Overview
Memory Aids are a tool used to prompt memory of learned course material for students who experience cognitive processing deficits in working memory and recall. They do not provide direct answers or explicit course material that is being evaluated. This accommodation should not alter the academic requirements of students within the course subject.
What is a memory aid?
- A testing accommodation that allows a student to use ONE handwritten double sided 5-inch by 8-inch card with cues or reminders on an exam.
- In some cases, a student may be allowed to type Memory Aids and/or use an 8.5-inch by 11-inch sheet of paper.
- Memory Aids must be approved by the course faculty before using it on an exam.
- Faculty determine what is or is not appropriate for their exams.
Required Memory Aid Approval Process
Memory Aids will need to be approved by the course instructor prior to it being used on each exam. Students are required to turn in their Memory Aids to their instructor at least 2 business days prior to the exam date for approval. This gives instructors adequate time to review the content of the Memory Aid and gives students time to make any necessary adjustments and resubmit for approval.
To use a memory aid on exams, students need to:
- Request accommodations through the DRC each quarter.
- Meet with faculty at the start of the quarter to discuss the Memory Aid accommodation and what will be allowed.
- Turn in Memory Aid to faculty at least 2 business days prior to the exam for approval. This can be done in-person or over email/Canvas depending on your instructor’s preference.
- Follow faculty instructions on editing Memory Aid and resubmit it for approval before the exam.
- Show the proctor your approved Memory Aid when checking in for your exam. They will verify that it is signed by your faculty or that it matches what was approved.
- Turn in your Memory Aid to the proctor at the end of your exam.
- Understand that failure to get your Memory Aid approved will mean you cannot use it on your exam.
To approve a student’s Memory Aid, faculty need to:
- Give students guidance on what will and won’t be allowed on Memory Aids.
- Sign the card physically or send to drc@bellevuecollege.edu when it is approved.
- Contact the DRC with any questions or concerns regarding this accommodation.
The Disability Resource Center will help facilitate conversations about the Memory Aid accommodation between faculty and students when necessary. Please contact us if you need to set up a meeting for this.
What Memory Aids Look Like
Proper Memory Aids should not be useful unless the student understands the information it refers to and would most likely only make sense to the student who created it.
At the faculty’s discretion, Memory Aids could include:
- Acronyms
- Pictures
- Diagrams
- Short phrases
- Formulas
- Names
- Definitions
- Key Terms
- Tables
- Sample questions
Memory Aids should NOT:
- Serve as a substitute for studying
- Directly answer exam questions
- Include class notes or slides
- Include copied pages of textbook
- Include examples of how formulas are used or how problems are solved
- Include study guides or answer sheets from practice exams
- Include access to textbook or homework in the testing environment
Faculty Considerations
When approving Memory Aids, instructors should take into consideration the learning outcomes of the course and what the specific exam is evaluating. Memory Aids do not serve to provide direct answers, but to prompt a student to recall the information. For example, instructors may approve formulas on Memory Aids if it does not include a solved problem showing how to use it. For exams evaluating whether a student knows definitions, a Memory Aid should not include a list of terms along with their definitions.
If memorization of specific materials is a requirement to meet the core-learning outcomes, students may have limited ability to use a Memory Aid. Consultation with DRC staff and instructor will be required to assess what would be reasonable.
Last Updated July 8, 2026
