Because there are currently no reliable ways to tell when students are using Generative AI in their at-home or computer-based work, some instructors are considering moving work done at home, to being completed during class.
Need CFA support for minor assessments? If CFA support is desired for minor assessments, consider arranging for the student to complete multiple assessments at once at the CFA office.
As always, instructors should consider how to support students who may need accommodations for assessments for in-class work. For major assessments, such as midterms, the Center for Accessibility (CFA) continues to support accommodations for students who need them. For minor assessments, such as short in-class writing assignments, the instructor should consider how to support students’ accommodations themselves. Here are some suggestions for how to perform accommodations for smaller in-class assessments:
Specify assessment modes early
Students need time to figure out their accommodation needs. The sooner you are able to provide details in your syllabus about what the assessment styles will be, the more opportunity students will have to work with CFA to develop a plan. The CFA will also be able to reach out to instructors to advise on more complex accommodation situations.
Talk to the student about options
A conversation with students early in the semester can help plan for how to meet their accommodation needs – some of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) differential accommodation approaches described below might be workable options for students, and might be more feasible for instructors. The CFA can also advise instructors and students on options for accommodations. The CFA accommodation letters will include instructions for major assessments – if you and the student need advice for how to translate the accommodations for minor assessments, the CFA advisors can help.
Remember student privacy
Any accommodations you provide in-class should not reveal the accommodation to others. For example, a student may be allowed to use a computer for on-paper work – but allowing a student to do this during class will reveal their difference and accommodation to their classmates if they are the only one not working on paper.
Differential Accommodations can streamline in class assessment accommodations
Instructors can work with the student to arrive at a plan that accommodates student needs. The CFA office will be able to provide feedback on different approaches and can suggest a range of solutions for minor assessment accommodations, including differentiated instruction, which explores adjusted assessments based on content, product, or process.
Content: Adjust what is given to the student
If providing a student some base materials upon which to work, you can give students an accessibility accommodation less material to work on, while still keeping the rest of the assessment the same. For instance, If being asked to summarize an essay, the student may instead summarize a shorter text.
Product: Adjust what is required from the student
If affording extra time is not feasible, instructors may decide to assess accommodated students’ work product taking their accommodation into account, for instance accepting a shorter essay or fewer completed questions on a worksheet.
Process: Accommodate through a more expansive process
Instructors may choose to give more time for everyone in the class, which would also benefit students without formal accommodations. Group or paired assessments have shown promise for naturally supporting students with accommodations.
The CFA also points instructors to the Universal Design for Learning approach, which outlines many ways that diverse needs can be accommodated in an educational setting.
This resource will be updated as the landscape changes, and as we gain experience with new modes of assessment. If you have a question regarding this topic, please book a consultation with a CTLT or CTL educational consultant, or visit the CFA office website.