E1Special assessment needs
The IB believes that all candidates must be allowed to take their examinations under conditions that are as fair as possible. Where normal examination conditions and assessment procedures would put candidates at a disadvantage and prevent them from being able to demonstrate their skills and knowledge adequately, reasonable forms of accommodation may be authorized. Candidates eligible for special assessment arrangements are those with individual needs such as a specific learning difficulty, an emotional or behavioural difficulty, physical, sensory or medical conditions, or mental health problems.
For information about the IB’s policy on candidates with special needs, refer to the IB publication Candidates with special assessment needs. Please study this publication before contacting IB Cardiff with an inquiry or submitting a request for special assessment arrangements. For inquiries concerning administration, contact the coordinator help desk (help@ibo.org), or for advice about a particular candidate’s needs, contact the manager for special educational needs (sen@ibo.org).
Do not inform an examiner about a candidate’s personal circumstances, disability, medical condition or special need of any kind and do not send a copy of Form D1 (Candidates with special assessment needs) or Form D2 (Candidates affected by adverse circumstances and/or a temporary medical condition) to an examiner with a candidate’s examination material.
E1.1Assessment arrangements not requiring authorization
At the discretion of the coordinator (or head of school), the following arrangements are permitted in examinations without prior authorization from the coordinator help desk at IB Cardiff.
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A candidate is permitted to take an examination in a separate room if it is in the best interests of the candidate or other candidates in the group. For example, lighting may be a particular consideration for a candidate with a visual impairment, or a room with an echo may be detrimental to a candidate with a hearing impairment. Furthermore, a candidate’s condition or the nature of the special arrangement (for example, an amanuensis, or a word processor) may disturb other candidates, in which case a separate examination room is justified. If the examination is taken in a separate room, all regulations governing the conduct of the IB examinations must be observed. The candidate must be kept under the constant supervision of an invigilator.
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The coordinator may arrange for appropriate seating to meet the needs of individual candidates (for example, sitting near the front may be appropriate for a candidate with a visual or hearing impairment).
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A candidate may take medication and/or refreshments to alleviate a medical condition such as diabetes.
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A care assistant may be in attendance if this is necessary for the welfare or safety of a candidate. The assistant must not be another candidate or a relative of the candidate.
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A candidate who normally uses an aid (for example, a coloured overlay, a sound amplification device, a radio aid, a hearing aid, a low vision aid, a magnifying glass, coloured filter lenses) is allowed to use the aid in examinations.
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A candidate with a hearing condition may receive instructions from a communicator. This arrangement must be confined to explaining the conduct of the examination and the instructions in an examination paper. The communicator must not convey information about any aspect of a question in the paper.
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For a candidate who is colour blind, the coordinator (or invigilator) is permitted to name colours in an examination paper (for example, on a map in a geography examination). However, no other form of assistance may be given without authorization.
E1.2Assessment arrangements requiring authorization
All special assessment arrangements (that is, arrangements other than those listed in section E1.1) must have prior authorization from the coordinator help desk at IB Cardiff.
A request for special arrangements must be submitted on Form D1 and supported with medical documentation (translated into English, French or Spanish where necessary). Send the form and the medical documents to the coordinator help desk at IB Cardiff to arrive by 1 May/1 November, 12 months before the written examinations. The form must indicate the:
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candidate’s name, intended category and examination session
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subjects/components affected
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nature of the condition
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special arrangements being requested
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special arrangements currently available to the candidate for class assignments and school examinations.
For candidates who are visually impaired, include details about the modification of examination papers (for example, enlargement) including the Braille code required for candidates who are blind.
E1.3Candidates registered under the anticipated category
For anticipated candidates who are taking one or two subjects at standard level after one year studying the Diploma Programme, it may not be feasible to submit a request for special arrangements 12 months before their written examinations. Please submit the request as soon as possible after the start of their first year. It may not be possible to authorize certain special arrangements for anticipated candidates (for example, modified examination papers) owing to the time taken to undertake this task.
For the diploma session one year later, it is not necessary to send a second request for special assessment arrangements (although this is necessary for retake candidates). However, if a candidate’s condition changes after the first request for special arrangements has been submitted, the coordinator help desk must be informed.