UALR’s Testing Services and Disability Resource Center have collaborated to help faculty administer accommodated tests for students in a centralized location, beginning this fall.

UALR faculty have always made accommodations if a student has a condition or disability that warrants a modification to standard testing conditions. However, faculty previously were responsible for securing space, such as faculty offices or conference rooms, to accommodate students.

Now faculty have the option of using room 315 of the Student Services Center, according to Brad Patterson, director of Testing Services at UALR.

“In addition to having a centralized location, another benefit includes access to a secure, reliable, and quiet testing environment with readily available adaptive technology,” Patterson said.

Scheduling flexibility is also an important feature of the new testing site, according to Patterson, who said a survey of faculty last spring indicated that the choice of centralized location would be a positive change.

“We are happy to collaborate with Testing Services, especially after the results of the faculty survey indicated an overwhelmingly positive response to having a central place to administer accommodated tests,” said Sharon Downs, director of the Disability Resource Center.

“We’ve always known it has often been less than ideal for students to test in the academic departments, but we didn’t have any options, until now. We’re excited about the new option. I think its going to be incredibly popular,” she said.

A coordinator has been hired to help facilitate the scheduling of tests, said Patterson.

Patterson and Downs agreed there may be situations where it’s preferable or necessary to administer exams within the department. Some of these situations might include lab tests, American Sign Language exams, or when specialized software is required.

For more information on the collaboration, call Cassandra Ward in the Testing Center at 501.569.3198, or read about the new process on the Disability Resource Center’s website.