C-Pen Exam Reader 2: a one-page briefing for exam supervisors

A student using a C-Pen Exam Reader 2 has an approved exam provision to have printed text read aloud by the pen. The pen reads text and nothing else: it has no dictionary, no translation, no internet connection and no storage. Supervisors need no specialist training. This page covers what to check before, during and after the exam.

What the pen is

• The C-Pen Exam Reader 2 is a handheld reading pen, about the size of a highlighter. It is orange, which makes it easy to tell apart from the everyday C-Pen models.
• The student scans a line of printed text, and the pen reads it aloud through headphones.
• It can read the exam questions and the student's own printed responses back to them.

What it cannot do

• It cannot look up words, translate or give answers.
• It cannot store, save or send anything. There is nothing to clear after the exam.
• It cannot connect to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Before the exam

• Confirm the student's provision is approved for this exam.
• Check the pen is an Exam Reader 2 (orange).
• Check it is charged. A full charge lasts a school day.
• Check UI lock is on, so settings can't be changed (see Exam Mode setup).
• Plug in the headphones and scan a line of test text to check the sound.
• Have a spare, charged Exam Reader 2 and headphones in the room. For exams that can't be rescheduled, treat this as essential.

During the exam

• The student uses headphones, unless they are sitting in a separate room where the speaker is allowed.
• The student operates the pen themselves. Supervisors do not scan for them.
• Follow your authority's rules on seating, extra time and separate rooms. In Victoria, for example, students approved for an electronic reader sit in a separate room.

If the pen stops working

1. Check the headphones are plugged in fully and the volume is up.
2. If the pen still doesn't work, swap to the spare pen straight away. A reset needs the pen charged for two hours first, so it isn't a mid-exam fix.
3. If there is no spare, follow your school's procedure for a human reader.
4. Record the time lost and report it under your authority's rules.
5. After the exam, charge the faulty pen and reset it: hold the reset button on the back for 10 seconds with a paperclip, then hold the power button until the screen lights up.

After the exam

• Collect the pen and headphones.
• Charge the pen ready for the next exam.
• Nothing needs to be deleted: the Exam Reader 2 stores nothing.

Printable version

Download the one-page exam supervisor briefing (PDF)