Troy University Launches "Virtually Cheat-Proof" Test Monitor

Troy, AL (PRWEB) May 24, 2007

Troy University and Software Secure today announced the launch of the "Securexam Remote Proctor System," a solution for educators that maintains the integrity of the exam experience in e-learning settings. Available in September 2007 and developed in conjunction with Troy University - one of the nation's pioneers in distance learning programs - and other leading academic institutions, the Securexam Remote Proctor System eliminates the need for students to go to campus to take an exam and/or arrange to have a proctor for every testing situation. The Securexam Remote Proctor System ensures testing integrity through a series of four security measures: fingerprints, voice, video and computer desktop "locking" software.

Remote Proctor creates an entirely new desktop environment for test-takers. Initiating the test-taking process begins with the fingerprint scanner, which verifies each test taker against the fingerprints he/she provided at registration. Remote Proctor also records the test-taker's voice, and the camera built into its base records a 360-degree real-time video and audio of the environment during the entire exam. Suspicious sounds, activity and motion are catalogued during the recording, limiting the need for constant monitoring and allowing professors to quickly hone in to trouble spots during the exam process.

Additionally, Remote Proctor is used in conjunction with Software Secure's suite of Securexam software, which ensures that the student only has access to the exam itself, either through an institution's course management system or through a customized word processing environment. No web-surfing, email, instant messaging, Office or other software is accessible while using Remote Proctor - providing the same level of integrity as tests taken in the traditional classroom setting.

Faculty access a secure portal called "Planet SSI" in which tests can be decrypted, videos can be reviewed for possible test violations, exams can be created, graded and reviewed, security settings can be established and more.

Dr. David M. White, Director of Troy University's Southeast Region and a key member of TROY's eCampus development team said, "Through our work with Software Secure over the past year, it is clear that the company understands both the technical and education issues of testing and brings a holistic perspective to the testing experience. Troy University has found the Securexam Remote Proctor System a tremendous asset to our distance learning programs, as we need to enforce the same standards in testing regardless of whether it is in a proctored classroom or in a family room at home."

According to Dr. Murray Widener, professor of Public Administrator at Troy University, "Having the Securexam Remote Proctor System in my class will allow me to preserve the essence of distance learning while maintaining academic standards. The Securexam Remote Proctor System enables me to maintain exam integrity and the 'anytime, anywhere' flexibility of online education."

Many schools offer computer-based tests in a proctored environment when the student or school computer has desktop locking software installed, such as Software Secure's Securexam, which provides access to the test but prevents access to any other application or pre-existing information that may be pertinent to the test. While such software could be used in the distance learning environment to achieve the same purpose of ensuring that computers are not used to cheat, until now there was no way to authenticate the identity of a distance learning student or monitor the exam environment, without bringing the student into a traditional proctored environment.

According to Douglas M. Winneg, president of Software Secure, "As distance learning has become mainstream, testing integrity and degree credibility have remained under the microscope for academic institutions of all sizes. The Securexam Remote Proctor System addresses these issues by authenticating the identity of a distance learning test-taker and ensuring the test experience is as honest as it is in the classroom. With the Securexam Remote Proctor System, we have eliminated a key barrier to universal acceptance of distance learning tests."

About Troy University
Founded in 1887 and recently named to The Princeton Review's "Best in the Southeast" ranking and U.S. News and World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges" list, Troy University has over 60 campuses and sites located in 17 states and 11 foreign countries. To learn more about graduate and undergraduate programs offered through Troy University, visit http://www.troy.edu or call 1-800-551-9716.

About Software Secure
Software Secure, Inc. is the leader in educational testing software, with proven, patented solutions for secondary and higher education and distance learning environments. More than 300 academic institutions as well as organizations overseeing high-stakes testing environments such as the bar and chartered accountant exams have chosen Software Secure for testing solutions that exceed regional and national accreditation standards as well as federal regulation requirements, and facilitate the responsible use of technology in education. For more information about Software Secure, please visit http://www.softwaresecure.com.

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