Rules for computers

A computer may be approved for students whose disability prevents them from independently communicating their responses in a handwritten format, and there is strong medical evidence that the student’s writing difficulty cannot be addressed with any alternative provision, such as a writer and/or rest breaks.

A student who has approval to use a computer must use ExamWriter for their exam responses unless an exception has been granted. 

Before exams, ExamWriter instructions and access information will be sent to schools that have a student approved a computer.

Types of computers and equipment that can be used

• Students using ExamWriter: either a desktop or laptop computer provided by the school or BYOD*
• Students with approval to use software other than ExamWriter: a desktop or laptop computer must be provided by the school and cleared of any subject-related material.
• If a laptop is used, the student should be seated near a power point, if possible, and the laptop plugged in.
• If a power point is not close, the battery must be fully charged before the start of each exam, as a flat battery will not be considered grounds for illness/misadventure.
• Physical keyboard (wired or wireless).
• Pointing device, such as a mouse for navigation.
• Internet connection for students using ExamWriter only. Students with approval to use software other than ExamWriter must not have access to an internet connection during the exam.

* Windows and MAC only. Managed and unmanaged Chromebooks, iPads, tablets and mobile phones are not supported.

Setting up computers and seating

Computers must be set up in the exam room by school staff and ready for use before the exam starts. Students are not permitted access to the computer before exams begin.

All students approved to use a computer are automatically given small group supervision. The supervisor should sit where they can see the screen, without intimidating or distracting the students.

Setting out and answering exams

ExamWriter has 20 pages between which you can switch. Go to a new page only when you start a new section of the exam, or when the question paper says to use a new writing booklet.

Students with approval to use software other than ExamWriter must type their student number, centre number and exam name at the top of the response. Students must also type the section number and question number before each response.

Multiple-choice questions

The question number should be put on the far left of the page, followed by a full stop, followed by a short space, followed by the student's answer, for example:

1. A
2. C
3. B

Short answer questions

The setting out depends on the way the questions are organised.

For example

1. $32.50
2. 64%
3. 78km

Q21

1. The Asian economic crisis
2. (i) diversification
   (ii) development of new markets
3. The union movement

Essay questions

Students should put the question number before each response. Start a new item/page for each essay, unless you have approval to use software other than ExamWriter.

Language exams

In language exams, the following rules apply.

Students can:

• type in English
• MAC – long press on the letter will allow choice of relevant accents
• PC – students can use the ALT short cut numbers to insert accents. Please ensure this is working on the computer before attempting it in the lockdown browser. It will not work in the lockdown browser if it doesn’t work in Microsoft Word.

Students cannot:

• type in a character based language, such as Chinese or Japanese where using a keyboard provides the student with character options or associated words from which to choose.

Suspicious behaviour

If a supervisor notices a student opening another file or document, or transferring information from a pre-existing file or document into their answers, then the supervisor should ask the student to move back from the computer.

If the unauthorised material is still open on the computer, the supervisor must take a photograph of the screen with assistance from the presiding officer or school staff if necessary. All unauthorised documents or programs must then be closed.

If the student is seen using an external storage device such as a USB flash drive or memory card, the device should be confiscated immediately.

The student should be warned not to access any other file or page other than their exam responses again, and permitted to continue with the exam. The supervisor must make a detailed record of what was observed and the time at which it occurred.

At the conclusion of the exam, the supervisor and/or presiding officer should follow the procedures for Breach of Exam Rules/Malpractice. Any storage devices that were confiscated must be sent to NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) with the Breach of Exam Rules/Malpractice paperwork.

Students not using ExamWriter

If students are unable to use ExamWriter in one or more courses, they need to get permission from NESA to use another word processor. Students need to include evidence to show why ExamWriter is not feasible.

If approved, NESA will permit the student to use WordPad or TextEdit, which improve security and reduce functions that cannot be replicated by handwriting.

Submitting work

If a student has been given approval to use software other than ExamWriter, their responses must be printed and returned with all other handwritten responses. It is not necessary to save the student's work to a storage device and send it with the printed answers.

If the student is using a computer that is NOT connected to a printer, the student should transfer their answers onto a flash drive or memory card and give this to the supervisor. Together, the supervisor and student (and an appropriate teacher if necessary) should take the flash drive or memory card to a computer connected to a printer. The student should check the printed file.

After thoroughly checking the printed exam response is correct, the computer coordinator, supervisor or appropriate teacher MUST ERASE ALL SAVED WORK from any associated storage device or network.

Contact Student Support

• phone (02) 9367 8117
• email studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au