Scratch Paper
NCARB,
The recent email about testing accommodations is a bit confusing, will scratch paper be available as a testing accommodation in the testing center?
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Hi Ashley,
Yes, if a candidate has a documented disability or temporary medical condition, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires them to use physical scratch paper instead of the electronic whiteboard, it will be provided as a testing accommodation. This accommodation will only be available in test centers. The document below outlines the testing accommodations process:
https://www.ncarb.org/sites/default/files/AREAccommodationsOverview.pdf
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Ashley -- thank you so much for asking this question! I sent the same question to NCARB on Nov. 17 as a discussion item for their last webinar (communications@ncarb.org), but received no answer regarding the arthritis in my hands/wrists. I then raised the same point in a post recently, but again received no answer. You seem to have the magic touch, so thanks for that. Up to this point, it has not been at all evident that scratch paper, indeed, is considered to be a testing accommodation.
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It sounds like NCARB is trying to back track on the decisions they've made. Its great is that scratch paper will be available as an accommodation in testing centers but this completely contradicts what they have been saying as far as a "consistent testing experience" for both types of tests, not allowing online proctored exams the same accommodations doesn't seem fair or "consistent".
Also, I'd like to see a list of what they consider medical conditions per ADA, some states have even stricter ADA compliancy.
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Ashley,
As with every accommodation provided under the ADA, the goal is not to provide accommodated candidates an advantage, but to ensure every candidate has access to the exam. With this in mind, NCARB also has to maintain exam security. Some accommodations are not available in an online environment because applying them in the online environment increases the security risk. Use of scratch paper is one of these accommodations.
The accommodations process is not new; NCARB has always had it in place. Scratch paper is now being added under accommodations because only candidates who have a documented disability or temporary medical condition will be able to use it while testing.
For more information, or with questions specific to approval for your disability or medical condition, please reach out to NCARB's customer service. The customer service team supports the accommodations process and will be able to answer your questions. Accommodations requests are thoroughly reviewed, so it won't be possible for Nick or me to approve or disapprove a request here on the Community.
I hope this helps.
Joan
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We can vote in a National Election by mail. It would be possible to send candidates official paper to be used, and returned after an exam, if online proctoring is such an important issue. That way you don't punish all candidates who want to take these tests. The fact is, taking away paper from Licensure Candidates for the field of Architecture is asinine. You know it, you just don't care what the actual candidates have to say. This is more and more feeling like a money grab for NCARB.
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Joan and Nick, I have to disagree with you on NCARB's stance on this. Providing testing accommodations is a must and legally everyone has to comply with ADA, but not allowing online proctored exam test takers the same accommodations is not fair and I highly doubt is proven to be compliant with ADA. Yes, test takers can "choose" their testing environment that meets NCARB's criteria, but once they hit that button to start the exam it is the same exam I am taking in the testing center. This is what NCARB has stated over and over again.
Hypothetically speaking if you have two people with the same disability, one taking an in-person test and one taking an online proctored exam because their test center is closed and they are both approaching their five year rolling clocking deadline. Providing scratch paper is not an advantage for the person taking the in-person exam, I fully understand it is an accommodation, but it is however a disadvantage to the person taking the online proctored exam with the same disability. I also understand there are a plethora of options for the 2nd person to be able to travel to another testing center, this is a very valid option but now this person would have to travel(with whatever disability they may have) and do the leg work that NCARB should be providing in order to take an exam. There are a lot of flaws is this and hope these issues are addressed in the upcoming webinar.
Joan NCARB your comment, although very helpful, clearly points out that NCARB's main concern for all of these changes is only exam security and not the well being of test takers. I have done a lot of research, spoken to students and collegiate professors about ProctorU and there is a lot of concern about exam security and they are not allowing accommodations for these exams. There was quite a bit I learned from this research and one being exam averages significantly dropped with this new testing format because students were not allowed the same accommodations that in-person test takers were offered.
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Gerald,
I don't know if you have seen my post about the plethora of other professional exams that allow some sort of physical whiteboard/scratch but please take a look at this list.
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