What is RACE?
Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE) facilitates access to the certificate examinations by candidates who would have difficulty in accessing the examination or communicating what they know to an examiner because of a physical, visual, hearing and/or learning difficulty. It provides accommodations for students with a variety of complex special educational needs including learning difficulties as well as permanent or temporary physical, visual, hearing, medical, sensory, emotional, behavioural or other conditions.
Key Features of the RACE Scheme
- Accommodations that were provided at Junior Cycle will be reactivated at Leaving Certificate subject to confirmation by the school authority of an identified continuing need.
- Specific Learning Difficulty has been broadened to a new category known as ‘Learning Difficulty’.
- NEPS are no longer involved in centrally considering applications.
- Candidates who had an individual special centre at Junior Cycle will be approved for Leaving Certificate should they still require it. Depending on the nature of the need it maybe a shared special centre rather than an individual one.
- A separate application process applies to Leaving Certificate candidates who did not have any accommodations at Junior Cycle.
- An Independent Appeals process continues to be offered.
Scope of the Race Scheme
Learning Difficulty:
- An Individual Reader to read the examination papers, without elaboration or explanation.
- A Reading Assistant to read occasional words or phrases of examination papers without elaboration or explanation.
- An Exam Reading Pen to scan text and convert it to speech which can be listened to using ear-phones.
- A word processor or recording device to record the candidate’s responses or, in very exceptional circumstances, access to a scribe.
- A waiver from the assessment of spelling, grammar and punctuation in language subjects.
Hearing Difficulty:
- Use of a personal CD player with a personal induction loop in the main examination centre for the aural examination.
- A special examination centre for the aural examination.
- A Modified aural examination in a language subject.
- Exemption from the aural examination, if modified aural in not appropriate for the candidate.
- An exemption from the aural component of the Music examination.
- A Sign language interpreter, to sign an examination paper, without elaboration or explanation.
- Being examined by an oral examiner who has been briefed in dealing with candidates with a hearing/speech impairment.
- Exemption from the oral tests, if support arrangements are unsuitable.
- Seating the candidate close to the superintendent and/or the CD player in the main examination centre can be arranged by the school.
Visual Difficulty:
- Standard examination paper enlarged to A3 size.
- Modified examination paper (visual elements removed or simplified), enlarged to A3 size.
- Braille version of modified paper.
- An Individual Reader to read the examination papers, without elaboration or explanation.
- A Reading Assistant to read occasional words or phrases of the examination papers without elaboration or explanation.
- An Exam Reading Pen to scan text and convert it to speech which can be listened to using ear-phones.
- A word processor or recording device to record the candidate’s responses or, in very exceptional circumstances, access to a scribe.
- Use of drawing aids such as parallel motion drawing boards and smaller drawing sheets in the subjects Technical Graphics, DCG, Construction Studies, Materials Technology (Wood) or Technology.
- Colour identifier in Geography.
- Low vision aids, magnifiers and reading lamps normally used in the classroom can be arranged by the school.
Physical Difficulty (including medical, sensory, behavioural and mental health difficulties)
- A word-processor, standard or voice-activated or a recording device to record the candidate’s responses or, in very exceptional circumstances, access to a scribe.
- Use of drawing aids such as parallel motion drawing boards and smaller drawing sheets in the subjects Technical Graphics, DCG, Construction Studies, Materials Technology (Wood) or Technology.
- Junior Cycle Home Economics only – exemption from the practical and/or project.
For this years' criteria see: https://www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ca&sc=ra