A C-Pen Exam Reader 2 can be used in Australian senior exams and NAPLAN when the school applies for and is granted the relevant provision. Each state and territory authority runs its own process, and none approves a reading pen automatically. This guide covers which pen to use, what each authority says, how to apply, and how to prepare a student so the pen works on the day.
What a reading pen does in an exam
A reading pen scans a line of printed text and reads it aloud through headphones. The student controls what is read, how often and at what speed. They can re-scan a question as many times as they need without asking another person.
For many students this is the difference between depending on an adult reader and working on their own. It also means a school does not need to find, train and room a human reader for every student who needs one.
Which C-Pen to use in exams
Use the C-Pen Exam Reader 2 for formal exams. It is built for this job:
- It reads printed text aloud and does nothing else: no dictionary, no translation, no Wi-Fi.
- It stores nothing, so there is no way to bring notes into the exam or take questions out.
- It reads in Australian English, with 10 or more other languages available.
- It has an earphone jack and earphones in the box, plus a built-in speaker for practice at home.
- One charge lasts a full school day.
The C-Pen Reader 2 and Reader 3 are everyday learning pens with dictionaries, storage and, on the Reader 3, Wi-Fi. Both have an Exam Lock that switches off extra features. C-Pen describes the Reader 3's Exam Lock as suited to mock exams rather than formal exams. For external exams, the Exam Reader 2 is the safer choice (see which C-Pen to choose).
What each authority says
NSW: NESA (HSC)
NESA lists "an electronic reader (such as a C-pen)" under its reader provision. The provision lets the pen read exam questions and the student's own responses. Schools apply through Schools Online with reading test results from a YARC (Level 2), WIAT-III or WIAT-IV, a teacher comments form and a student declaration. Applications open at the start of Term 4 in Year 11 and close at the end of Term 1 in Year 12.
Victoria: VCAA (VCE)
VCAA approves electronic readers and reader software as a Special Examination Arrangement. A student approved to use one sits in a separate room and receives 10 extra minutes per hour of writing time. Schools apply through Special Provision Online, usually in February of the exam year.
Queensland: QCAA (QCE)
QCAA handles reading pens as assistive technology under Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA). Schools apply through the QCAA Portal with a school statement and a medical or allied health report. Applications for long-term conditions are due by the end of Term 1. Contact the QCAA AARA Unit early for any technology not on its standard list.
South Australia and the Northern Territory: SACE Board
The SACE Board publishes an instruction sheet for using reader pens in exams. Schools decide on special provisions and ask the Board to apply them to external assessments. Seek long-term provisions at Stage 1 enrolment or in Term 1 of Stage 2.
Western Australia: SCSA (ATAR exams)
SCSA's guide states that a "C-Pen Exam Reader with headphones may be granted" to candidates who need reading support. Evidence includes psychometric results from a registered psychologist and a PAT-R Comprehension test given by the school in the year of application. Standard applications close in late March.
Tasmania: TASC
TASC treats assistive technology as a reasonable adjustment. Schools apply through TRACS with a medical or allied health report. Applications close in early July.
ACT: BSSS
For college assessment, colleges can approve text-to-voice technology. The ACT Scaling Test (AST) is decided by the BSSS Office, which lists special equipment as a provision. Known-condition applications for the AST close at the end of March.
For every date in one table, see When to apply for reading provisions in senior exams: dates by state.
NAPLAN
ACARA names the C-Pen Exam Reader as text-to-speech technology that schools can seek approval for through their test administration authority. No assistive technology is approved automatically, and it has to suit what each test measures.
Two practical limits apply:
- NAPLAN is delivered online, and a C-Pen cannot read a screen. The pen only helps a student who sits paper test materials.
- In the reading test, stimulus material and questions cannot be read aloud to a student, because the test measures independent reading.
Speak with your test administration authority before promising a family that a pen can be used in NAPLAN.
Reading pen or human reader?
Both are valid, and some students use each for different exams. Consider:
| Consideration | Reading pen | Human reader |
|---|---|---|
| Independence | Student controls pace and repeats | Student asks for each reading |
| Staffing | No extra adult needed | One reader per student, often a separate room |
| Privacy and confidence | Nothing read aloud in the room | Some students feel self-conscious asking |
| Handwriting, diagrams, dense maths | Cannot read reliably | Can read handwritten or complex layouts |
| Practice needed | Weeks of regular use | Minimal |
A reading pen reads printed text from 7 to 22 point. It struggles with handwriting, decorative fonts and coloured paper, and C-Pen advises against relying on it for mathematical symbols. If an exam relies on these, a human reader may still be needed for those papers.
Preparing the student
Authorities expect a provision to reflect how the student normally works. Plan for at least one term of regular use before the exams.
- Supply the exam model early. Give the student an Exam Reader 2, or set up their everyday pen in Exam Lock for class tests (see exam lock setup).
- Teach scanning technique. Hold the pen upright, scan one line at a steady pace and check the right- or left-hand setting.
- Use it in real tasks. Class tests, homework sheets and assignments, not just practice sessions.
- Practise with headphones in the room layout the authority requires.
- Run a full mock exam with the pen, timing and supervision the real exam will use.
- Keep a record of use. It supports the application and your NCCD evidence (see funding a C-Pen).
Briefing exam supervisors
Supervisors need a short briefing, not specialist training. They should know that:
- the student has an approved provision to use the pen
- the Exam Reader 2 only reads text aloud, stores nothing and gives no answers
- the student uses headphones unless in a separate room
- a spare, charged Exam Reader 2 should be in the room, especially for exams that can't be rescheduled.
Checklist for learning support staff
- Identify students who need a reading provision
- Confirm the evidence your authority needs and book assessments
- Supply an Exam Reader 2 and start classroom use
- Lodge the application when the window opens
- Run a mock exam with the pen
- Brief supervisors and charge pens the day before
Frequently asked questions
Is the C-Pen Exam Reader 2 approved for Australian exams?
Yes, when the school applies for and is granted the provision. NESA and SCSA name the C-Pen in their guidance, the SACE Board has a reader pen instruction sheet, and VCAA, QCAA, TASC and BSSS consider it as an electronic reader or assistive technology.
Can a student use a C-Pen in NAPLAN?
Only with approval from the test administration authority, and only with paper test materials, because a C-Pen cannot read a screen. Stimulus material and questions in the reading test cannot be read aloud to a student.
Can a student use their C-Pen Reader 2 or Reader 3 in an exam?
For formal exams, use the C-Pen Exam Reader 2. It has no dictionary or storage. The Reader 2 and Reader 3 have an Exam Lock that suits class tests and mock exams.
Does a student using a reading pen get extra time?
It depends on the authority. VCAA gives 10 extra minutes per hour of writing time with an approved electronic reader. Other authorities assess extra time as a separate provision.
Do exam supervisors need training to support a reading pen?
No formal training is needed. A short briefing on what the pen does and how the provision works is enough.
Can the pen read maths questions?
It reads the words in a maths question well. C-Pen advises against relying on it for mathematical symbols, so check the paper and plan for a human reader if needed.
More C-Pen guides for schools and therapistsSetup help, exam provisions, funding and model comparisons in one place.
