Chapter 16 – Memory Aid Guidelines

Overview

For students who have documented disabilities that affect long-term memory retrieval, using a memory aid sheet may be a reasonable accommodation. Memory aids allow the student to demonstrate knowledge of course material by helping prompt the student’s memory, not by providing the answer. Students are responsible for learning course materials, discerning which materials may require cues or prompts, developing the cues that will appear on the aid, and securing the faculty’s approval of the aid.

This accommodation appears on the “Faculty Notification Letter” email as “Memory Aid”.

If the faculty is concerned this accommodation is unreasonable because it will lower standards, compromise an essential component of, or fundamentally alter a course or program, such concerns should be addressed to the SAR Center upon receipt of the “Faculty Notification Letter” email.

The determination that an accommodation is unreasonable is an institutional decision that must be made within legal parameters and in consultation with the SAR Center. Faculty should not unilaterally render and attempt to implement a judgment that an accommodation is unreasonable.

What Documentation Is Needed?

Students seeking this accommodation must provide documentation that includes the following. Please review Chapter 3 for information:

1. Validated measures of performance validity

2. A memory assessment that provides the following:

a. Demonstrates actual learning of information took place.

b. Requires the student to recall the learned information after a standardized period of time.

c. Confirms that the student failed to retrieve the learned information.

d. Confirms that the student could recall it when given cues.

e.  Confirms that the difference between the student’s spontaneous recall and cued recall is significantly larger than it is for other students (e.g., normed comparisons).

Working Memory: Low scores on measures of “working memory” and “auditory working memory” are not sufficient evidence to support the need for a memory aid accommodation. Working memory does not require actual storage of information. Auditory working memory does not require the transferal of temporarily held information into long-term storage.

What Does a Memory Aid Look Like?

Styles of memory aids may vary and are at the discretion of the faculty. Generally, they can be written or typed using a size 10 or 12 font on a large index card, OR up to one side of an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper. There are two types of memory aids that may be approved of as an accommodation:

• Cue Sheet – a document containing information that serves as “prompts” to help cue a student’s recall of previously learned information. For example, a word bank, or pictures.

• Formula Sheet – a document containing formulae. Formulae refers to a set of rules or principles that are expressed using symbols, figures, or both. Students are permitted a formula sheet only on exams that test students on their use and application of formula. Faculty may not permit students to use formula sheets on exams that evaluate student’s recall of formulae itself.

The Memory Aid accommodation should NOT:

1. Include course notes, lists of specific facts, details, concepts, or processes being tested

2. Include complete terms and definitions

3. Include specific examples of how formulas are used

4. Include full course notes, copies of course slides, or all information from the course being evaluated

5. Exceed one page (single sided)

6. Include open textbooks

7. Serve as a substitute of studying (a cue sheet will not help if a student has not studied the material)

Process

1. The SAR Center will email the Notification of Academic Accommodations to the faculty regarding the support of a memory aid for quizzes, midterms, and final exams.

2. The faculty should contact the SAR Center if there are any concerns regarding this accommodation.

3. If the faculty believes this accommodation is not reasonable, then the process for an accommodation dispute should be followed.

4. Faculty must complete a Course Instruction Template before the SAR Center can proctor an exam.

• Students are responsible for sending the proposed memory aid to their faculty for approval at least two business days before exams.

5. The faculty must review the memory aid and, upon approval, send it to the Alternative Testing Center.

• Students may not bring the approved memory aid or cue sheet with them to the test.

6. Students must select this accommodation (memory aid) when scheduling course exams.

7. The Alternative Testing Center will return the memory aid to the faculty along with the completed exam, unless otherwise directed by faculty.

It is important to note:

1. Given the specific analysis for each course, a memory aid may be allowed for some exams but not others.

2. The SAR Center will consider requests for a memory aid on a case-by-case basis.

3. The SAR Center will not approve use of memory aids as a reasonable accommodation when doing so results in a fundamental alteration of academic standards.

Memory Aid Student Responsibilities

1. Plan Ahead

a. Review your course outlines in advance. Make note of your test dates.

b. Look over your course materials to determine if you will need to use a memory aid for the next upcoming test.

c. Please review the SAR Center Memory Aid Guidelines.

d. Familiarize yourself with the learning outcomes of the test.

e.  Discuss with your faculty what type of content would be permitted on the memory aid.

2. Create

a. Study your course materials.

b. Create a list of the information you will need help remembering during the test.

c. Compile your content into your final document. Ensure that it follows the memory aid guidelines.

3. Submit

a. Submit the memory aid to your faculty for review at least two days before the test date.

• At this stage, your faculty may either: Approve your memory aid and deliver it, along with your test, to the Alternative Testing Center.

• At this stage, your faculty may either: Return the memory aid to you with suggestions and feedback for revision.

4. Attend

a. Attend your test or exam, as scheduled. Your memory aid will be administered with your test or exam materials.

• Please note that once a memory aid is submitted, students cannot bring additional notes or a revised memory aid to the test.

• Please note that memory aids may be retained by the Alternative Testing Center and returned to the course faculty with the completed exam.

Faculty Responsibilities

1. Inform the SAR Center if memory aid content compromises academic integrity. For more information: Faculty Handbook: Reasonable and Unreasonable Accommodations

• Provide the student with timely feedback to allow for revisions, if needed.

• Submit the memory aid, along with other exam materials, to the Alternative Testing Center.

• When a memory aid is permitted for part of the exam, submit the exam to the Alternative Testing Center in two parts. In the instructions, state which part of the exam the memory aid will be permitted for. When the student takes the exam, they will be given the exam following the instructions provided. For example: “The student will be given part one of the exam without a memory aid and they must return part one to the proctor to receive part two of the exam and their memory aid.”