Re: [SEC508] Timed Test Alert

[<jpledger@abletv.net>]

Larry,

this question poses quite a few different possabilities to me, however, all
of them have the person taking the test carry some of the accountability.

I will go back in time to when I attended college classes and needed to have
additional time for test taking because a reader was reading the test to me
and then writing out my answers.  Typically I was able to get at leat 1and
one-half the amount of normal test time to take a test.  However, I was
accountible to complete the test in the designated time period.  i din't
have a "blank check" on the time limit.

I don't know how feesible it would be to just get something like time and a
half or double time for the test up front, but again, it does put some
accountibility to the test taker.  Another way which might be useful is to
have the test taker use a software synthesizer and wear headphones.  then
any audible sounds will come through just the headphones, whether it was a
screen reader talking or a pop-up window alert.  The final thing to do would
be to have some sort of window that the screen reader could monitor on an as
needed basis by the user.  Then the user could know when time was getting
short.  Hope these help.

Jeffrey Pledger
CEO, AbleTV.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry G. Hull" <Larry.G.Hull@nasa.gov>
To: "Trace Section 508" <sec508@trace.wisc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 2:41 PM
Subject: [SEC508] Timed Test Alert


> I was asked whether there might be a way to provide an alert to the
> user with AT that time is running out for an on-line timed test. This
> is obviously related to but not the same as (p) When a timed response
> is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to
> indicate more time is required.
>
> The individual went on to say, "When taking timed tests on-line, I've
> always seen a running clock in the area (the one where URLs are
> displayed) at the bottom of the browser.  I recently attempted to
> take such a test via JAWS, but I never once heard any reference to
> the amount of time remaining (granted, that could have been due to my
> lack of experience with JAWS' advanced features)."
>
> I did a quick Web search and located some interesting information
> concerning the Canadian Personnel Psychology Centre's Online Tests
> System at
> http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc/online_test_manual_part7_e.htm
> but it doesn't really address the question.
>
> An analogy is the test proctor who tells the student they have 5
> minutes to finish up. The alert is independent, parallel, and (to me
> at least) minimally disruptive. Frankly, I've no idea how to
> accomplish the equivalent on-line (i.e., an alert to the AT user)
> short of a major disruption, e.g., a forced switch to a pop-up window
> with the announcement, and that would also affect/distract the non-AT
> using test takers albeit perhaps not as severely.
>
> Can anyone suggest a technique for providing a minimally disruptive
> alert for AT users taking an on-line timed test?
>
> Regards,
>
> Larry
>
> Permanent email address:  Larry.G.Hull@nasa.gov
>
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>
> Accessibility Engineer, Advanced Architectures and Automation Branch
> Section 508 Accessibility Training
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