Breaks

Breaks are an important and effective accommodation during a test/exam/quiz for students that require time to manage disability related symptoms related to medical, physical, cognitive, mental health functional limitations while writing an assessment. The accommodation letter may state one or more of the following accommodations;

  • Breaks as required: break time to be added

  • Breaks to stand,stretch and move: break time to be added

  • Breaks to stand,stretch, and move during longer exams (2 hour exams): break time to be added

  • Breaks of 3-5 minutes each ½ hour as required: break time to be added

  • Breaks as required for food/drink/medication: break time to be added

  • Washroom breaks as required: break time to be added

How a break accommodation is provided depends on if the assessment is In Person or Online.

In Person Tests/Exams/Quizzes

  • Students with any break accommodations writing in person/on campus tests/exams/quizzes are responsible to register to write these assessments with the SAS office. 

  • SAS manages each individual student’s break accommodation ensuring the integrity of the test/exam/quiz with trained invigilators. For more information on how SAS proctors in person tests/exams/quizzes follow this link.

    • Students will be supervised at all times during a break in or near the room the student is writing the assessment.

      • Students are not allowed to be in communication with other students at the time of a break.

    • SAS invigilators will document the start and end times of each and every break taken.

  • Students can choose to write with their class with the knowledge that instructors are not responsible for providing accommodated breaks for the assessment or other accommodations.

Online Tests/Exams/Quizzes

In an online delivery method of a test/exam/quiz the break accommodation is met by the students time on an assessment being adjusted by a set amount of break time per hour. 

Accommodation Wording: Extra Time (Online with Breaks): xx additional minutes per hour (including approved breaks) for all online tests/exams/quizzes: (Prof. to add time to student account)

For online tests/exams/quizzes the instructor is responsible to adjust the accommodated time according to the Online with Breaks extra time listed on the student’s accommodation letter. 

  • Instructors do not need to keep track of break time as the accommodation includes break time in the extra time provided.

Instructors can refer to the Faculty Resource - Calculating Extra Time for Students with Accommodations to assist with calculating accommodated extra time.

  • Questions on how to adjust the time for an assessment in the online delivery platform of the class should be addressed to the Teaching Commons.