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How Students Access the E-Assessment Platform

Lockdown Access (SEB and Kiosk)

Your school must use either the Safe Exam Browser (SEB) or Kiosk application for the OSSLT. The SEB and Kiosk applications provide assessment security by locking down all other functions of the device during the OSSLT.

This means third-party software, including accessibility software will be locked down.

For students who require assistive technology, an alternative access option is available.

Choose the SEB if using Windows devices, Macs or iPads.

Choose the Kiosk application if using Chromebooks or Android devices.

The installation and validation of the SEB software or Kiosk application on the testing devices should be the responsibility of your school’s or your school board’s IT representative. The SEB-configuration file has been made available to the technical specialist for the school to be downloaded or pushed onto these devices.

NOTE
Version 3.4.0 of the SEB must be installed for Windows, and version 3.1 must be installed for Macs and iPads. The previous SEB version must be uninstalled from all devices.

Enabling the Lockdown Browser

Teachers will need to enter the four-digit SEB Password or the six-digit Kiosk Password on each device in order to provide students with access to the login screen. This password can be found in the Technical Readiness checklist. The school administrator must provide this password to all teachers. Teachers will then use that password to enable the lockdown browser. The SEB and Kiosk passwords should not be shared with students. Once the lockdown browser is enabled, students can then log in to the e-assessment platform using the access code for the group and their OEN number provided by their teacher.

Alternative access for specific students with accommodations

If a student has an assistive-technology accommodation checked off in the Accommodations and Alternative Version section of the Student Information page and requires particular accessibility software that is not compatible with the SEB or the Kiosk application, the student will be able to access the OSSLT by logging in through the EQAO login page.

School administrators will need to indicate which students require the specific software (for their assistive-technology accommodations as noted on their IEP) that is not compatible with either the SEB or the Kiosk application. Only these students will be permitted to access the OSSLT through the EQAO login page. Students not permitted to use this alternative access method will receive an error message if they try to access the test in this way, and only be permitted to access the OSSLT through SEB or the Kiosk application.

The alternative access option:

  • requires no software installation
  • allows for the use of third-party software
  • does not lock down the device (however, when the student navigates away from the assessment screen, the system alerts the teacher, and the teacher should monitor this for potential Academic Dishonesty)
  • allows students to continue with the assessment after they navigate away, with less intervention from the teacher

When a student who is using the alternative access navigates away from an assessment screen or minimizes a page while in an assessment, an icon will appear next to the student’s name on the teacher’s Invigilation page as a notification that the student has navigated away from the assessment. The teacher will investigate and can dismiss the notification. If the student has navigated away from the assessment for a reason that is likely to impact the validity of the student’s response (for example, consulting an online source for answers to questions), the teacher may use the Report an Issue button.

IMPORTANT
Teachers should use the Invigilation page to frequently monitor students during the assessment to ensure students are adhering to guidelines. 

Student login process for alternative access

Teachers can advise students to follow the steps below in order to log in:

  1. Launch the browser and open the EQAO website: www.eqao.com.
  2. Select Login in the upper-right corner of the web page.
  3. On the login page, click Login under the Students section.
  4. Enter the access code and the OEN that your teacher provides, and then click Sign In.

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Updated on October 1, 2024