[Athen] Accessibility with Blackboard and Secure Exam Browser

Teresa Haven Teresa.Haven at asu.edu
Tue Mar 27 13:09:33 PDT 2012


Aloha, Mike. I've run into the use of Respondus Lockdown Browser in the BlackBoard environment, and it behaves exactly as you describe, as does ExamGuard in the LearningStudio LMS. I talked with Respondus about a year ago and at that time they agreed that it was incompatible with assistive technology and the only solution was to refrain from using the product, which we have done with professors. I generally approach faculty with the information that the secure browser really doesn't provide much in the way of "security" and denies appropriate access to a wide variety of students; I then usually discuss more appropriate pedagogy-based alternatives with the faculty that will help them meet their security and learning goals.
Hope this helps,

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Teresa LW Haven, Ph.D.
Supervisor, Alternative Format Services
Disability Resource Center
Arizona State University
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



-----Original Message-----
From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Gibson
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 11:06 AM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network
Subject: [Athen] Accessibility with Blackboard and Secure Exam Browser

Afternoon all,

The testing center on our campus is finally willing to consider providing
accessible testing accomodations to ZoomText and JAWS users, (something I
have been pushing to move out of the DRC for quite awhile). They are using
Secure Exam Browser for all Blackboard exams. This basically locks down the
computer so the only thing that can be done is log into Blackboard and take
the exam and nothing else. As a part of the lock down it also locks out most
keyboard shortcuts A JAWS user would find essential like insert+F7, alt+F4,
just to name a couple. Has anyone successfully implemented JAWS access via
this browser? What contortions did you have to go through in order to make
it acessible? Are there any acceptable alternatives to Secure Exam Browser?
My first impulse is to tell them to dump the browser when it comes to
accessible testing, but I want to at least demonstrate a good faith efert of
finding a solution.

Thanks in advance.

Mike


Mike Gibson
Assistive Technology Coordinator
Boise State University
Disability Resource Center
1910 University Dr.
Boise, ID 83725-1375
O: (208) 426-1583
F: (208) 426-3785
Email: mikegibson at boisestate.edu
_______________________________________________
athen-list mailing list
athen-list at mailman1.u.washington.edu
http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list



More information about the athen-list mailing list