accessibility and accommodations alabama student assessment program nannette pence education...
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Resources for the Alabama Student Assessment Program Alabama Student Assessment Program Handbook for Test Administration Student Assessment Policies and Procedures of Special Populations Manual Updated November 2015 Guidance regarding the inclusion of students with special needs in the state assessment program ACT Aspire Accessibility User’s Guide: ACT with Writing State and District Testing Manual ACT WorkKeys State and District Testing Manual ACT QualityCore Instructions for Accommodated Testing Manual ACCESS for Ells 2.0 Reference Guide for Test Administrations Procedures Accessibility Tools and Accommodations ManualTRANSCRIPT
Accessibility and Accommodations
Alabama Student Assessment Program
Nannette PenceEducation SpecialistStudent AssessmentAlabama State Department of Education
Alabama Student Assessment Program
• ACT with Writing• ACT QualityCore• ACT WorkKeys• ACT Aspire• ACCESS 2.0/Alternate ACCESS• Alabama Alternate Assessment• NAEP
Resources for the Alabama Student Assessment Program• Alabama Student Assessment Program Handbook for Test Administration
• Student Assessment Policies and Procedures of Special Populations Manual Updated November 2015• Guidance regarding the inclusion of students with special needs in the state
assessment program• ACT Aspire Accessibility User’s Guide:• ACT with Writing State and District Testing Manual• ACT WorkKeys State and District Testing Manual • ACT QualityCore Instructions for Accommodated Testing Manual• ACCESS for Ells 2.0 Reference Guide for Test Administrations Procedures
Accessibility Tools and Accommodations Manual
Required Forms for Accommodations in the Alabama Student Assessment Program
• Accommodations Checklists • Reader Agreement• Sign Language Interpreter Agreement• Native Language Interpreter Agreement• Scribe Agreement• Temporary Medical Emergency Form• Letter of Notification of Change for State Assessments
Levels of Support• Support Level One-• Default Embedded System Tools- are common supports made available to all users upon launch/start
of test. These tools are either embedded in the basic computer test delivery platform, or they are provided locally, as needed. No advance request is needed for these supports. Students whose needs are met by default embedded tools do not need a Personal Needs Profile (PNP).
• Support Level Two-• Open Access Tools- are available to anyone; however, they must be identified in advance in the PNP,
planned for, and then selected from the pull-down menu inside the test (online) in order to be activated. Open access tools may also be provided via paper tests. Room supervisors must follow required procedures. Examinees should be familiar with the use of these types of tools and comfortable using them in combination with other tools. Prior practice is required.
• Support Level Three-• Accommodations- are available to examinees who qualify to use them based upon their IEP/504/I-ELP
documentation. Accommodations must be requested through the online PNP process. Prior practice is required.
• Support Level Four- • Modifications- are supports that are sometimes used during instruction. Modifications alter the
construct of the test and are Not Allowed on Alabama State Assessments.
AccessibilityUniversal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to curriculum design that can help teachers customize curriculum to serve all learners, regardless of ability, disability, age, gender, or cultural or linguistic background.
Universal Design (UD) describes a concept or philosophy that, when applied to assessments, provides all students with equal opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned.
• Examples of UD Embedded Tools• Zoom magnification• Computer keyboard• Computer screen display• Computer mouse• Cut, copy, and paste functions• Scratch paper• Answer eliminator• Mark items for review• Calculator
• Examples of UD Open Access Tools• Large print• Color overlay• Magnifier tool• Respond in test booklet or on separate paper• Answer masking• Dictate responses• Highlighter• Line reader• Color contrast
Accommodations IEP, 504, I-ELP
• Accommodations- Definition• High level accessibility tools needed by relatively few students. Accommodations are available to
examinees whose disabilities have been identified through the IEP, 504 Plan, or I-ELP Plan. • Examples of Accommodations IEP and 504-
• Text-to-Speech (English Audio) • Text-to-Speech (English Audio + Orienting Description) (blind or low vision) • Braille and tactile graphics• Human Reader • Sign language interpretation: Signed Exact English (SEE) and American Sign Language (ASL)• Extra Time
• Examples of Accommodations I-ELP (limited)-• Word-to-Word Translation Glossary• Translated Directions
NOTE: All state assessments are administered in English
Use of Accommodations in the State of Alabama
• Several years of data from our state assessments show that we are over accommodating students and the students’ test scores are impacted negatively.
• The number one misused accommodation: Reader (read-aloud)• ACT Aspire- read aloud accommodations- approximately 10,000 students• ACT with Writing- read aloud accommodations- approximately 1,800 students• ACT WorkKeys- read aloud accommodations- approximately 1,500 students
Reader (read-aloud) Accommodation• The use of a Reader may be provided for a student who has a documented
reading disability that is two or more grade-levels below the student’s enrollment grade and that severely limits the student from decoding at any level of difficulty.
• Criteria for a read-aloud accommodation:• Documented reading disability• Reading two or more grade-levels below current enrollment grade• Justification (proof of success)
• The deficit should be addressed throughout the student’s IEP or 504 Plan, and the student should be working toward mastery of those deficit skills. The criteria for determining the use of a Reader shall not be solely dependent upon the student’s grade level performance or his/her cognitive ability.
Reader (read-aloud) Accommodation
• A student who struggles to read on grade level material does not qualify for a Reader (read-aloud accommodation) on state assessments.
• An IEP team or 504 committee should determine if a student meets the criteria with justification (proof of success) before selecting a read-aloud accommodation on the state assessment accommodations checklist.
• A read-aloud accommodation will be provided by a human reader or via online or DVD administration (headphones) in a one-to-one (1:1) setting.
Accessibility and Accommodations Quick Guide Chart Note: Refer to the specific state assessment administration manual and accommodation checklist for further clarification and guidance for administering or providing the accessibility feature or accommodation.
Most SelectedAccessibility Feature or Accommodation
Paper Testing (PT)Online Testing (OT)
ACT QualityCore ACT WorkKeys
The ACT Plus Writing
ACT Aspire
Human Reader 1:1PT Only
Yes IEP/504
Reader’s Script
YesIEP/504
Reader’s Script
YesIEP/504
Reader’s Script ACT Approval Only
YesIEP/504
No Reader’s ScriptNot allowed in reading or English subtests
Text-to-Speech 1:1English Audio
OT
No
No
No YesIEP/504
Must Use HeadphonesNot allowed in reading or English subtests
DVD 1:1English Audio
PT
YesIEP/504
Must Use Headphones
YesIEP/504
Must Use Headphones
YesACT Approval Only
IEP/504Must Use Headphones
NO
Extended Time YesPT Only
IEP/504/I-ELP
YesPT and CT
IEP/504/I-ELP
YesACT Approval Only
PT OnlyIEP/504
YesPT and CT
IEP/504
Large Print YesIEP/504
YesIEP/504
YesACT Approval Only
IEP/504
Accessibility Feature
Braille YesIEP/504
YesIEP/504
YesIEP/504
YesIEP/504
Scribe
YesIEP/504 or TMEF*
YesIEP/504 or TMEF*
YesACT Approval Only
Accessibility Feature
Sign Language YesIEP/504
YesIEP/504
YesACT Approval Only IEP/504
YesIEP/504
Homebound YesIEP/504
YesIEP/504
YesACT Approval Only IEP/504
YesIEP/504
EL YesWord-to-Word Glossary
Yes Word-to-Word Glossary
NO Yes Word-to-Word Glossary
* Temporary Medical Emergency Form NAEP-SWD are required to participate and will be provided accommodations
Contact InformationNannette PenceStudent Assessment, Alabama State Department of [email protected] or 334.242.8038Alabama State Department of Education, Student Assessment Webpage: http://www.alsde.edu/sec/sa/Pages/home.aspx ACT Alabama Webpage: http://www.act.org/aap/alabama/index.html