What is the Reasonable Accommodations in Certificate Examinations (RACE) scheme?
The Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE) scheme is a program designed to provide support and accommodations for students with special educational needs during state examinations in Ireland, such as the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate exams. Key aspects of the RACE scheme include: Purpose: It aims to remove barriers to access and allow students with disabilities or special needs to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities in exams without compromising the integrity of the assessment. Eligibility: The scheme is for students with various special educational needs, including learning difficulties, physical disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, and other medical, sensory, emotional, or behavioural conditions. Types of accommodations: Examples include: Enlarged or Braille versions of exam papers Use of assistive technology (e.g., voice-activated computers, screen readers) Provision of scribes or readers Extra time or rest breaks Exemptions from certain exam components (e.g., aural tests for hearing-impaired students) Application process: Schools apply on behalf of eligible students to the State Examinations Commission (SEC). Applications require information about the student's condition, educational needs, and supporting documentation. Timing: Accommodations granted at the Junior Certificate level are likely to be carried forward to Leaving Certificate exams, subject to reactivation and confirmation that the need still exists Principles: The scheme is based on principles that ensure fairness, integrity of assessment, and appropriateness of accommodations to individual needs. The RACE scheme is an important tool for ensuring equal access to state examinations for students with special educational needs in Ireland.