Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Proctoring Software (self.Blind)
submitted by 8-michelle-8
Hello, I am a student in college and I am visually impaired. In the upcoming weeks I have to take an exam with proctoring software for the first time. I use a screen reader to make my computer accessible to me, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this? I know the software picks up when there is noise, but will it also pickup my screen reader? Thank you so much for your help!
CMM41329 2 points 2y ago
I have experience with Honorlock, Proctorhub, and LockDown Browser. I use
ZoomText.
Honorlock requires you to have your face centered in the camera at all times. It kept freezing my exam every time I got close enough to see the screen. So my professors put a note about my accommodations in the settings, and as soon as I start the test I use the chat box feature to ask the staff to turn off the face detection feature. Once they do, it works perfectly.
Never had issues with Proctorhub.
In my experience, LockDown browser isn’t accessible. Ask for an alternative.
ZoomText.
Honorlock requires you to have your face centered in the camera at all times. It kept freezing my exam every time I got close enough to see the screen. So my professors put a note about my accommodations in the settings, and as soon as I start the test I use the chat box feature to ask the staff to turn off the face detection feature. Once they do, it works perfectly.
Never had issues with Proctorhub.
In my experience, LockDown browser isn’t accessible. Ask for an alternative.
CloudyBeep 2 points 2y ago
If the software is not accessible, you should suggest an adjustment like completing your exam on Zoom with your professor.
retrolental_morose 1 points 2y ago
I would assume that many blind people, working with others, use headphones, hearing aids, or Braille so their screen readers aren't deluging their offices. Unless you've got a good reason not to, I'd recommend getting into the habit of keeping your screen reader audio away from the rest of the world so that if you need to use it in an environment when you aren't alone, it isn't intrusive to others.
CloudyBeep 2 points 2y ago
The proctor, who may be someone in a call center in a thirdworld country, may not allow the student to use headphones because they don't know what a screen reader is. If it is automated software, the computer may be locked until the headphones are removed because there are many ways that headphones could be used nefariously in an exam.
retrolental_morose 0 points 2y ago
surely the exam provider will have the facility for accommodations to be stipulated before any exam. Obviously nobody using any form of access arrangement will be comfortable in a mainstream exam setting without changes of some sort.
CloudyBeep 2 points 2y ago
The proctoring is done remotely with companies not affiliated with the college. Until the pandemic, there wasn't quite so much need for remote proctoring, so new companies have sprung up and existing companies have tried to expand as quickly as possible to meet the demand, leaving behind people with disabilities. Of course, it's possible that the college will negotiate with the proctoring company, but it's more likely that they haven't.
retrolental_morose 3 points 2y ago
wow. In the UK, access arrangements are an endemic part of the examination process right from grade school on up for people with disabilities. They're often retconed, because many are not picked up right at the outset, although visual impairment is probably more obvious than most.
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Some of these are accessible and some aren’t. That’s an interesting question about the screen reading.
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