Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings

In order to take the exam, Study.com requires the exam to be proctored, and has partnered with a third-party proctoring company named Software Secure.  So you have a better understanding of how the process works, below we walk you through the steps.  We have also addressed some concerns you may have in regards to particular steps—please pay close attention to the items italicized below.

 

How it Works

 

Your student will be using Software Secure to take their proctored exam in the convenience of your school. Essentially, Software Secure is like a special kind of web browser that helps ensure academic integrity for your test. It is designed to flag potential academic violations and then send those to Study.com (in order for Study.com to review before making the final decision on whether to award college credit). 

 

In order to use Software Secure, you'll need a few things:

1. A webcam

2. A working microphone

3. An internet connection 200kb/s (.2mb/s) upload speed

4. And an exam code

 

When you click that 'Register for Exam' button, you'll be given an exam code, and then asked to test your system. The Software Secure website will test your system hardware, making sure your computer meets all their system requirements (the previously listed items, except the exam code).  Should you need system upgrades, Software Secure will walk you through those.

 

Once Software Secure is sure that you're ready, it will let you download the testing application for your Operating System. After you've downloaded and installed it, you can open the application and use your exam code.

 

At this point, Software Secure will check the rest of your computer for any problematic applications like instant messengers and other web browsers. The best thing to do is to close all other applications and keep only Software Secure open.

 

After that, Software Secure will ask the student to take a picture of their photo ID, scan the room in a full 360 degrees, and take a picture of the student.

 

Please Note: Videos are deleted by Software Secure within a week to thirty days. Additionally, all students (videos) are protected by FERPA when it comes to privacy concerns.  No identifying information accompanies the video, as our students have been exempted from needing to show an ID.  

 

Your student does not need to show their ID—instead, if you make a note on a piece of paper saying “Study.com license provided by CEEAS,” your student can hold that in front of the camera when asked for their ID.  While Software Secure may flag the exam due to this, Study.com has assured us they will verify your students’ identities.

 

A student does not need to be alone in the testing room.  Should your school/facility require that staff be in the room with the student (as opposed to providing eyes on supervision from outside the room), that is fine.  Just be sure that there is no verbal communication taking place.  While this will be noted when the student takes a 360 degree scan of the room with the camera, and Software Secure may flag the video as a result, Study.com has again assured us that this will not be considered an academic integrity violation.

 

Then, the student will be asked to log into their study.com account one last time, and they'll be ready to start their exam.

 

Once your student has finished taking their exam, they can close the Software Secure application. Every completed proctored exam on Study.com is evaluated for potential academic integrity violations. Academic integrity reviews can take up to two weeks to complete, after which students may log on to Study.com's secure dashboard to view their results. 

 

To learn more, you can watch this video: http://study.com/academy/popular/how-to-take-a-studycom-proctored-exam.html

 

If you have further questions for Software Secure, you can contact their tech support line at 855-436-2039.

 

 

Suggested Do's and Don’ts for Test-Taking

 

DO: Sit at a desk or table, clear of objects, papers or anything else that could look like notes for the exam.

 

DO: Sit in a well-lighted room.

 

DO: Make sure your desk and walls are clear of writing that could look like notes.

 

DON'T: Use any Office programs, textbooks, websites, calculators, pen or paper during your exam, unless the exam specifically allows it.

 

DON'T: Leave the room during your testing period at any time, for any reason.

 

DON’T: Talk to a teacher or secure care staff member who may be in the room with you while you are taking your exam.

 

DON'T: Use headphones, earplugs, or similar audio devices. Do not use a phone for any reason except to contact Software Secure support in the event of a technical issue.

 

Last bit of advice: Relax and good luck!