Exams from Home
bahabeach recognizes that educators desire to support test candidates remotely, just as they would in the classroom or a testing center, as they journey through the certification process. An effective tool for this is the Exams from Home online proctoring solution which was created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resource enables teachers to provide classroom-like assistance as they deliver secure remote testing.
With Exams from Home, educators can utilize a shared-screen approach that enables immediate assistance to remote test candidates. This remote exam proctoring solution allows test candidates to continue their education experience and earn industry-recognized certifications for college and career success. Teachers will find the live remote proctoring capabilities of Exams from Home help them to be more effective and efficient.
We encourage certification testing to be done in-person, if possible, and only use Exams from Home if local restrictions prevent in-person testing.
Notice: Due to the continued pandemic, Exams from Home will be offered as long as COVID-19 restricts the ability of customers to receive in-person certification testing. We will continue to monitor local government rules and restrictions to determine the continued availability of this offering.
Have bahabeach contact you about Exams from Home
Learn about Exams from Home
Get details about bahabeach's Exams from Home (EFH) solution and prepare for your first session by reviewing all of the sections on this page.
Exams from Home | Exam Administration | Test Candidates | Checklist | Exams List | Updates & Support
See information about the solution and how it differs from a traditional native environment in a classroom or training center.
What is Exams from Home
Exams from Home is a solution that delivers our traditional Compass software in a virtual environment. It does not require the Exam Administrator or Test Candidate to download any software, including any locally installed software required for Live-in-the-Application exams.
Please Note: If you are brand new to testing with bahabeach and have never delivered an exam via any platform you should review our basic account management and exam administration
training before diving into Exams from Home.
If you have delivered exams with Compass, but have not used Exams from Home, a basic overview of what you need to know is as follows:
- Understanding that Compass and any required software is on a virtual machine accessed via a browser (see video below)
- Vetting the technical requirements of virtual delivery
- Familiarizing yourself with bahabeach's Admin VM tool (what the Proctor/Exam Administrator uses to deliver exams)
- Scheduling a session and receiving your browser links
- Performing an Identity & Environment check just before the start of your scheduled session
How does Exams from Home work?
After you have checked out the video above, learn more about the features of the Exams from Home virtual solution by clicking below.
| Features |
Virtual Compass
(Exams from Home) |
Native
Compass |
| Reporting |
Yes |
Yes |
| Exam Groups |
Yes |
Yes |
| Vouchers, Inventory, & Licenses |
Yes |
Yes |
| ADA Accommodations |
Yes |
Yes |
| Available Exams |
See Exams List |
All Exams |
| Compass Install |
Contained in the VM |
Local per machine |
| Local Software Install for LITA |
Contained in the VM |
Local per machine |
| Auto Updates |
Yes |
Yes |
| Admin Rights Required |
No |
Yes |
| Who can administer exams? |
Any associated Proctor |
Any associated Proctor |
Get the details on our delivery model and options.
Exams from Home delivery model
An Exam Administrator (Proctor) will administer the exams through a typical exam experience with a high-speed internet connection and almost any computer via our virtual machines. CATCs can schedule at their convenience based on availability they see in the calendar.
Note: Only the bahabeach Admin VM tool can deliver the virtual sessions. Teams (or any third-party applications) cannot be used to directly administer the exams.
Details
- 1-10 Test Candidates
- Point of contact with the Test Candidate: you, the Exam Administrator (Proctor)
- Who administers the virtual exam sessions: you, the Exam Administrator (Proctor)
- Available for all Test Candidates including those with accommodations
- Available for most programs (see the Exams List page)
- See the Exam Administrator page for user training
To schedule a session, please see section 4 on this page.
Important: Scheduling an exam with an accommodation does not grant extra time, you must get approved through the online ADA
application process first.
What do I need to know before I begin?
Important info for the solution including links to user training and more.
Important info
- It may take two business days to receive the approval of your scheduling request
- For any questions or changes to a scheduled exam session see our updates & support page. Inquiries should be made at least two business days in advance
- We ask that you only request exam reservations for the number of exams that you will actually use, as the VMs are repurposed throughout the day for other Test Candidates
- Requests for next day appointments cannot be honored
- The person scheduling the session does not have to be the Exam Administrator (Proctor)
User Training & Technical Requirements
After you have reviewed this page and scheduled your session, see the user training pages for detailed information about using the Exams from Home solution (including technical requirements):
User Training:
Technical Requirements:
There are different ways to schedule depending on your region and the desired exam language.
Important scheduling details
To participate, review the information on this page and determine the actual number of committed Test Candidates carefully in your session request. No-shows waste a valuable seat another Test Candidate could have used.
When using the Exams from Home solution please note that there are two time limits you need to be aware of:
- Session time: the amount of time the virtual machine is active - about 1 hour 45 minutes for a standard session (a standard session would be everything except exams with accommodations)
- Exam time: the actual timed portion the Test Candidate has to complete the certification exam - between 45-60 minutes for all exams except exams with accommodations
Session time is used by the Test Candidate to log in, select the exam, review the tutorial, ask the Proctor any questions, review their results, send feedback, or to complete other similar tasks. If the Test Candidate arrives later than 15 minutes to their scheduled session, they will need to reschedule their exam as there may not be enough overall time to complete all tasks as well as the exam itself.
Scheduling your session
When ready, use one of the methods below to schedule your Exams from Home session:
Inside of North America
Scheduling candidates (No-Am calendar):
Log in, change your role in the dropdown at the top of the page to "Organization Administrator" or "Proctor". For Org Admins, mouse over the "Training & Tools" tab and click the menu item for "Schedule Exams". For Proctors, click the "Schedule Exams" tab. Review the information on the page and select a block at the bottom of the page that matches your desired number of candidates, exam program, and/or whether or not your Test Candidate has an accommodation.
Outside of North America
Scheduling candidates (International calendar):
Please contact the
Solution Provider in your region to get access to the international calendar to schedule exams in languages other than English (ENU) or in regions outside of North America. Not all exams and languages are available in the Exams from Home solution, please see the full
Exams List.
Exams from Home | Exam Administration | Test Candidates | Checklist | Exams List | Updates & Support
Frequently asked questions
Q: What if I have not received my session hyperlink by the time our scheduled session has begun?
A: We will be sending out most links and session information at 8 am MT (Mountain Time) the business day prior to the exam session (Monday session info will be sent on Friday). If you have not received your link within an hour of when your session is set to begin, please contact your bahabeach representative or see our support page.
Q: Why are there so many different scheduling blocks in the calendar?
A: The virtual machines (VMs) vary in power, image content, times active, and are reused throughout a single business day. Therefore, one size does not fit all for our exams; they must be scheduled accordingly so we can match the correct technology with the correct exam environment, and support as many Centers and Test Candidates as possible.
Q: Is the virtual session a Windows or Mac environment?
A: Test Candidates and Exam Administrators (Proctors) may use a Windows, Mac, or Chromebook device to take an exam or administer a session, but the actual virtual session will occur in a Windows 10 environment. See the Technical Requirements on the Exam Administrator and Test Candidate pages for the full solution requirements.
Q: Does the Test Candidate need the software installed on their personal computer for LITA (Live-in-the-Application) exams?
A: No. The required software for Microsoft, Adobe, or Autodesk will be installed on the virtual machine that the Test Candidate connects to via hyperlink.
Q: Do different exam programs require different levels of bandwidth?
A: No. The burden of the exam delivery software (Compass), the operating system, and the locally installed software (if applicable) is moved to the cloud in Exams from Home. Generally, the faster things change/refresh on the screen, the higher the data transfer rate will need to be (for example, streaming a video would require far more bandwidth than viewing a photo). In the case of Exams from Home, this would primarily be download speed because the virtual machine is sending the information from the remote desktop to the Test Candidate’s computer via the browser window. Therefore, all programs delivered in Exams from Home have the same requirements. 5Mbps download speed is where we landed for the best testing experience for a Test Candidate, and 10Mbps for an Exam Administrator (Proctor).
Q: Do we have to use Exams from Home?
A: No. With a worldwide network of testing centers, we rely on those individual centers to determine what is best based on their particular circumstances and to comply with all applicable laws, mandates, and restrictions. If your local restrictions are such that in-person sessions are now permitted, and you believe that you can administer exams in the best interest of the health and safety of all persons and parties involved, then feel free to use our traditional (native) delivery solutions.
Q: The Test Candidate requires an ADA accommodation; can I still apply for one with Exams from Home?
A: Yes. bahabeach is committed to ensuring that those persons with the desire to certify their proficiency in the use of computers should have the opportunity to do so. bahabeach is committed to providing access for all individuals with disabilities.
bahabeach and its Authorized Testing Centers require advance notification of requests for accommodations as well as a reasonable amount of time to review and implement such requests. bahabeach and its CATC's are not obligated to accommodate examinees with language limitations unrelated to a documented disability (e.g., English as a second language, literacy) nor to provide unlimited time for the completion of exams that are designed to certify not only knowledge but also efficiency in the use of computers. For more information see our ADA page.
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