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Accommodations for
Students With Disabilities in
the Context of Common
Core State Standards
Vitaliy Shyyan, Ph.D.
Research Associate
National Center on Educational Outcomes
University of Minnesota
National Division for Learning Disability Conference
October 2-5, 2013
Accommodations Manual
How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of
Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of
English Language Learners with Disabilities
Five-step
Process
Step 1: Expect ELLs with
Disabilities to
Achieve Grade-
level Academic
Content Standards
Step 2: Learn About
Accommodations
for Instruction and
Assessment
Step 3: Select Accommodations
for Instruction and
Assessment for
Individual
Students
Step 4: Administer Accommodations
During Instruction
and Assessment
Step 5: Evaluate and Improve
Accommodations
Use
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Step 1: Expect ELLs with
disabilities to achieve grade-level
academic content standards
Step 1
ELL/IEP or ELL/504 Plan Team
� special education teachers or 504 Plan committee representatives
� language educators and facilitators (ESL/bilingual teacher(s), another ESL/bilingual/migrant teacher or ELL administrator, language acquisition specialist, interpreter)
� assessment officials (test administrator(s), guidance counselor, reading specialist)
� general education teachers (classroom/content teacher(s))
� first/native language special education practitioners
� school administrators (principal, school/district official(s))
� parents (parent(s)/guardian(s))
� students
Step 1
Equal Access to Content Standards
� every ELL/IEP or ELL/504 Plan Team member must be
familiar with content standards and accountability
systems at the state and district level
� every ELL/IEP or ELL/504 Plan Team member must know
where to locate standards and updates
� all general, special, and language educators, as well as
other educational stakeholders must collaborate for
successful student access
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Step 1
Conditions for High Expectations
1. Instruction is provided by teachers who are qualified to
teach in the content areas addressed by state
standards and who know how to differentiate
instruction for diverse learners.
2. Education plans for ELLs with disabilities are developed
to ensure the provision of specialized instruction (e.g.,
specific reading skills, strategies for “learning how to
learn”).
3. Appropriate accommodations are provided to help
students access grade-level content.
Step 1
Legal Basis
� Participation of ELLs with disabilities in assessments is
required by federal laws:
� Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of
2004 (IDEA)
� Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2007 (ESEA)
� Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act
� Lau v. Nichols (1974)
� Castañeda v. Pickard (1981)
Step 1
ESEA Focuses
� how successful schools are including all students in
standards-based education
� how well students are achieving standards
� what needs to be improved upon for specific groups of
students
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Step 1
Including All ELLs with Disabilities in State
Accountability Assessments
� assurance of the provision of accommodations to
facilitate student access to grade-level instruction and
state assessments
� use of alternate assessments to assess the achievement
of students with the most significant cognitive
disabilities
� use of different assessment formats to assess the
achievement of beginner ELLs
Step 1
State Legislation*
� CURRENT WEBSITE FOR ALL COMMON CORE STATE
STANDARDS COULD BE INSERTED HERE.
� CURRENT STATE-SPECIFIC POLICIES ABOUT THE
PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN
STATE ASSESSMENT COULD BE INSERTED HERE.
Step 1
Discussion Point
� How do I stay updated on current federal and state
accommodation policies for ELLs with disabilities?
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Step 2: Learn about
accommodations for instruction
and assessment
Step 2
What Are Accommodations?
� Procedures and materials that increase equitable access
during instruction and assessments for ELLs with
disabilities and generate valid assessment results that
show what ELLs with disabilities know and can do
� Provided to a student during state assessments AND
during classroom instruction, classroom assessments,
and district assessments
Step 2
Technology Implications
� In the age of technology-mediated educational
practices, many computer-based accommodations
facilitate instruction and assessment of ELLs with
disabilities effectively if they are selected and used
properly.
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Step 2
The Use of Accommodations Is Linked Through
Each of These Areas
Classroom Instruction
State and District
Assessments
Classroom Assessments
Common Core State Standards
Figure from ASES SCASS/CCSSO
Accommodations Training Slides
PowerPoint
Step 2
Who Is Involved in Decisions?
� ELL/IEP or ELL/504 Plan Teams must make
assessment and accommodation decisions for
students based on individual needs in accordance
with state and federal guidelines.
� ELLs with IEPs and 504 Plans must be provided
accommodations based on individual needs as
long as the accommodations meet state
accommodation guidelines and regulations and do
not invalidate the assessment results.
� Accommodations should be documented in IEPs
and 504 Plans.
Step 2
Accommodations and Universal Design
� UD principles improve instruction and assessment for all
students
� UD in assessments may reduce the need for
accommodations and alternate assessments
� UD in assessments cannot eliminate the need for
accommodations and alternate assessments
� UD can provide more cost-effective assessments and
valid inferences about them
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Step 2
Good Practices and Resources
� Resources and strategies that should be allowable
whenever possible for all students
Step 2
Accommodations vs. Modifications
Accommodations provide access without reducing learner
expectations
Modifications can increase the learner achievement gap
by lowering expectations for what students are required
to know or do
Step 2
Doing Triple Work
English Language
Disability
Content
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Step 2
English Language- and Disability-related Needs
High English language needs
Low disability-related needs
High English language needs
High disability-related needs
Low English language needs
Low disability-related needs
Low English language needs
High disability-related needs
Step 2
Student Profiles
Think of specific students who represent the four areas
of the figure. What are they like? What are the students’
needs and characteristics? What are the implications of
accommodation decisions for each student?
High English language needs
Low disability-
related needs
High English language needs
High disability-
related needs
Low English language needs
Low disability-
related needs
Low English language needs
High disability-
related needs
Step 2
Accommodations vs. Modifications vs. Best
Practices – Dictionary
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Step 2
Activity:
Accommodations vs. Modifications vs. Best
Practices – Graphic Organizers
Step 2
Activity:
Read Aloud Text Accommodation
Discussion Point: How would you read aloud the
following test item?
A thermometer is shown.
What temperature is shown
on the thermometer?
� A 11°C
� B 12°F
� C 25°C
� D 25°F
Step 3: Select accommodations
for instruction and assessment
for individual students
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Step 3
Document Accommodations
� On a student’s IEP
� On a student’s 504 Plan
� On a student’s ELL individualized plan
Step 3
IEP Areas to Address
� Consideration of special factors
� Supplementary aids and services
� Participation in assessments
Step 3
504 Plan Examples of Conditions
� allergies or asthma
� attention difficulties
� communicable diseases (e.g., hepatitis)
� drug or alcoholic addictions, as long as they are not
currently using illegal drugs
� environmental illnesses
� temporary disabilities from accidents who may need
short term hospitalization or homebound recovery
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Step 2
Making Decisions for Accommodations
Student Specific
Characteristics
Classroom
Instruction
and Assessment
Tasks
Accommodation
Policy
Step 3
Student Characteristics
Step 3
Student Characteristics: Questions to Ask
� What are the student’s language learning strengths and
areas of further improvement?
� How do the student’s learning needs affect the
achievement of grade-level content standards?
� What specialized instruction (e.g., learning strategies,
organizational skills, reading skills) does the student
need to achieve grade-level content standards?
� What accommodations will increase the student’s
access to instruction and assessment by addressing the
student’s learning needs and reducing the effect of the
student’s language barrier? These may be new
accommodations or accommodations the student is
currently using.
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Step 3
Student Characteristics: Questions to Ask
� What accommodations are regularly used by the
student during instruction and assessments?
� What are the results for assignments and assessments
when accommodations are used and not used?
� What is the student’s perception of how well an
accommodation “worked”?
� Are there effective combinations of accommodations?
Step 3
Student Characteristics: Questions to Ask
� What difficulties does the student experience when
using accommodations?
� What are the perceptions of parents, teachers, and
other specialists about how the accommodation
worked?
� Should the student continue to use an accommodation,
are changes needed, or should the use of the
accommodation be discontinued?
Step 3
Consider the Following…
� the student’s willingness to learn to use the
accommodation
� opportunities to learn how to use the accommodation in
classroom settings
� conditions for use on state assessments
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Step 3
Discussion Point
� What would be helpful to ask students and parents
about accommodation use?
Step 3
Prior Accommodation Use
� Accommodations should not be used for the first time
on the state test
� Plan time for student to learn new accommodations
� In a technology-based setting, be sure that the student
knows how to use the accommodation that is part of the
platform
� Plan for evaluation and improvement of accommodation
use
Step 3
Instruction vs. Assessment Accommodations
� Sometimes, accommodations used in instruction may
not be used on an assessment
� Plan time for students to practice NOT using certain
accommodations before the state assessment
� Some instructional accommodations may alter what a
test is designed to measure
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Step 3
Individual Test Characteristics: Questions to
Ask
� What are the characteristics of the test my
student needs to take? Are the test tasks similar
to classroom assessment tasks or does the
student need to have the opportunity to
practice similar tasks prior to testing?
� Does the student use an accommodation for a
classroom task that is allowed for similar tasks
on the state or district tests?
� Are there other barriers that could be removed
by using an accommodation that is not already
offered or used by the student?
Step 3
Maintaining Validity: Questions to Ask
� Does the state or district allow the identified
accommodation for the test or portion of the test noted
as a barrier?
� If not, does the accommodation change the standard of
the assessment?
� Are there additional principles to help guide decision
making?
Step 3
Accommodation Policies
and Maintaining Validity
� Test validity is compromised if a student refuses to use
an assigned accommodation
� Long-term implications of accommodations should be
considered
� Plan ample time for students to become familiar with
accommodations
� Plan for ongoing evaluation and improvement of
accommodation use
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Step 4: Administer
accommodations during
instruction and assessment
Step 4
Accommodations During Instruction
� Students should be provided selected accommodations
during instruction
� An accommodation may not be used solely during
assessments
� Familiarize students with technological aspects of
accommodations
Step 4
Accommodations During Assessment
� Take appropriate security precautions
� Understand the procedures needed to administer the
assessment
� Administer standardized assessments according to
prescribed procedures and conditions
� Avoid any conditions that might invalidate results
� Provide for and document all reasonable and allowable
accommodations
� Avoid unfair actions or conditions
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Step 4
Administering Assessments and
Accommodations
� Take appropriate security precautions before, during,
and after the administration of the assessment
� Understand the procedures needed to administer the
assessment prior to administration
� Administer standardized assessments according to
prescribed procedures and conditions and notify
appropriate persons if any nonstandard or delimiting
conditions occur
Step 4
Administering Assessments and
Accommodations
� Avoid any conditions in the conduct of the assessment
that might invalidate the results
� Provide for and document all reasonable and allowable
accommodations for the administration of the
assessment to persons with disabilities or special needs
� Avoid actions or conditions that would permit or
encourage individuals or groups to receive scores that
misrepresent their actual levels of attainment
Step 4
Ethical Testing Practices
� Ethical testing practices must be maintained
� Unethical testing practices are inappropriate
interactions between test administrators and students
taking the test
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Step 4
Standardization
� Adherence to uniform administration procedures and
conditions during an assessment
� Is essential and necessary to produce comparable
performance results
� Must be followed strictly
Step 4
Test Security
� Maintaining the confidentiality of test questions and
answers
� Critical in ensuring the integrity and validity of test
results
� Tests are kept in secure locations or on password-
protected computers
� Students are guaranteed secure and equitable testing
conditions
Step 5: Evaluate and improve
accommodations use
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Step 5
Reasons Why…
� Ensure meaningful participation
� Reveal questionable patterns of use
� Support continued use
� Indicate additional training needs
� Guide formative evaluation
Step 5
Ways to Collect Information
� From classroom data
� Observations of test administrations
� Interviews with test administrators
� Talking with students after testing
� And more…
Step 5
What Information Should Be Collected
� Decision-making teams, schools, and districts decide
� Technology-based accommodations allow for better
records
� In a paper-and-pencil test, accommodation information
can be coded with other student data
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Step 5
Sample Questions to Ask
at the School or District Level
� Are there policies to ensure ethical testing practices, the
standardized administration of assessments, and that
test security practices are followed before, during, and
after the day of the test?
� What types of accommodations are provided and are
some used more than others?
� How well do students who receive accommodations
perform on state and local assessments?
Step 5
Sample Questions to Ask
at the Student Level
� What is the student’s perception of how well the
accommodation worked?
� What combinations of accommodations seem to be
effective?
� What are the difficulties encountered in the use of
accommodations?
Step 5
Discussion Point (Think, Pair, Share)
� What are the consequences of under-accommodating?
� What are the consequences of over-accommodating?
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Step 5
Postsecondary Implications
� Continued use of accommodations, if needed, at the
college and career levels
� Decision-making teams document accommodation use
� Colleges and universities may allow fewer
accommodations than those available in K-12 settings
� Students document their need for accommodations
Resources
� Tool 1: Assessment Adaptation Grid
� Tool 2: Best Practices and Allowable Resources for All
Students
� Tool 3: Sample Student Profiles
� Tool 4: Accommodation Criteria
� Tool 5: Do’s and Don’ts when Selecting Accommodations
� Tool 6: Accommodations from the Student’s Perspective
� Tool 7: Parent Input on Accommodations
� Tool 8: Accommodation Use in the Classroom
Resources
� Tool 9: After-Test Accommodation Questions
� Tool 10: Assessment Accommodations Plan
� Tool 11: State Assessment Program
� Tool 12: Logistics Planning Checklist
� Tool 13: Accommodations Journal for Teachers
� Tool 14: Identifying Roles and Responsibilities
� Tool 15: Questions to Guide Evaluation at the School or
District Level
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Thank you!