply:  

  1. First Offense: A written warning is issued via email and documented in the student’s notes.  Student(s) may test with SDRC only if availability allows. If not, the student must consult the professor to discuss alternatives. If no agreement is made, the student will test in class with/without accommodations based on the professor’s availability.  
  2. Second Offense: The student and professor will receive a denial email from the SDRC Testing staff. The email will outline that because of the student’s subsequent late exam request, the student will not test with the SDRC for that exam. The completion of the Testing Agreement indicates that registered students are expected to test with the SDRC. However, the student did not adhere to the SDRC policy of scheduling exams at 5 business days, so the student is now required to test in class under the same time constraints as the class schedule.  
  3. Third Offense and more: The student and professor will receive a denial email from the SDRC Testing staff. The student will receive the same action(s) previously mentioned during the second offense. In addition, the student is required to meet with their SDRC Coordinator. It is their responsibility to schedule this meeting before their next exam with adequate time to schedule their next request in accordance to the guidelines. This meeting will allow the coordinator and student to review their accommodations. The student will also schedule their exams for the semester.  

Student and Professor Responsibilities: 

  1. Students must follow the guidelines set by the Student Disability Resource Center. That includes scheduling their exams in a timely manner and communicating with their instructor(s) and SDRC staff following any incident that prevents the completion of the scheduling process.  
  2. Professors should communicate their expectations and standards clearly to registered students. They are expected to adhere to deadlines for students testing at the SDRC Testing Center. This includes maintaining open and clear communication between students and the SDRC staff regarding changes in exam dates, exam material, and actions for those that do not follow their set rules.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Faculty and Staff FAQs and/or Student FAQs may provide answers you need now.  If more assistance is needed, please contact us.


 Additional Assistance Needed?

Students:  For Technical Difficulties, call 803-777-1800 or submit request through Self-Service Portal.

For Instructors: view list of additional Instructor resources.


Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

©