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DeSSA Accessibility GuidelinesOnline Training, 2014-2015

Students with Disabilities

Helen Dennis – Office of AssessmentSarah Celestin – Exceptional Children (Special Education)

Terry Richard – Exceptional Children (ELL/Migrant)October 2014

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Purpose of the Accessibility Guidelines Training Session

Become familiar with:• Smarter Accommodations and Supports• DCAS Accommodations• DCAS ALT 1 Accommodations• Differences/similarities between DCAS/Smarter

Accommodations• Policies, expectations, and timelines related to

assessment accommodations and supports• Forms and Databases

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DeSSA Accessibility Guidelines

This document provides guidelines for making decisions about the inclusion in assessments of • students with disabilities (SWD), • English language learners (ELL), • students who are classified as both (SWD/ELL);• “General Ed Students With Supports,”

(students not identified as SWD or ELL that may be provided supports during assessments)

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What is DeSSA?

• Delaware• System of• Student• Assessments

• Includes Smarter, DCAS, DCAS ALT 1, SAT/PSAT, ACCESS/ALT ACCESS, NAEP

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Assessments Covered by Guidelines

• Smarter (ELA/Math)– Accommodations and Supports

• DCAS (Science/Social)– Accommodations

• High School End-of-Course (Math/History)– Accommodations

• DCAS ALT-1 (ELA/Math/Science/Social)– Accommodations

• ACCESS & ACCESS ALT (English Language Acquisition)– Accommodations

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Different tests, different purpose, different accommodations

DeSSA covers a variety of tests with a variety of purposes:• DCAS/Smarter – measures content knowledge/skills based

on standards• DCAS—ALT 1– measures content knowledge/skills based on

extended standards• ACCESS, ACCESS ALT – measure language proficiency• SAT/PSAT – measure college readiness

Accommodations may change based on the purposes and the constructs of the tests.

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Smarter

• Content Areas:– ELA: Items measuring reading, listening, writing,

research– Mathematics

• Accommodations and Supports for SWDs• Supports for ELLs and Gen Ed students receiving

supports• Universal tools for all

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Smarter

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What are Smarter “Designated Supports?”

• Another name for an accessibility feature of the test that is available to selected groups– Available to more student-types than Smarter Accommodations

• ELL, SWD, 504, Gen Ed

– Might be called accommodations on another test (i.e. DCAS)– Might be called universal tools on another test– Include ELL related features

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What are Universal Tools?

• Accessibility feature available to all students– No need to select prior to test– Student selects independently/spontaneously during the test

• Smarter Balanced Module on Embedded Universal Tools and Online Features :– Narrated module: https://

docs.google.com/file/d/0B9nrTDov_T0zaTUtLXhrYnRLZWs/edit?pli=1

– Non-narrated module: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9nrTDov_T0zcXAxQWs5T29iZms/edit?pli=1

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Embedded vs. Non Embedded

• Replaces the terminology “Functional vs. Non-Functional”

• Embedded*: delivered online via the browser• Non-Embedded: provided in the classroom by

staff

*except “print on demand” – called non embedded in Smarter.

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Smarter – DCAS Crosswalk

http://www.doe.k12.de.us/assessment/files/Accoms_Crosswalk_DCAS-SBAC.pdf

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DCAS

• Science and Social Studies only• Same policy as previous years– Accommodations only – Formally identified students only• ELL (English language learners)• SWD (students with disabilities)

• Universal design features for all

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DCAS ALT-1

• Alternate test for students with significant cognitive disabilities

• Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies• Participation Guidelines– Increasing number of ELLs documented with significant

cognitive disabilities• 2014-15: For the first time, DOE will track some

accommodations in the Assessment Accommodations Database

• Test Characteristics Profile

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Decision Trees

Decision Trees• See the decision trees on pages 25, 32, and 37

of the guidelines.– Decision tree for SWDs– Decision tree for ELLs– General Ed with Support

• General, or Alternate?• With/Without Accoms?• English Language Proficiency? ALT?

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Accommodations and Supports on the General Assessments

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Accommodations & Supports Timeline

• When can I plan accommodations & supports?– Any time before the assessment.

• When can I enter accommodations & supports?– Between test windows– during the planned test window, prior to testing– With 3 days prior to testing, (number specified in DeSSA Test Administrator

Training)– Do not enter accommodations for 2015-16 before spring 2015 window

closes (June 4). • When should the student start using the accommodations &

supports?– In the classroom – as soon as it can benefit the student– On the test –

• after the student becomes proficient in the accom or support• after it is showing in the TIDE database

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Accommodations & Supports in Classroom and Assessment

Smarter Accommod-

ations & Supports

DCAS Accommodations

and supports

Classroom Accoms and Supports

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Accommodations Form

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Accommodations Listings/Forms• Smarter Example

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Accommodations for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History

Smarter

ASL Human ASL interpreter Available as an accommodation.

ASL Video-test questions will be translated into video of an actual person, signing the test question (not a computer avatar)

Closed Caption Not Available Available as an Accommodation

(Printed text that appears on the computer screen as audio materials are presented. )

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Accommodations for Students with Visual Impairment (slide 1)

DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History

Smarter ELA/Math

Zoom (universal design) Available available

Zoomtext external device/software

Permitted Permitted with certification

Magnification Available The size of specific areas of the screen may be adjusted by the student with an A.T. device. Allows increasing the size to a level not provided for by the Zoom.

Paper Braille Available. Available (pending approval)

Adaptive Calculator : Talking, large display

Available for all math items

Available for calculator items only

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Accommodations for Students with Visual Impairment (slide 2)

DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC

Math/History

Smarter ELA/Math

Refreshable Braille Not AvailableAvailable - the reading test

will be read on a refreshable braille display

—math test can be printed on an embosser

Background color change Available Available

Print on Request or Paper/Pencil combined with magnification device (i.e. cctv or magnifying lens)

Available Available.

Print size default Available Available

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Refreshable Braille

• Benefit of Text to Braille – more inclusive than fixed-form paper test– Student who uses braille benefits from adaptive

test– Student who uses braille takes test when his/her

class takes the test– Available for field test – Work with the teacher of the visually impaired to

determine if student can use

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Refreshable Braille (2)

• Paper braille is anticipated to be available in 2015.

• However, this does not constitute permission to opt out of instruction and assessment in refreshable braille.

• Smarter states are obligated to move towards full implementation of refreshable braille for all braille-using students over the next two years.

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Hand-Held Calculator (for online test)

• Only permitted if student’s usual calculator is adaptive in design– Talking– Large display– Large buttons– Braille

• Otherwise, online calculator should be used

• No calculator accommodation permitted on the non-calculator portion of the math test

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Calculators and Non-Calculator Items (2)

Smarter Math 3-5 Smarter Math 6-8 Smarter Math 11 EOC Alg. II or Int. Math III

Includes: Includes: Includes: Includes:

A “Calculator Permitted” Section of the Test

A “Calculator Permitted” Section of the Test

A “Calculator Permitted” Section of the Test ONLY

A “Calculator Not Permitted” Section of the Test ONLY

A “Calculator Not Permitted” Section of the Test

A “Calculator Not Permitted” Section of the Test

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Calculator-Availability-by-Grade-Level.pdf

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Accommodations & Supports for Students with Reading Disabilities and Print Disabilities

DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History

Smarter ELA/Math

Text to Speech – Test Questions

Available Available as a support. Activates TTS on questions in ELA and Math. Also Activates TTS of passages in ELA PT.

Human Reader – Test Questions

Available Available as a support in ELA and Math. Passages on ELA PT are considered part of the question – these may be read.

Text to Speech – Reading Passages

Not Applicable Permitted as an accommodation for ELA 6-8 & 11 with a DOE-approved TTS/HR verification form

Human Reader – Reading Passages

Not Applicable Permitted as an accommodation for ELA 3-8 & 11 with a DOE-approved TTS/HR verification form

Smarter Text-to-Speech/Human Reader for

Students with IEPs or 504s

Questions/Items Passages

Embedded (TTS)

Grades 3-5 Available – also activates TTS passages on ELA PT.

Not programmed/Not available

Grades 6-8 Available with approved form

Non-Embedded (Human Reader)

Grades 3-5 Available – also includes reading of passages on ELA PT.

Available with approved form

Grades 6-8

• Verification form to be completed by appropriate school staff

• Provide justification of print disability and information on reading supports

• Required to submit to DOE for students in all grades who are expected to receive this accommodation

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Verification Form – TTS/Human Reader (Passages)

Need new screen shot of final form

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Accoms/supports for Attention and Distraction

DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History

Smarter ELA/Math

Masking Available – universal tool Available as a Support

Breaks Available – flexible scheduling, pause test

Available – flexible scheduling, pause test

Turn off tools Not Applicable Available as a Support

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Injury, Motor, or Processing Difficulty

DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History

Smarter ELA/Math

Scribe Available Available as a Support for Math and non-writing ELA. Available as an accommodation on all parts of ELA and Math.

Physical assistance with Mouse

Available Consider this part of scribing

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DCAS ALT 1 Accommodations Tracking Overview

• Substitution or Presentation of response cards• Large Print• Magnification• ASL• Braille & tactile graphics• ELL-related accommodations– Translator/interpreter items– Translator/interpreter reading passages– Translation of construct-irrelevant words– Definition of construct-irrelevant words

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DCAS--ALT 1 Test Characteristics Profile Form

• Features that TA might like to track, but not necessary to report to DOE

• Page 114 in Guidelines

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Switching between General and Alternate Assessments

• Document the decision to switch BEFORE the opening of the Spring Window

• After you administer a spring test, it is too late to switch tests.

Senate Bill 229Regulation Development

• Has two components:– Alternate assessment– Early reading remediation

• 90-Day Timeline for Regulation Development– 9/15 – To register for posting on 10/1– 10/1-12/1 – 60 day public comment period– Early December – Review public comment; potential revision– 12/15 – To register for posting 1/1– Mid January – Potential in effect date

• Regulation developed in consultation with Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens & Lt Gov’s Office

Section 1 of S.B. 229: Alternate Assessment

• Option for students to participate in a Portfolio Alternate Assessment instead of DCAS-Alt1– Aligned to extended standards (ELA, Math, Science & SS)– Additional section related to life skills, self-determination, etc.

• Assessment Regulations (101) will include:– Notice of assessment options– Procedure for parent request and IEP team review– Requirements related to design and evaluation of the portfolio– Procedure for review of unusual number of portfolio

assessments

Available for

15-16 SY

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Technical

Assessment Accommodations Database

• Access Via IMS

• Contains Accommodations and Supports for – Students with Disabilities (IEP, 504)– ELLs– Gen Ed with Supports

• Enter, List, or Report Accommodations and Supports• Data for AIR TIDE (Test Information Distribution

Engine) is extracted from it

Opening Screen (“Search” Screen)

Students with IEP’s

Search Results Screen

Edit, View

Student-Related Reports

Currently-DCAS only

Report Results Screen

Save, Print

Steps to Flag Student as Gen Ed w/Supports

Follow these steps after identifying a student to receive supports on the Smarter assessments as a general education student:1. Log in to ESchool2. Go to the Accountability screen. 3. Flag the student “Y” as a general education student

receiving supports.4. Wait overnight for the student’s data to “roll up” to DELSIS.5. Enter the student’s supports in the Assessment

Accommodations database.Please contact your Eschool support contact with any questions regarding data entry.

Eschool Accountability ScreenHow to Formally Document a General Education Student Receiving Supports in the Pupil Accounting and Accommodations SystemsPage 36 of Guidelines .

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Help! None of Our Reading Accommodations “Rolled Up”

• Accommodations could not be rolled up from DCAS reading to Smarter ELA. They are too different.– The list of accommodations & supports are permitted;– The rules about who can have which accommodations & supports.

• Schools must enter all Smarter ELA accommodations and supports. – Use the crosswalk from last spring’s field test – determine what accommodations and supports offered on Smarter ELA are

similar to DCAS Reading Accommodations.• Schools must also enter all Smarter math accommodations and

supports. – The only math accommodations in the system are DCAS math

accommodations. – Math rolled up because High School End of Course Algebra II and Integrated

Math III tests are still being offered.

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Example• Some Smarter accommodations did not exist on DCAS. • Some DCAS accommodations don’t exist on Smarter.• Some DCAS accommodations might be replaced by a particular

smarter accom/support but you may feel the smarter version is not appropriate.

• TTS Passages– DCAS:

• available 2-10, • select on IEP team authority• Available to IEP, 504 and ELL

– Smarter: • available 6-8 and 11, • need approved TTS form to enter (entered by DOE)• Available only to IEP, 504

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Smarter Reset Policy

• Incorrect accoms most frequent reason for rest in DCAS• Different from previous DCAS Reset Policy• If student answered 6 or more items, no reset will be granted.

– If the test is administered incorrectly (for example, the wrong accommodations were provided):• the student will not get another opportunity to test.• the student’s test may be invalidated, resulting in non-participant status

• If the student answered fewer than 6 items, a reset can be granted. – If the test was administered incorrectly, the test reset will give you

another chance to administer the test correctly.• DCAS/EOC will adopt the new Smarter reset policy.

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AIR TIDE

• In 2014-15, TIDE will contain all information related to – Smarter ELA/Math– DCAS Science/Social Studies– EOC Alg II/IM III, US History– DCAS ALT 1 ELA/Math/Science/Social Studies

• Student will have one record in TIDE that has the info for all his/her tests

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Coming Soon …

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Smarter- Alternate Response –External Device/Software (1 of 2)

• Smarter policy includes augmentative alternative communication devices, magnification software, and speech-to-text (and other alternate response) software on list of supports/ accommodations

• Certification of your software/device will ensure that the student’s test will execute properly

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Other Settings – Pending Approval

• Streamline/Test Shell - pending– Can be used on its own for more linear presentation– Can be used to improve presentation of other

accommodations/supports• Permissive Mode - pending– Select Permissive Mode if student will be using

external accessibility software or devices• “Speech to Text” (STT, not TTS)• Magnification (i.e., Zoomtext)• Alternate Response

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Paper/Pencil (incl. Braille p/p)

• Support 4.10

• Available for Spring 2015 (not yet official)– Intended for schools nationally that do not have

adequate internet access

• Use of “Print on Demand” is preferred• Paper/Pencil flag in eSchool or add support in

database for identified Gen Ed with Supports

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Future Updates to 2014-15 Accessibility Guidelines

• Additional updates and clarifications are likely between now and spring 2015 testing

• Look out on DOE website and DCAS Portal – Updates memo– Updated Accommodations form

• Expected future updates– Announcement regarding Spanish TTS

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Upcoming Training

• Additional Accessibility Guidelines training for DCAS--ALT 1 coordinators and test administrators

• DOE Training on how to use the Assessment Accommodations Database

• Smarter module on universal tools• DCAS ALT 1 Online Update Training• DCAS ALT 1 Face to Face training for new TAs

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Questions

• Sarah Celestin – Students with Disabilitieso 302-735-4210o Sarah.Celestin@doe.k12.de.us

• Terry Richard – English Language Learnerso 302-735-4210o Terry.Richard@doe.k12.de.us

• Helen Dennis – Office of Assessmento 302-735-4090o Helen.Dennis@doe.k12.de.us