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Student Services

Alternative Testing

During the initial intake appointment with a Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) counselor, you may be approved for alternative testing as an accommodation. The counselor will review your documentation from a health care professional in order to verify your disability, as well as to learn whether you previously received alternative testing accommodations. The counselor will then discuss the impact your disability has on your academic performance when taking tests and determine whether you are eligible for testing accommodations based on your documentation and past history of accommodations.

Some examples of testing accommodations are:

  • Extended time for exams, quizzes, midterms, finals (Generally, extended time does not apply to take home exams)
  • Quiet, reduced distraction testing space which may include a private room
  • Reader
  • Scribe
  • Alternate format of the exam such as Braille, enlarged print, or scanned text
  • Basic calculator
  • Adaptive software or equipment
  • Word processing with or without spell check depending on limitations resulting from disability

After your intake appointment, please take the following steps:

  1. Student logs in (www.csun.edu/saas) to request Academic and Testing Accommodations.
  2. DRES Counselor Approves or Denies accommodation request.
    1. If request is denied, contact DRES counselor.
    2. If an alternative testing accommodation request is approved, SAAS generates an e-mail to Instructor to create a course exam profile.
    3. Student discusses the exam date/time and their testing accommodations with their course instructor.
  3. Instructor creates course exam profile.
  4. Student may request exam dates/times.
  5. Instructor reviews exam dates/times and approves or denies the request in a timely manner.

    Note: SAAS generates an e-mail to student if an exam request has been denied.

    1. If exam request is denied, student reads comment left by instructor and speaks with instructor regarding exam scheduling.
    2. Student may initiate a new exam request with the specified exam parameters.
  6. Approved exam dates/times are placed on the Alternative Testing exam schedule.
  7. Student manages his/her alternative testing exam schedule (request additional exams, cancels, etc.)

Learn more about SAAS.

If you are taking your exam in the DRES office, please make sure that you arrive early and that you bring your Cal State Northridge picture ID.