This accommodation permits students additional time beyond the standard time period set by instructors for the exam.
Extra time for exams is not intended for students to have more time to complete their exams. The extra time accommodation compensates students for the time they lose during an exam coping with functional limitations that stem from their disability. Once the time associated with their disability is accounted for with extra time, students with disabilities have equitable access because they end up with the same amount of time as their peers in which to complete the exam
- Extra time is not granted to help students improve their exam performance, although many do perform better once access barriers are removed.
- Extra time is not intended to reduce the stress typically associated with exams (e.g., having extra time “just in case”). Nor is it intended as an academic advantage for students to think more carefully about their answers, check their work for errors, or otherwise polish and refine responses. The core purpose of extra time as accommodation is to equalize access to the exam process.
Extra time on exams is among the most frequently requested accommodation at the University of Windsor.
Who Receives this Accommodation?
Extra time can be used to address a wide variety of barriers that students with disabilities experience while writing time-restricted exams. Examples include students with:
- Reading or information processing disabilities, who require more time to read and comprehend exam questions
- Written expression disabilities, who require more time to formulate and convey their responses
- Mental health disabilities who need additional time to use strategies for symptom management, such as calming or breathing techniques
- Chronic pain, concussions, or other physical disabilities where pain may slow cognition and focus
- Attention deficits, concussions, or autism which may interfere with concentration and focus
- Vision loss requiring the use of adaptive technology or individualized support (e.g., reader or scribe) to access exam content and/or communicate their responses
- Medical needs requiring monitoring such as blood sugar levels or pain
- Temporary injuries, such as hand or arm injuries, where graphomotor abilities may be hampered
How Much Extra Time do Students Get?
The amount of extra time students receive as an accommodation is informed both by their disability documentation and lived experience of a disability. Considering this information in the context of academic requirements, advisors grant students just enough extra time to address the barriers that students experience, without giving them academic advantage.
SAS observes most documentation suggests that up to time and one half is sufficient to address MOST exam-related barriers experienced by university students with disabilities. There may be rare occasions where double time is recommended but, again, this is rare and only students with very significant functional limitations or access barriers well supported by detailed documentation receive double time.
Accessible Exams and Universal Design for Learning
More and more instructors are adopting universal design principles in their courses, specifically for in-class tests, quizzes, and midterms. Building extra time into their exams for all students is one important way instructors are reducing barriers. Using this approach, the access needs of most students with disabilities are met without requiring individualized extra time accommodation.
In Practice: Last year, a biology instructor administered weekly 10-minute quizzes in classes. Only students with extra time accommodation received additional time. This year, the instructor still gives 10-minutes quizzes, but allows the whole class 15 minutes. The quiz is now accessible to most students, including all students with extra time accommodation up to time and a half. Only students with more than time and a half require individualized time accommodation.
Note: Instructors using this approach to exams must still arrange other exam accommodations listed on a student's Letter of Accommodation, such as separate space, breaks, reader/scribe support, etc.
Lovett, B.J., & Lewandowski, L. J. (2014). Testing accommodations for students with disabilities: Research-based practice. New York, NY: American Psychological Association.