In an increasingly digital world, the popularity of digital exams is on the rise. As we use our electronic devices more and more, it is no surprise that many of our students are becoming more comfortable taking digital exams than their traditional paper-based equivalents.
Digital exams offer many benefits, from greater convenience to quicker results. They also meet a wide range of student needs, making the experience more accessible and inclusive.
This article will discuss the new Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform and how its features enhance accessibility.
The importance of accessibility
Taking an English exam is a key way for our learners to prove their skills. It helps them gain a sense of achievement for the progress they have made and reach goals such as getting a particular job or studying abroad. So, we need to do all we can to remove any barriers to learners being able to perform to the best of their ability.
For learners with specific learning difficulties or disabilities, the main way of removing these barriers has been for exam centres to provide special arrangements such as large-print exam papers, headphones and computers for candidates to use to write their answers.
Let’s take a look at the accessibility features of the Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform.
Text size control
Increasing the size of the text on an exam paper is an important way of increasing the accessibility for some learners with visual impairments and for those with some specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. This is often done by providing a large-print exam paper or magnifying devices to candidates.
In the Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform, candidates have control over the text size themselves. They can easily change between regular, large and extra-large text size within the platform, without the need for extra equipment.
This is part of the Reading section of the B2 First exam – compare the first picture showing regular text size and the second showing an extra-large text size.
Contrast control
Learners with visual stress, dyslexia, moderately low vision or impaired contrast perception can benefit from enhancing the contrast of text they are reading. In paper-based exams, coloured overlays can be provided to help with this.
As with text size, in the Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform, candidates can adjust the contrast themselves within the platform. The default is black text on a white background and candidates can choose to change this either to white text on a black background or yellow text on a black background.
Here is an extract of an A2 Key Reading paper with white on black and yellow on black options selected.
Volume control
For candidates with hearing impairments or concentration difficulties, the Listening exam can be made more accessible through providing a set of headphones through which the candidates can listen to the recordings.
When taking an exam on the Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform, each candidate has their own set of headphones with the option of adjusting the volume on screen at any time. This means better clarity and sound quality for all candidates.
Typed answers
Learners who have difficulties in handwriting may be disadvantaged in paper-based exams that involve writing unless special arrangements are put in place such as having a copier or a transcriber – someone who writes down everything the candidate has written once they have finished. In some cases, candidates may also be able to type their answers using a computer, probably in a separate room from the other candidates.
All candidates taking an exam on the Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform have the advantage of typing their answers rather than writing them by hand, allowing them to edit their work more easily. And research suggests this is beneficial for all learners, not only learners will additional needs (Kormos, 2017, p102).
Ease of navigation
Transferring answers from a paper-based exam paper to an answer sheet can cause difficulties for some learners. Special arrangements to improve accessibility may include learners being able to answer on a separate piece of paper and these answers being transferred onto the answer sheet by a member of staff at the exam centre.
On the Cambridge English Qualifications Digital platform, candidates answer each question on screen where the question is asked, eliminating the need to transfer answers. In addition, the navigation bar at the bottom makes it easy to move around between questions if needed. For learners with fine motor or visual impairments, most of this navigation can be done with the keyboard rather than the mouse, for example by using the tab key to move to the next field.
Where to find the features
Candidates can adjust the text size by clicking on the three lines in the top right of the screen.
The volume can be adjusted using the volume button in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Tips for preparation
To ensure your learners are confident taking digital exams, make sure they have lots of exposure to the format. There are many helpful resources on the Cambridge exam preparation pages to help with this:
- a video tutorial showing the features of the digital exam which you can show to your students (under Digital Exam Information)
- digital sample tests learners can try out for themselves
- a range of free lesson plans and learner materials to practise English using digital tools, in the teaching tips booklet.
Further support
Although digital assessments can offer many more in-built accessibility features than a paper-based test, it is important to say that these will not meet all learners’ needs and there will still be learners who will require special arrangements to enable them to do their best in their exams. Take a look at Cambridge’s guidance on special requirements and choose the best approach in discussion with your learners and exam centre.
Find out more about Cambridge English Qualifications Digital, the preferred exam experience, available from A2 Key for Schools to C2 Proficiency.
References
Kormos, J. (2017) The language learning processes of students with specific learning difficulties. New York. Routledge
If you would like further tips for preparing students for digital exams, take a read of ‘Six tips for preparing students for digital exams’ by Sangeetha Sathe.