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Accessibility Features and Test Accommodations

• Overview of Types of Accessibility Features and Accommodations

• Decision Making Process• Types of Accessibility Features and Accommodations

• Administrative Considerations for All Students• Accessibility Features for All Students• Accessibility Features Identified in Advance• Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (SWD)• Accommodations for English Learners (EL)

• Accommodation Forms For Special Circumstances• Resources

Agenda

Types of Accessibility Features and Accommodations

Features for All Students

Accessibility Features

Identified in advance

AccommodationsIEP/504/EL

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Step 1: Expect students to achieve grade-level academic content standards.

Step 2: Learn about accessibility features and accommodations.

Step 3: Select accessibility features and accommodations for individual students.

Step 4: Administer accommodations during assessments.Step 5: Evaluate and improve accommodations use.

Decision Making Process: How to Choose Supports for Students

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Expect students to achieve grade-level academic content standards.

• Accommodations and other testing supports do not decrease the academic rigor, expectations, or skills that are assessed.– All students must have access to grade-level academic

curriculum.– All students must receive supports aligned to their cognitive and

physical needs that support access to grade-level academic content.

Step 1: Expect students to achieve at grade-level.

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• The next step is to have a full understanding of the accessibility features and accommodations available on PARCC and how they are administered.

Step 2: Learn about accessibility features and accommodations

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Step 3: Selecting supports that promote access

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Student characteristics and learning needs (e.g. disabilities, language proficiency, accommodations used in classroom and on state tests)

Individual test characteristics (i.e. knowledge about what tasks are required on PARCC assessments and ways to remove physical and other barriers to students' ability to perform those tasks)

PARCC accommodations policies that maintain the validity of assessment results

1. making sure anyone responsible for reading aloud or scribing knows the PARCC requirements and protocol– Practice any read aloud, scribing, signing, or other protocols ahead

of time with the practice test.2. making sure that PNP details are programmed into computer-

delivered assessments ahead of time3. monitoring accommodations and technology on test day

Step 4: Administering accommodations during testing

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Evaluation at school and district levels – Are students receiving the accommodations documented in

their plans?– Are procedures in place to ensure that test administrators

comply with directions for the administration of accommodations?

– How frequently are different types of accommodations used?

Decision Making Process: Step 5

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Evaluation at student level • What accommodations does the student use during instruction

and assessments?• What are the results of classroom assignments and assessments

when accommodations are used versus when they are not used?• If the student is not meeting the expected levels of

performance, is it because he or she is not receiving access to the necessary instruction; did not receive the accommodation; or is using an accommodation that was not effective? What is the student's perception of how well the accommodation worked?

• What difficulties, if any, were encountered in the use of the accommodation?

Decision Making Process: Step 5

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All Students:• Administrative Considerations (setting)• Assessment Features

Students with IEPs/504 or EL• Administrative Considerations (setting)• Assessment Features• Accommodations (must be a student with an IEP, 504, or an EL)

PARCC Supports

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Administrative Considerations for All Students (setting)

Any student may receive any of the following test administration considerations:

– Small group testing – Frequent breaks – Time of day – Separate or alternate physical location – Specified area or seating – Adaptive and specialized equipment, furniture, or lighting

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Accessibility Features For All Students

Accessibility Features for All Students PBT and CBT

Paper-Based Testing Computer-Based TestingAuditory Aids Volume ControlBlank Paper Blank Paper or NotePadHighlighter * Highlighter Tool

General Administration Directions Clarified General Administration Directions ClarifiedGeneral Administration Directions Read Aloud

and RepeatedGeneral Administration Directions Read Aloud

and Repeated

Glossary in Footnotes Pop-Up GlossaryMagnifying Glass or Enlargement Device Magnification/Enlargement Device

Redirect Student to Test Redirect Student to TestBold, italicize, underline, bullet with writing

implementWriting Tools

External Spell Checker Embedded Spell CheckVisual Aids/OrganizersFlag Items for Review*

Eliminate Answer ChoicesFlag Items for Review

Line Reader (Straight Edge) Line Reader* Caution should be taken using these accommodations with integrated test booklet

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Accessibility Features for All Students for CBT: Writing Tools

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Accessibility Features for All Students for CBT: Highlighting

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Accessibility Features for All Students for CBT: Eliminate Answer

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Accessibility Features for All Students for CBT: Text Enlarger

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Accessibility Features for All Students for CBT: Line reader

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Accessibility Features Identified in Advance

Accessibility Features Identified

in Advance for PBT and CBTAccessibility Features

(for all Grades/Courses) Administration

Answer Masking PBT: answer masking cards (e.g. blank paper, straight edge) to temporarily cover answers.CBT: electronically covers and uncovers answer options as needed.

Color ContrastPBT: Colored overlays may be used as needed. Paper and font color cannot be changed.CBT: Background and font color may be changed by the student as needed.

Read Aloud for Mathematics Assessments*

CBT: This is for the English version of the online test. Students will need headphones or be tested in a separate setting if they cannot wear headphones. Students can start, stop, replay/repeat the audio for the mathematics test.PBT: Two test booklets and test administrator will read aloud or sign according to the Protocol and Math Audio Guidelines. If there are multiple students needing this accommodation, they can take the test as a small group.

21* Accessibility Feature for Math only, it is an accommodation for ELA

Accessibility Features Identified in Advance for CBT: Answer Masking

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Accessibility Features Identified in Advance for CBT: Color Contrast

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Summary of Accessibility Features (CTB and PBT)

“On Demand/As Needed” In Advance

Blank Paper/NotePad Answer Masking

Eliminate Answers* Color Contrast

Flag Items Read Aloud for Math

General Directions Read Aloud/Clarified/Repeated

Glossary

Magnification

Redirect Student

Spell Checker (embedded or external)

Highlighter

Volume Control/Auditory Aids/Noise Buffers

Line Reader

Writing Tools

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

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Presentation Accommodation: ELA Mathematics

Human Read Aloud/Text-to-Speech Yes Yes (Assessment Feature)

Screen Reader Yes Yes

Hard Copy Braille Yes Yes

Refreshable Braille Yes Yes

Closed-Captioning Yes --

Student Reads Aloud to Themselves Yes Yes

Assistive Technology Yes Yes

ASL Video/Human Signer for Test Directions Yes Yes

ASL Video of Test/Human Signer for Tests Yes YesPaper-and-Pencil Yes YesLarge Print Yes Yes

Tactile Graphics -- Yes

Accommodations Identified in Advance for Students with Disabilities

Read Aloud Options for ELA/L:1. Human Reader /Text-to-Speech2. ASL Video/Human Signer

Does the student meets one of the following conditions?3. Blindness or a visual impairment and has not learned (or is unable to

use) Braille; 4. A disability that severely limits or prevents him/her from accessing

printed text, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so (e.g., student is unable to decode printed text or read fluently);

3. Deafness or hearing impairment that severely limits or prevents him/her from decoding text due to a documented history of early and prolonged language deprivation.

Presentation Accommodations: Read Aloud Options for ELA/L

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Presentation Accommodations: Read Aloud for ELA/L

IEP or 504 plan teams should also ensure that:

• the student has access to printed text during routine instruction through a reader or other spoken-text audio format, or interpreter.

• the student’s inability to decode printed text or read Braille is documented in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments.

• the student receives ongoing, intensive instruction and/or interventions in the foundational reading skills to continue to attain the important skill of independent reading.

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Students with Disabilities Response Accommodations

Response Accommodations: ELA Mathematics

Speech-to-Text** Yes (CR/SR)* Yes (SRs)

Word Prediction (external device) Yes N/A

Calculation Device and Mathematics Tools on Non-Calculator Section

N/A Yes*

Braille Note-Taker Yes Yes

Braille Writer Yes Yes

Scribe or Human Signer Yes Yes

Assistive Technology Yes Yes

Extended Time Yes Yes

** These are listed separately in the PNP for ELA selected response and constructed response item types.

IEP and 504 teams must determine:1. Whether the student meets one of the following conditions:

– A physical disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s motor process of writing through keyboarding;

– A disability that severely limits or prevents the student from expressing written language, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.

2. The student’s inability to express in writing is documented in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments;

3. The student receives ongoing, intensive instruction and/or interventions to learn written expression, as deemed appropriate by the IEP or 504 team.

Response Accommodations: Speech-to-Text for CRs on ELA/L

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Response Accommodations: Word Prediction External Device

IEP and 504 teams must consider whether the student’s disability meets one of the following conditions: 1. severely limits or prevents the student from writing or keyboarding

responses;2. severely limits or prevents the student from recalling, processing, and

expressing written language, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.

In addition:• The student’s inability to express themselves in writing is documented

in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments.

• The student receives ongoing, intensive instruction and/or intervention in language processing and writing, as deemed appropriate by the IEP/504 Plan team.

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IEP and 504 teams must determine if: 1. The student has a disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s

ability to perform basic calculations (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division), even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so?

2. The student is unable to perform calculations without the use of a calculation device, arithmetic table, or manipulative during routine instruction;

3. The student’s inability to perform mathematical calculations is documented in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments.

4. The student receives ongoing, intensive instruction and/or interventions to learn to calculate without using a calculation device, in order to ensure that the student continues to learn basic calculation and fluency.

Response Accommodations: Calculation Device and Mathematics Tools for Non-calculator Sessions

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Accommodations for English Language Learners

Selecting Accommodations for English Learners

When selecting accommodations for English learners, consider the student’s:

1 . Level of English language proficiency (ELP) on the state ELP test

o Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced

2 . Literacy development in the native language

o Native language literacy

o Interrupted schooling/literacy background

3 . Background factors that impact effective accommodations use

o Grade/age

o Affective filter (i.e., level of student anxiety/comfort with English)

o Time in U. S. schools

Selecting Accommodations

Beginning Intermediate Advanced

Extended Time Word-to-Word Read Aloud in English

Gen. Dir. Clarified in Native Language

Gen. Dir. Read aloud and repeated in Native Language

Online Spanish Translation Consider the three factors presented previously

Paper Spanish Translation Consider the three factors presented previously

Highly Recommended Recommended May not be appropriate

English Language LearnersAccommodations Identified in Advance

Response Accommodations: ELA Mathematics

Extended Time Yes Yes

Responses Dictated in English for the Mathematics in English N/A Yes

Speech-to-Text or Human Scribe N/A Yes

Word-to-Word Dictionary Yes Yes

Spanish Translations (Written)Online Stacked Translation. English is on top of the Spanish text on the screen.Paper Side-by-Side Translation. Spanish on right and English on the left side.

N/A Yes

Spanish Translations (Verbal)Online Text-to-Speech in SpanishHuman Reader

N/A Yes

General Administration Directions Clarified in Native Language Yes Yes

General Administration Directions Read Aloud or Repeated as Needed in Native Language

Yes Yes

Accommodations for Special Circumstances

• Unique Accommodations– requests must be submitted to the state at least six weeks prior to testing to

Kevon Tucker-Seeley or Phyllis Lynch (RIDE).– requests will be approved by the PARCC Accessibility, Accommodations, and

Fairness Operational Working Group.

• Emergency Accommodations– Unforeseen circumstances. recently-fractured limb (e.g., arm, wrist, or

shoulder); broken eyeglasses; or student is returning from a serious or prolonged illness or injury. Lack of scheduling an IEP or 504 meeting to update an IEP does not constitute an emergency.

• Student Accommodation Refusal Form– Continue to offer the accommodation to the student during testing.– Notify staff as necessary when a student refuses an accommodation

documented in an IEP, 504 Plan, or EL Plan.

Accommodations for Special Circumstances

Appendices and Forms

Found at: www.parcconline.org 1. Appendix F: Unique Accommodation Request Form2. Appendix G: Use of an Emergency Accommodation3. Appendix H: Student Accommodation Refusal Form

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Personal Needs Profile (PNP)

• The purpose of the PNP is to gather information regarding a student’s testing condition, materials, or accessibility features and accommodations that are needed to take a PARCC assessment.

• Information that is collected:– Embedded accessibility feature or accommodation that needs to be

enabled– Externally-provided accessibility features and accommodations that

need to be identified– Hard copies of accommodated format that need to be shipped (i.e.

Braille, large print, math read aloud for PBT, and PBT Spanish hard copy editions).

• PNP information is collected through the registration file and the PNP file.

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Resources

Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual http://www.parcconline.org

Accessibility Features and Accommodations Training Module:http://www.parcconline.org/parcc-accessibility-features-and-accommodations-manual

TestNav8 Tutorial: parcc.pearson.com/#

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