The Accommodations function in Blackboard Ultra allows you to provide students with additional time for timed Blackboard Tests or Assignments, in accordance with the reasonable adjustments recommended by the Disability Advice Service (DAS).
Important: The Accommodations feature does not apply extra time for third party assessment tool Gradescope and Mobius. Extra time needs to be setup separately in these tools. Accommodations override due date auto-submit settings (Prohibit Late Submissions); students with Accommodations will always receive the maximum amount of time allowed and their assessments will only auto-submit once their time has run out.
- Set a time limit accommodation
- DAS recommendations as a percentage
- Accommodations – not recommended for use
Set a time limit accommodation
Accommodations are set at course level for individual students and will automatically adjust the time a student has for every Blackboard assessment tool where a time limit can be added (Tests and Assignments).
These instructions describe how to set time limit accommodations for summative assessments using a percentage. The accommodation will apply to any timed assessments created on the course.
- Step 1: Open the accommodations panel for the specific student
- Step 2: Apply time limit accommodation as a percentage
- Step 3: Save and return to student list
Step 1: Open the accommodations panel for the specific student
(a) Navigate to the Gradebook, open the Students tab and locate the student you wish to grant an accommodation for.
(b) You can use the search function on this tab to locate the student in a large cohort.
(c) Click on the three dot menu for the student and select Accommodations from the menu.
Step 2: Apply time limit accommodation as a percentage
The Accommodations panel will open for the student you have selected.
(d) Select “Time limit accommodation”
(e) Select “Custom percentage”
(f) Add a whole number percentage to the percentage field.
Step 3: Save the accommodation and return to the student list
Save the changes and the accommodations panel will close.
Once saved a pop-up window will appear explaining that “time limits for previously submitted work will update”.
Click add to continue
In the Student list (and wherever the student’s name appears in the course for staff) there is now a purple ribbon icon to indicate that this student has an accommodation set up.
Calculating extra time as a percentage
There are two reasonable adjustments indicated by DAS for a student that can be applied to timed assessments and used to calculate extra time. These are additional time and rest breaks.
Where additional time is given for SpLDs or other needs it is usually stated as a percentage and can be added directly into the ‘Custom percentage’ function.
A student may also be entitled to rest breaks and is indicated as minutes per hour. This need to be converted to a percentage to be entered as an accomodation, and where required, added to any additional time percentage.
Important: The standard rest break is 10 minutes per hour (17% rounded-up) but always check a student’s ILP for more detail. This is only an average and if a student needs rest breaks for certain reasons (for example, toilet breaks for a wheelchair user or to administer medication) the time may need to be longer.
| Percentage | Minutes per hour | Percentage | Minutes per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17% (Standard rest break) | 10.2 | 26% | 15.6 |
| 18% | 10.8 | 27% | 16.2 |
| 19% | 11.4 | 28% | 16.8 |
| 20% | 12 | 29% | 17.4 |
| 21% | 12.6 | 30% | 18 |
| 22% | 13.2 | 31% | 18.6 |
| 23% | 13.8 | 32% | 19.2 |
| 24% | 14.4 | 33% | 19.8 |
| 25% | 15 | 34% | 20.4 |
Accommodation types not to be used with summative assessment
There are two accommodations options listed that should not be used in summative assessment procedures at the University of Reading.
- (g) Due date accommodation – this will prevent students from ever having work marked as late – late submissions are not marked as such.
- (d) Unlimited extra time – with our current arrangements for students with reasonable adjustments there is no need for this option.
Guide last updated on May 27, 2026