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 Educationnpence@alsde.edu 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