Students who have a permanent or temporary disability that may disadvantage them in demonstrating their knowledge and skills may require special consideration when undertaking timed assessments. These assessments include in-class tests and essays, semester examinations and the Tertiary Entrance Examinations

Get Acrobat Reader Download PDF Version of document Here

It is important to note that it is not intended that a student will gain advantage over another student in timed assessments, except through having more knowledge, understanding, skill and ability relating to the subject being tested or examined.

Special examination arrangements are for people whose long term physical or learning disabilities, or special medical needs, could prevent them from being assessed accurately if they are examined under standard conditions.

In general, Curriculum Council procedures will be adopted in this Policy. However, this does not mean that the Curriculum Council will grant the arrangements that have been granted by the school, for the Tertiary Entrance Examinations.
Each individual case will be taken on its merit, and a Year 12 student needs to ensure that all documentation has been completed by the due date. Please see the Deputy Principal to obtain the necessary forms.

The term ‘examination’ may also apply to all timed assessments. This will be determined at the Case Conference
(see procedures).

This Policy will outline:
A - Procedures for the identification of student needs in timed assessments.
B - Various special examination arrangements provided for students.
C - Advice for Year 12 students who are sitting the Tertiary Entrance Examinations.
D - Guidelines for subject teachers to implement extra time special examination arrangements.

Procedures

• Identification of student’s disability by one of the following methods:
• Parent informing the school
• Concerns expressed by student’s teachers and referred to one of the School Psychologists.
• Parent contact made by School Psychologist – Relevant medical specialist and/or
  support agencies suggested to parents for accurate diagnosis and appropriate
  support strategies in order to substantiate disability.

Determine student’s needs at school:

• Dean of Students, School Psychologist, parent and student meet to discuss child’s
  condition and progress at school.
• Acquire background information on child from parent regarding disability.
• Establish student’s learning needs.
• Inform all teachers.
• Record on Student Database system.

Establish whether special examination arrangements are necessary, particularly for students in Year 11 and Year 12.

• Parent and student apply for Special Examination Arrangements. The application form
  requires statements from the student’s medical practitioner or psychologist in relation
  to the condition, diagnosis, treatment, and a statement as to how the condition is likely
  to affect the student in a timed assessment.
• Assistance may be sought from the School Psychologist with regards to what medical
  documentation is needed to support the application (eg paediatric or neurological
  assessments, psychological reports and psychometric assessments)
• The College may contact the Curriculum Council to establish guidelines, or to seek
  further information.
• Students with Learning Difficulties (eg ADD, ADHD, SLD) require an assessment by a
  registered psychologist, before extra working time is provided. The assessment used
  must be those approved by the Curriculum Council, and further information may be
  obtained by one of the School Psychologists at the College.
• Providing special examination arrangements on the grounds of writing problems
  within the context of specific learning difficulties will only be considered where such
  difficulties can be documented and substantiated, as recommended by the Curriculum
  Council.
• A case conference to be set up with the student, parents, Dean of Students, two
  School Psychologists and Deputy Principal in order to establish special arrangements
  for examinations on timed assessments.
• All subject teachers are informed of the outcome by the Dean of Students and will
  adhere to the special arrangements.
• The Dean of Students will monitor the student’s progress during the year, review and
  identify current needs, as they arise.

Special Examination Arrangements

Special examination arrangements may be granted to students identified as having a permanent or temporary disability.

• Extra Reading Time
  Extra reading time is usually provided for students who are vision or hearing impaired. The
  student is usually permitted to commence reading time ten minutes before others and finish
  reading time at the same time. The extent of extra time given will depend on the degree of
  impairment and the nature of the subject. The maximum amount of extra reading time is ten
  minutes.
• Extra Working Time
  Extra working time may be granted. In general a maximum of thirty minutes for a three hour
  examination (or the pro rata equivalent for shorter examinations) is granted except for
  students with severe sight impairment or multiple disabilities who receive a further allowance
  of working time.
• Non-working Time
  Non-working time, such as five minutes every half hour to a maximum of 25 minutes, is
  provided for students who are unable to sustain a sitting position for three hours. This could
  allow students to receive medical treatment, stretch injured backs and so on.
• Paper Modification
  Papers may be enlarged, brailled or colour varied for students who are vision impaired.
• Scribe
  A scribe may be appointed in the case of severe writing disability. Where a scribe is provided,
  extra working time is also allowed to compensate for delays in the communication of
  instructions.
• Spelling
  No allowance or special examination arrangements are made for poor spelling.
• Computers
  Students with a permanent disability, such as muscular dystrophy, and who have been using
  a computer as part of their mode of assessment over several years may be granted the use
  of a computer during the TEE. The use of spelling and grammar checks however is not
  allowed. Extra working time is not usually given in such cases. Scripts that are produced by
  computer are transcribed into handwriting before marking.
  In making an application for the use of a computer in the TEE, a timed example of output,
  dated and completed under test conditions, is required to accompany the application.
  NB The use of a computer in an examination is normally granted only to those students with a
  diagnosed physical disability.
• Special Supervision
  Request are sometimes received from students who need to sit in a separate room, at home
  or in hospital. This may be due to illness, injury or pregnancy.
• Assistance for the Hearing Impaired.
  Students with a severe hearing impairment may be granted a supervisor who can answer
  questions relating to organisational matters and assist with vocabulary during reading time.
  The maximum amount of extra reading time is ten minutes. All oral instructions will be
  provided in writing. Special examination arrangements for a student with hearing impairment
  are granted on the recommendation of the WA Institute for Deaf Education.
• Assistance for the Vision Impaired.
  Students with severe vision impairment may be granted a supervisor who can assist and
  answer questions relating to organisational matters. A reader may also be granted to students
  who are severely vision impaired. Extra reading and working time and the use of
  magnification aids are conditions usually granted to vision impaired students. Special
  examination arrangements for students with vision impairment are granted on the
  recommendation of the Vision Impairment Service.
• Other
  Other special arrangements may also be made for examination candidates. This may include
  the use of special ergonomic furniture that must be graffiti-free and provided by the student or
  being allowed to eat during an examination in the case of a diabetic. Only food needed
  because of a medical condition may be taken into an examination room. This food must be in
  clear wrapping.

Advice for Year 12 Students who are sitting the Tertiary Entrance Examination ONLY.

Special examination arrangements that may be granted to candidates with disabilities are listed below. Each application, however, is considered on an individual basis supported by attached supporting medical and educational documentation.

Special examination arrangements that may be granted to candidates with particular disabilities

Vision impairment additional reading time additional working time non-working time enlarged examination papers brailled examination papers specialised equipment coloured examination papers provision of a reader specialised supervision	Hearing Impairment additional reading time instructions in writing additional working time non-working time specialised supervision	Physical Disabilities additional working time non-working time specialised equipment/furniture use of a scribe use of a computer
Psychological Disabilities separate examination room	Motor Disabilities additional working time use of a scribe	Illness additional reading time additional working time food medicine in examination
Learning Difficulties additional working time

It is essential that Year 12 students who wish to apply for special examination arrangements for the TEE, obtain an application form from either the Deputy Principal or Dean of Students. This form must be lodged with the Curriculum Council by a particular date, usually in June. The onus is on the applicant to provide all information required. Medical assessments will be required in most cases.

Additional information is provided on the Curriculum Council website: www.curriculum.wa.edu.au

The School Psychologist and Dean of Students will assist each student in the application process.

Confirmation from the Curriculum Council is received as to what arrangements they have agreed to for the TEE. Confirmation is made with the parent, student and Deputy Principal in charge of examinations. Contact is made with the exam supervisor at the school and the arrangements are confirmed (place, time, equipment or scribe, etc.)

It is important to note that special exam arrangements that have been granted by the school prior to the application may not be necessarily granted by the Curriculum Council. In such cases, the College will follow the direction of the Curriculum Council for the remaining examinations.

Please note: If the following special examination arrangements are granted by the Curriculum Council, candidates will need to sit their TEE examinations at a venue designated by the Curriculum Council (eg Tuart College), and not at Sacred Heart:

• extra working time
• non-working time

It is important that a candidate gives due consideration to the impact of an alternative venue for sitting the TEE, in the application process.

• Sickness Misadventure Procedure
  Students who believe their performance may have been affected by a temporary sickness, non-permanent disability or an unforeseen event occurring during or just prior to, may apply for special consideration to be given to their examination score. In this case a Sickness Misadventure form should be completed. Forms are available at the time of the Tertiary Entrance Examinations from examination centres, schools and the Curriculum Council. The completed form is to be submitted to the Curriculum Council within one week of the last examination.

Applications must relate to sickness or misadventure that occurred during the examinations or up to two weeks prior to the commencement of the student’s first examination and must have affected a student’s performance in the examination or non-attendance at the examination. Applications may be in respect of:

• sickness or physical injuries suffered directly by the student which allegedly affected the student’s performance in the examination, eg. Influenza, an asthma attack, cut hand.
• Accident or any other event beyond the student’s control which allegedly affected the student’s performance in the examination, eg. Death of a close family member (up to six months prior to the first examination), disruption at the examination centre or a faulty examination paper. The provision of the policy for application does not cover:
• matters relating to long-term loss of preparation time and alleged inadequacies of teaching
• matters which could have been avoided by the student, eg misreading of timetable
• long term illness such as asthma and epilepsy – unless there is evidence of an acute
  episode of the illness during the examination (chronic illness itself will not be approved).
• private candidates.

The student is responsible for providing evidence that clearly identifies the disadvantage they suffered at the time of attempting the examinations. Supporting evidence from any relevant source is acceptable but it must include details requested on the application form. Guidelines for Subject Teachers to Implement Extra Time for Special Examination Arrangements.

• Extra working time:
  Students eligible for extra working time are to be allocated an additional ten working minutes
  for every one-hour of an in-class assessment or exam. For example, in an examination with
  three hours working time an eligible student should be allowed an additional thirty minutes
  working time. The maximum amount of extra working time is thirty minutes.
• Extra Reading Time:
  Students eligible for extra reading time are to be allocated up to an additional ten minutes
  reading time for in-class assessments or exams where reading time is allocated prior to
  commencing working. For example, in an examination with ten minutes reading time an
  eligible student should be allowed an additional ten minutes reading time. The maximum
  amount of extra reading time is ten minutes.The commencement time and location of extra time in-class assessments and
  examinations is to be decided on an individual basis after discussion between the student
  and relevant class teacher.
• In some cases it may be decided that the student will sit the in-class assessment or
  examination in the same location as the remainder of the class. In other cases it may be
  decided that the student will sit the in-class assessment or examination at an alternative
  venue (for example, the Pastoral Care Centre, the Interview Room in the Administration
  building).
• Procedure for the use of alternative venues:
• Class teacher to hand in-class assessments or examination material to the Dean of
  Students prior to the agreed upon commencement time (with time allowances clearly
  marked).
• Student to approach the Dean of Students, collect and complete the in-class assessment
  or examination material at a suitable available location as directed by the Dean of
  Students.
• Completed material will be placed in the class teacher’s pigeon-hole.