The “secret world of the ADA”: professors grading exams aren’t supposed to know whether a given test-taker got extra time as an accommodation, but there are often ways you can tell, says San Diego lawprof Gail Heriot, especially when the essay comes in twice as long as other students’. Still, when she tries to find out what percentage of her class is getting extra time — not asking for names, just a rough figure on what share — she’s told it’s “none of your business”. (The Right Coast, Jan. 10). More: Jun. 2 and Dec. 8, 2006, among many others.
Extra time on exams, cont’d
The “secret world of the ADA”: professors grading exams aren’t supposed to know whether a given test-taker got extra time as an accommodation, but there are often ways you can tell, says San Diego lawprof Gail Heriot, especially when the essay comes in twice as long as other students’. Still, when she tries to find […]
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If an essay has twice the length as others, the student did not need extra time to complete the same length as others. That student should lose future time extensions. The subsequent request for more privilege is an attempt to cheat.
In the case of law students with time extensions, an essay twice the length of others must be reported to the Bar. It should go on the school permanent record, so the student has a chance to explain it during the character interview before licensure.
Just as a counterpoint, as an engineering professor for a graduate program, students must come to me with appropriate documentation (from the student affairs office) before I must give them accommodation for learning disabilities (although I can always use my discretion). In seven years, I’ve had but a single student who has requested extra time for a learning disability. My take-home exams require about 35 hours of effort (yes, you are happy you’re not in my class), over 8 days. The student received an extra two days, which the SA office agreed was sufficient.
I have provided other students with extra time, owing to scheduling conflicts and the like. I probably get one to three of those a year, out of about 75 (total) students in the three classes I teach.
I’m also an engineering professor, for both graduate and undergraduate programs. In the several years I’ve been teaching, I can’t recall a single graduate student who has requested accomodation for learning disabilities. For the past few years, however, I’ve had at least one or two undergrads a year with the appropriate letters, out of only a couple of dozen. I tend to think that these students just don’t choose to go to graduate school. Well, “don’t choose to” might be inaccurate.
An obvious difference with Heriot is that I know exactly who those students are, as they have to come to me to request the accomodation.
I’ve never thought about what kind of accomodation might be demanded for a graduate student writing a master’s thesis. Three years instead of two? Do they have to pay for the extra year, or is it at the cost of the university? I hope it’s a silly thought.