Special assessment conditions
Special assessment conditions commonly approved
The special assessment conditions commonly approved for external assessment and particularly examinations, include:
Time Allowance
Extra time may be granted for examination sessions. It should be noted that too much time may be counter-productive. Separate accommodation is not provided with extra time except in exceptional circumstances.
Supervised breaks or rest periods may, in special circumstances, may be approved. Approval may be given for additional time as well as rest breaks, according to need.
Modifications to Examination Question and Answer Booklets
Modifications can be made to the visual presentation of booklets, usually for sight-impaired candidates:
- enlarged/large-print papers to A3 only
- Braille versions of papers
- special coloured papers
Use of Computers and other Equipment
Use of computers or other technological aids such as Closed Circuit Television will be permitted for candidates who have difficulty with reading or writing, if this is the usual means of communication. Approval will not be granted if the request is made on the grounds that a candidate has untidy writing. Nor will approval be granted for an examination assistant to word-process a candidate's responses.
Examination Assistant
- assistance by a Reader (RA)
- assistance by a Writer (WA)
- assistance by a Reader/Writer (RWA).
Where an examination assistant (for example, a reader/writer) is requested, separate accommodation is needed and an extra 30 minutes may also be available to candidates for an examination session, depending on the number of standards entered in the session.
The examination assistant is appointed by the school's Principal's Nominee or Special Needs Coordinator and is not to be the subject teacher, private tutor, a relative or a family friend and must have worked with the candidate over the course of the year. The examination assistant should be able to read or write in a manner appropriate to the examination content. For example, he/she must be able to pronounce technical terms and/or write special symbols correctly.
Return to Rules and Procedures, 6.1.3 Special Assessment Conditions.
Last updated: 27 January 2009