Testing Accommodations Center (TAC) FAQ – Disability Resources and Educational Services

All exams must be scheduled by using the DRES “Exam Scheduling Site” website (in the upper right hand side of the screen) or in person. If the student comes in person, TAC staff will assist the student in scheduling the exam online.

Q2: When can I sign up for exams?

Exams taken at the TAC, should be scheduled as soon as possible. To ensure ample time to implement your accommodations, the TAC suggests that you sign up at least a week in advance for all quizzes and exams. However, for TAC to have the time needed to notify your instructor and obtain the exam so that we can administer it, students must sign up at least by 8:00am two (2) business days in advance. The TAC will provide a deadline each semester on the TAC website to sign up for Final Exams. Exams may only be taken during the TAC hours of operations.

Q3: What time should I sign up to take an exam?

Exams should be scheduled to be taken at the same time as the rest of the class. If this is not possible due to an evening exams or when time accommodations extend into another class period, students must be discussed with their instructor as to when an appropriate alternate time is approved.

Q4: I missed my exam, what do I do?

Contact your instructor to find out if you can still take the exam. If the instructor approves a make up time, the student will need to reschedule the exam. However, please note that the student must still follow the policies of scheduling an exam, no later than 8:00am two (2) business day prior to when the student will take the exam. The exam will be treated as a new exam.

Q5: What happens if I am late to a scheduled exam?

The exam time will start at the time the student signed up for even if the student has not arrived yet. The TAC policy is the same if the student shows up to the class late. However, if the student is 30 minutes or later late for the exam, the exam will be canceled. The student will not be permitted to take the exam that day and will need to reschedule if approved by the instructor. Please view the Late Policy for more details on the TAC website.

Q6: How do I reschedule my exam time that I already signed up for? Or how do I make corrections to what I signed up for?

Students should be able to adjust their exam schedule or cancel the exam through the TAC portal in MyAccessCenter (MAC). MAC is the same location where students access their Letter of Accommodations (LOA). When students adjust their exams schedule, the instructor and TAC will need to approve it. Please notify your instructor with an explanation of why the schedule has been adjusted.

Q7: Do I have to tell my instructor I’m taking an exam in the TAC when I’m taking the exam at the same time or different times as the rest of the class?

Students are required to provide their Letter of Accommodation (LOA) and discuss their exam taking arrangements (including the appropriate dates and times to take the exams) with their instructors before scheduling their exams with the TAC online. Once the exam is scheduled online the TAC will request the exam from the instructor. If you haven’t shared your LOA and discussed this information prior to scheduling your exam, your professor may not approve you taking your exam at TAC.

Q8: What should I bring to the exam at TAC?

Bring all the materials that are allowed for the exam and any material allowed according to the student’s accommodations. Lockers are provided to store book bags, jackets, etc. However, DRES assumes no responsibility for items left in the lockers. No food is allowed in the testing area. If students have food breaks in their LOA, the student must note that when scheduling their exams. This is so that we can try to place the student appropriately. Only drinks with lids or cap that seal are allowed. Cell phones are not allowed in the testing area-they must be kept in the lockers or given to a TAC staff member to be stored in the exam envelope.

Q9: If I am taking physics, what additional steps do I need to take?

The Physics Department has additional policies with their exam. If the students are taking a Physics 101, 102, 140, 211, 212, 213 or 214 exams, it must be taken on the same day as the rest of the class. No exceptions! If the student cannot fit it in the TAC’s hours of operation, please contact the TAC at dres-testing@illinois.edu as soon as possible to go over options.

Physic Quizzes can be taken on different days but this is discouraged by the Physics Department.

Students must provide their Letters of Accommodations (LOA) to the Physics Department Undergraduate Studies Office in room 231 Loomis Lab and to their instructor. If the Physics Department does not receive the student’s LOA, the TAC will not be able to obtain the student’s exam or quiz.

If the student does not schedule their exam at least one week in advance the student will have to work with the Physics Department to take their exams with the rest of the class.

Q10: Why did TAC change my accommodation or time of what I scheduled?

If the TAC changes the student’s accommodations that the student selected when scheduling their exam, the student may have selected an accommodation that they do not qualify for. If the student feel that it is incorrect, please contact the TAC by email at dres-testing@illinois.edu or in person.

If the time is changed, this means the instructor is only allowing the student to take an exam at a certain time. If you are unable to make it at that time, please contact the TAC and the instructor as soon as possible. The TAC will send an email shortly explaining the reason.

Q11: How do I change my testing accommodations?

Students must meet with their Access Specialist to make changes or adjustments to their exam accommodations and their Letter of Accommodations (LOA).

If the student needs to make changes to the accommodations they scheduled, such as not remembering to select an accommodation they qualify for, then please email the TAC at dres-testing@illinois.edu and let the TAC know what accommodation need to be changed or added.

Instructors’ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How do I send the exam to the TAC?

When a student schedules their exam with us, the instructor will automatically be sent an email. This email we direct the instructor to the TAC portal. In the TAC portal the instructor will be able to:

Approve the exam schedule

Provide instructional information to administer the exam

Upload the exam. However, instructors may still have the option to email the exam (dres-testing@illinois.edu), upload the exam to U of I Box (Please let us know so that we can create a folder for you to upload the exam.) or deliver the exam to the TAC, 136 Rehabilitation-Education Center, MC-574. Fax (217-244-0014) is another option, however, the print quality is not as good. The TAC does not recommend US or Campus mail as it may take the exam 5-7 to arrive and might be too late for the TAC to process for the student to take.

Download the completed exam.

Q2: Why did my student sign up for that time?

Students schedule their exams online, however they should be schedule to take the exam when the class is taking the exam. However, the TAC hours of operations is Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. The student’s exam must fit within the hours of operations. If the student has signed up for a different time to take the exam, that situation should have been previously discussed with the student and instructor before the exam was scheduled. Please contact the student and discuss their exam taking arrangements (including appropriate times to take the exam).

Q3: Why does the TAC ask those questions about the exam?

The TAC ask those questions to properly administer the exam. The TAC needs to know what is allowed and what is not allowed during the exam and how the instructor prefers the exam be handled.

Q4: What information do I need to give the TAC to proctor the exam?

When a student schedules their exam with us, the instructor will automatically be sent an email request for the exam with instructions. This email will also give the instructor ten questions that we will need answered to properly administer the exam:

How will we receive the exam? (Upload to the TAC portal, Email, Delivered, Fax or U of I Box)

Can the exam be printed double-sided and in color? (If no response is provided regarding this, the TAC will assume that it is ok to print double sided and in color)

Is the exam online or has a listening part(s) or will the student need to view a PowerPoint? (Does it require a Mac?)

Date and time the class is taking the exam?

How much time does the rest of the class have to complete this exam?

Does the student need an exam (blue) book? (Which one – 4, 8 or 16 page?)

Does the student need a scantron (bubble sheet)? (Which one – orange, green, or brown?)

What materials are allowed during the exam? (besides a writing utensil)
a. If notes are allowed, do you want us to collect them?

Is someone available by phone or email if the student has questions?

How do you want the exam returned to you? (Download form the TAC portal, Pick up, Email or U of I Box )

Q5: How and when do I get the exam back once the student has taken the exam at the TAC?

The TAC has four options on how to retrieve the exam when it is completed:

Download the completed exam from the TAC portal. Once the download is confirmation of receipt of the exam, the TAC will shred the exam after 5 business days.

Pick Up: The instructor or the TA is welcome to come to the TAC and pick up the exam at 136 Rehabilitation-Educational Center, MC-574. Please let us know so that we hold it for you or your TAC. The instructor or the TA will need to provide a photo identification and sign for the exam.

Email: The TAC can scan and email the exam to the instructor. Please let TAC know who to send it to. Please confirm receipt of the exam. Once confirmation of receipt of the exam, the TAC will shred the exam. If no response, the TAC will shred the exam after 5 business days.

U of I Box: We can scan and upload the exam to U of I Box. Please let us know who to send it to. Once uploaded to U of I Box please confirm receipt of the exam. Once confirmation of receipt of the exam, the TAC will shred the exam. If no response, the TAC will shred the exam after 5 business days.

Q6: Do I need a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) From the student?

Yes. The student must provide the instructor with their LOA, otherwise, the instructor is NOT obligated to provide any accommodations for the student or allow the student to take the exam in the TAC. The LOA should be provided to the instructor well in advance to make reasonable arrangements for the accommodations.

Q7: What happens if TAC detects misconduct during an exam?

The exam will be stopped and immediately packaged, the instructor will be contacted, and a report will be written up by the employee(s) proctoring the exam. From there, it will be up to the instructor to determine how to proceed.

Q8: Why does the student need to take the exam at the TAC?

Students take their exams in the TAC if the instructor is unable to provide accommodations for the student on their own. Therefore, instructors are welcome and encouraged to provide student’s accommodations. The TAC is able to provide students with accommodations that DRES has determined they qualify for (such as a distraction-reduced environment, a scribe, assistive technology and extended time to complete the exam).

Q9: What can I do to provide the accommodations on my own?

It depends on the student’s accommodations. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the TAC or the student’s Access Specialist (the person that signed the student’s Letter of Accommodations (LOA)). We will be more than happy to help.

Q10: Does the TAC share my exams and contact information?

By no means. The TAC holds exam security as a high priority. Exams are locked in a cabinet until the student takes the exam. Email attachments are deleted in an appropriate manner. If a student does not show up for the exam the exam is shredded within a month. Therefore, if a student wants to make up an exam, we may not have a copy and may need the instructor to send the exam again or provide a different version of the exam.

If an instructor/TA provides the TAC with a cell phone number to contact them, the TAC will not share the cell number. The TAC staff will dial the phone, then pass the phone to the student to talk to the instructor/TA if they have questions.

Q11: Why does the TAC need the exam by 3:00PM one business day prior to when the student is scheduled to take the exam?

In order for the TAC to provide qualify service the TAC will need to receive at the latest by 3:00pm one business day prior to when the student is scheduled to take the exam. The TAC will need to process the exam. This includes processing the emailed instructions, printing, preparing and ensuring student have all needed material, along with ensuring that the exam is accessible. Changing the format and/or checking accessibility does take time to process. Please send the exams as soon as possible so that the exam is ready for the student to take on time. Please review the POLICY– Exam Receipt/Scheduling Policy on the TAC website.