<p>Not true.</p>
<p>Guidelines for Evaluating Test-Anxiety as a Disability </p>
<p>Purpose: These guidelines are designed to help determine when students anxiety, limited to exams or other academic performances, constitutes a disability resulting in the need for academic accommodations. </p>
<p>Working definition: Test anxiety occurs when symptoms of anxiety (e.g. agitation, blanking out) reduce academic performance, preventing students from demonstrating their true abilities.</p>
<p>To be considered as a disability, test-anxiety symptoms need to substantially limit one or more major life activities (such as concentrating, remembering, or other physiological functions). They should also occur in more than one subject area or one test format (e.g. multiple choice). Anxiety occurring from remediable causes such as lack of ability or preparation, or from situational stressors, or too narrowly confined, would not meet the intent of disability law and therefore should be ruled out. These students should be referrals to the appropriate resources. </p>
<p>no symptoms -------------------------------------------------------------X------------------severe symptoms</p>
<p>Test-Anxiety continuum: It is the job of the DSS office to determine where on the continuum of test-anxiety symptoms (from mild to severe) the cut-off point is for disability.</p>
<p>CONSIDERATIONS</p>
<p> Assessment: Generally, students come to DSS staff with an assessment or diagnosis, but students with test anxiety often come of their own accord or by referral from instructor without a formal evaluation; students should be encouraged to see a mental health practitioner. For documented test anxiety, has the condition been assessed and documented by an appropriate specialist (e.g. therapist, psychologist)? Was a diagnosis made (e.g. generalized anxiety, phobia)? If so, does the diagnosis formally include anxiety? Have causes been explored: temporary situational factors? long-term stressors (e.g. PTSD)? anxiety secondary to a primary condition such as a learning disability or AD/HD? If a formal psychological diagnosis has been made, this may indicate a more broadly disabling condition than test anxiety alone, thus strengthening the justification for accommodations.</p>
<p> Ability: When interference from test-anxiety is significant, it can cause a disparity between students aptitude and their achievement. Evidence of aptitude or ability can be seen in non-anxiety-producing performances such as homework, papers, or informal discussions. Students must be otherwise qualified to succeed at the course work or their anxiety may be due to lack of ability alone.</p>
<p> Preparation: Students must be adequately prepared for exams or other performances or, again, anxiety can result. Quantity and quality of preparation can be evidenced by time spent with instructors, tutors, course and supplementary materials, as well as time spent with study skills and test-preparation </p>
<p> Mitigating factors: If in treatment, where is the student at on the continuum of that treatment? Is the student at the point, according to the clinician, where he or she needs to challenge their anxiety by facing the performance situation? Does treatment (e.g. medications, relaxation strategies) reduce or eliminate the symptoms thus eliminating the need for accommodations?</p>
<p> Accommodation effects: If students interfering symptoms are appropriately and reasonably accommodated formally or informally, does their performance improve (more accurately reflect their abilities)? Lack of improvement can provide evidence for a lack of ability.</p>
<p> Pervasiveness: Although there may be exceptions, in general, a students test difficulties should encompass more than one subject or exam format to be considered disabling. If the anxiety symptoms are part of a broader psychological disorder such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Social Phobia, the pervasiveness consideration is more likely to fit the intention of the law.</p>
<p> Duration: Has there been a history of the test anxiety for at least 6 months? Does the history include such evidence as classes dropped to reduce the test anxiety, or informal requests for accommodations? Has treatment (e.g. counseling, medications) been prescribed? If so, has it sufficiently reduced the symptoms to eliminate the need for accommodations?</p>
<p> Severity: Anxiety symptoms (see symptom checklist) should affect one or more major life activities in at least a moderate way, and preferably be substantial or severe.</p>
<p> Symptom checklist: Does the condition affect a major life activity? If yes, which one(s)? What is the severity of the symptoms? Is the severity proportional to the demand or stress (e.g. number of classes, level of course difficulty)? If a GAF score is available, what does it indicate?</p>
<p>Symptom Type mild
moderate
severe</p>
<pre><code>anxiousness, fear
breathing problems
</code></pre>
<p>concentration problems, distractibility<br>
dissociation, spacing out<br>
gastro-intestinal problems (e.g. vomiting)<br>
heart-rate or pressure increase<br>
memory blockage, retrieval problems<br>
perceptual problems (e.g. vision)<br>
shakiness<br>
other </p>
<p>Disability determination: To assist in summarizing the findings of a particular student, use the decision tree (attached) to list and gauge the various results of the preceding considerations </p>
<p>Cautions: Having determined a student to have disabling test-anxiety, warranting accommodations, there may not, in fact, be any adjustment that would improve students performance. For example, the usual accommodations (e.g. extra time, a quiet room) may not be sufficient nor may the clinician or student be able to suggest an alternative. Further, students or clinicians request may be unreasonable or cause an undue burden on an instructor or department, or, finally, it may fundamentally alter the nature of the exam (e.g. alternative format such as oral exam) or program.</p>
<hr>
<p>Developed by Debra (Solon) Claire, M.S. at the McBurney Disability Resource Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison 1999
Dsq on Red Gym/word/Guidelines for Evaluating Test Anxiety6.29.01</p>
<p>Test Anxiety Analysis</p>
<p>Pervasiveness diagram: How broadly do the anxiety symptoms affect the person: confined to one subject area or test format? More broadly affecting all performances? Or most broadly affecting many life activities?</p>
<p>Resources for Students Without Disabilities Services for Students
With Disabilities</p>
<p>Study & test-preparation skills development</p>
<p>Tutors</p>
<p>Faculty & Teaching Assistant assistance</p>
<p>Therapeutic & medical strategies</p>
<p>Informal test accommodations (requiring faculty approval): e.g. extra time, quiet room, breaks, alternative format, exam
substitution)</p>
<p>Exam substitution: (e.g. paper, project, oral discussion)</p>
<p>Course alternative: (e.g. courses without exams)<br>
All resources available to students without disabilities (listed left) plus:</p>
<p>Formal accommodations (legal status): eligible for alternative-testing (e.g. extra time, quiet room, breaks, alternative format, exam substitution)</p>