Inclusive assessment: supporting SEN and SEND students in a live class
· 6 min read
In Askroom Live a teacher can give any one student extra time or no time limit, reading aloud, larger text, a calm screen, and no exam alerts for assistive tools, from the 💙 beside their name. Every student also has an Aa button to make their own screen easier, and can take a break that stops their clock. Only that student's screen changes.
Why it matters
Students with special educational needs (SEN or SEND in the UK, special education or an IEP or 504 plan in the US, children with special needs in India) often know the answer but are held back by reading, time, or a busy screen. Good accommodations remove the barrier without changing what is being assessed, and without singling the student out in front of the class.
Set support for one student
- 1Go live as usual. In the waiting room, on the progress cards or in the results table, press 💙 beside the student's name.
- 2Choose their time: +25%, +50%, double, or no time limit. It applies to the test time limit and to question countdowns.
- 3Tick what helps: read every question aloud, larger text, a calm screen, and in exam mode, no exam alerts for students using assistive tools.
- 4Press Save. Their screen changes at once; classmates are not told and the projector never shows names.
What students can choose themselves
- Text size up to twice as large, and high contrast.
- Easy-read or clear letter shapes, and more space between letters and lines.
- Read each question aloud, with a slower voice.
- A calm screen, a hidden countdown and less movement.
- Tap instead of drag, with bigger buttons.
- A break whenever they need one: in a timed test their clock stops until they press I'm ready to go on.
Common accommodations and how to give them
- Extra time, such as 25%: Support → Time.
- Rest breaks: the student's ☕ I need a break button.
- A reader: read every question aloud.
- Large print: larger text, or text size up to 200%.
- Coloured overlays or visual stress: high contrast, easy-read letters and spacing.
- Reduced distraction: calm screen and a hidden countdown.
- A scribe: a teaching assistant enters answers on the student's own device, or the student answers by speaking or drawing.
- Assistive technology in tests: no exam alerts.
Many ways to show what they know
Following the ideas of Universal Design for Learning, every question can be answered in the way that suits the student and the subject: tapping a choice or a picture, typing, drawing on a whiteboard, speaking, writing on a PDF worksheet, or using the maths and science keyboard. Describe each picture in the editor so screen readers can read it out.
Records and reviews
The session report marks students who had support, each student's sheet lists the support and the time spent on breaks, and the CSV export has a Support column. That is useful evidence for SEN support plans, IEP reviews and exam access arrangement applications.
Good practice
- Agree the support with the student, their family and your SENCO or special education team, and use it in ordinary lessons, not only in tests.
- Let students try the Aa options in a low-stakes quiz first, so they know what helps them.
- Keep questions short and clear, and add a description to every picture.
- Offer another way to answer a drawing question for students who cannot draw: set a spoken or written question instead.
Try it with your class
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