Every semester I approve a handful of students to receive the accommodation of a reader (someone who reads the material exactly as written) and/or scribe (someone who fills in an answer sheet exactly as dictated by the student) for tests and quizzes. A student might qualify for one or both of these accommodations, which normally go hand in hand with extended testing time.

These accommodations can be appropriate for students with various disabilities. For example, someone with a reading disability like dyslexia or a physical disability like cerebral palsy might qualify with what in my world is called a “print disability”. A print disability is any condition that limits access to printed material for whatever reason. Maybe the student has low vision, can’t hold on to books or papers, or deals with a movement disorder which makes it hard to keep their eyes on the printed material or hold a pencil. These are the students who will likely qualify for a reader/scribe accommodation. Now you’re curious, aren’t you? You want to know more, so much more. Fear not- I am about to satisfy your need to know just how it works.

Once a student is approved for the accommodation of reader/scribe on tests and quizzes, each student is made aware of the fact that the reader must be an NMC employee and set up through my office. Students are certainly allowed to try exams without a reader and remain in the classroom, if they wish. However, they should not be allowed to use a friend or anyone other than an NMC employee approved by my office.

We have hired several student employees as reader/scribes who are ready to help and trained to preserve the integrity of the testing process. They do not define words, rephrase questions, or give hints of any kind. Besides the student employees who serve as readers, we also have a wonderful text-to-voice reading program on a computer in the Testing Center which offers students independence while testing in a secure location. I scan your accessible document, run it through Kurzweil, and the student can then click through the questions as a synthesized voice reads the material aloud.

For the student to make this all work, giving me advanced notice of their test dates is key. I’ll need time to arrange the reader and reserve a private room in the Student Success Center. Students are told of their responsibility to plan ahead right up front. If your course has pop quizzes, those can even be accommodated as long as the instructor keeps me in the loop. I can reserve a room, secure a reader and wait for the student to come over once the quiz is announced in class. For this to work properly, communication is of utmost importance.

If you would like more information on this topic, feel free to contact me at 51929 or LBaumeler@nmc.edu.