Step 3 of 5: Prepare

Preparing Your Second Device

The phone or tablet serves as the examiners’ second camera. It is used to scan the room and then remains positioned beside the candidate for the entire examination.

Diagram of a desk seen from above: the computer in front of the candidate, and the second device on a stand at 90 degrees to the candidate’s side. — The second device stands directly to the left or right of the candidate, not behind the candidate and not beside the screen. The examiners must be able to see the candidate’s hands and the screen at the same time. Both devices remain connected to Zoom for the entire examination.

Placement

Place the device on a stand directly to your left or right, near the front edge of the desk, at a distance that shows your face, both hands, the keyboard and the screen. The device may not lie flat.
Position the device horizontally and use the rear camera. Practice switching from the front camera before the day of the examination.
Where possible, keep the door within view of one of the cameras.

The view from a second device beside the desk: a laptop seen from the side, its keyboard and screen both visible. — The required view: the keyboard and the screen from the side, with the candidate and both hands visible.

Diagram of two phones: one turned on its side, labelled Horizontal, Required, and one upright, labelled Vertical, Not Permitted. — The device must be positioned horizontally. A stand or clip mount holds it steady.

Device Requirements

A phone or tablet with a working camera, an internet connection and the Zoom application installed.
Fully charged or connected to power for the entire session.
A phone stand or clip mount.

Audio Settings

Before the day of the examination, set Zoom on the device not to join audio automatically.
When the device joins the session, do not join audio. On an iPhone, select “Cancel”; on other devices, select “Deny” or “Dial by phone,” or make no selection. Muting is not sufficient, because two devices with audio connected cause feedback.

When the team admits the phone to the session, place it down and do not touch it, regardless of what appears on its screen. The team moves the device in and out of the session to disconnect its audio, which is effective on most phones. Keep your attention on the computer until the team instructs you to pick up the phone. Handling the phone can cause feedback, which may require disconnecting all devices and rejoining after the next candidate.