###### Abstract  
Ensuring equitable educational opportunities for blind and visually impaired (BVI) students in Saudi Arabian higher education remains challenging despite legislative and institutional efforts. This paper proposes a system to assist BVI students independently during exams, aiming to create an inclusive exam environment that minimizes distractions and facilitates their participation alongside peers. Key contributions include the development of a secure platform, ensuring exam confidentiality, and fostering confidence and active engagement among BVI individuals. The study highlights the importance of integrating innovative assistive technologies and implementing rigorous policies to overcome systemic barriers and improve support mechanisms for BVI students in educational settings. assistive technology; access technology; visually impaired; blind; vision loss; BVI; examination; assessment; higher education; university; Braille +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
It is important to emphasize the importance of uniform policies in promoting insutivity. Although the Disability Center may assign a separate hall for BVI students to take exams, this approach can unintentionally lead to exclusion [2]. BVI students can participate in exams alongside their peers. However, university policies restrict BVI students from taking their smart devices, like BrailleSense, to the examination hall [2]. As a result, students have to bring a reader, which may limit their independence and cause noise or distraction for other students [2]. Although some instructors may make accommodations by rescheduling exams or allowing students to take exams without a reader or scribe, there is a need for more consistent and supportive standardized policies [2]. Traditional examination methods, such as using paper and pencil, are still more prevalent than computer-based alternatives [2; 8]. However, there is a noticeable shift towards integrating assistive technologies, especially in normative examinations [2; 8]. These exams involve assessing handwritten corrections for multiple-choice test answers extracted from scanned answer sheets. This reflects a broader movement within academia to leverage advanced technologies to make the examination process more efficient and accessible. Providing reliable and consistent support for BVI students is crucial to ensuring equal opportunities. The underutilization of available technological advancements is a significant barrier to the academic success of blind students. Nevertheless, by leveraging technology and utilizing existing, albeit limited, resources, we can create a more inclusive and supportive system for them [1; 9]. Various solutions have been proposed worldwide to enhance exam accessibility for visually impaired students. In India, researchers recommend a robust application with an interactive online assessment interface. This system enables examiners to conduct assessments efficiently using simple voice commands. It also incorporates a text-to-speech synthesizer that reads aloud text displayed on screens, including web pages and documents. The authors suggest future enhancements, such as adding authentication features and improving speech-to-text conversion techniques [10]. At the University of Macedonia, a web-based examination system has been developed to facilitate access for visually impaired students from any computer with internet connectivity. Blind users require only screen reading software, while low-vision students can access information through reading, listening, or a combination of both methods [11]. In Turkey, researchers have created an audio-based computerized adaptive testing software called SesiTest, specifically designed for secondary school students with visual impairments [12]. They also developed an online voice-assisted exam system (OVAES) based on the universal design model (UDM). This system allows participants to perform online assessments independently, using biometric data on customizable online pages without needing assistance [13].