NCDPI ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Accessibility and Accommodations Quick Reference Document
North Carolina Accessibility and Accommodations State Policy Quick Reference
This worksheet contains the text from the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Accessibility and Accommodations Guidelines [Guidelines], posted at
http://wida.us/accommodations/guidelines and the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Accessibility and Accommodations Descriptions
[Descriptions], posted at http://wida.us/accommodations/descriptions, that refers to the development of specific state education
agency (SEA) policies on accessibility and accommodations. Limited English proficient (LEP) teams/committees should review this
publication before making decisions about accessibility and testing accommodations for students identified as LEP.
Document and
Page Number
Guidelines:
Participation by
ELLs in ACCESS for
ELLS 2.0
August 7, 2015
Document Text
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
The decision regarding which LEP assessment
is most appropriate for each student, as well
as decisions regarding the accommodations
required by the student, either on the ACCESS
for ELLs 2.0 or the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs,
are made by the student’s Individualized
Education Program (IEP) team (or 504 Plan
coordinator), and must be listed either in the
student’s IEP or 504 Plan, and in the student’s
LEP Plan, if applicable.
IEP, 504, and LEP teams should use a multidisciplinary
approach to determining the appropriate assessment and
corresponding accessibility features and/accommodations
for each student.
1
Document and
Page Number
Document Text
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs
Guidelines:
Alternate ACCESS
for ELLs
August 7, 2015
WIDA-recommended participation criteria for
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs can be found on
the WIDA website at
http://www.wida.us/assessment/
alternateaccess.aspx. Check with your state
education agency for your state’s specific
participation criteria for this assessment
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
To determine student participation in the Alternate
ACCESS for ELLs, the following criteria must be met:
• The student has a current Individualized Education
Program (IEP).
• The student participates in the general education
curriculum through the Extended Content Standards.
• The student has a significant cognitive disability (i.e.,
exhibits severe and pervasive delays in ALL areas of
conceptual, linguistic, and academic development and
also in adaptive behavior areas, such as communication,
daily living skills, and self-care).
• The student's prior school year ACCESS for ELLs scores
yielded NA across any and/or all domains or yielded a
composite score of less than 2.0. (If scores are 2.0 or
above, the student does not qualify for the Alternate
ACCESS for ELLs and must continue to take the regular
ACCESS for ELLs.)
• If the student does not have ACCESS for ELLs testing for
the prior school year, the student's WIDA ACCESS
Placement Test (W-APTTM) results have a proficiency
level of 1 in all applicable domains.
2
Document and
Page Number
Guidelines:
WIDA Accessibility
and
Accommodations
Framework
Document Text
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
Note that your state’s accommodations policy
may differ for English language proficiency
(ELP) and content area testing.
Accommodations policies for ELP testing and
content area testing are not identical and
are not interchangeable.
Test coordinators and test administrators shall consult the
specific NC Testing Guides as they relate to the student
population and assessment they are administering for
accommodations policies.

Guidelines:
Guidelines for
Transcription
Refer to the North Carolina Testing Program Testing
Responses must be transcribed
Students with Disabilities document transcription
verbatim onscreen or in the paperprocedures.
based test booklet by test administrator
as soon as possible after the test is
administered. (Check with your state for
timeframe expectations.)
Applies to the following accommodations:






August 7, 2015
Large print version of test (LP)
Braille version of test (BR)
Student responds using a recording
device, which is played back and
transcribed by student (RD)
Word processor or similar keyboarding
device to respond to test items (WD)
Student responds orally using external
augmentative and alternate
communication device or software (AC)
Student responds using a braille writer
or braille notetaker (BW)
3
Document and
Page Number
Document Text
Descriptions:
Test
Administration
Procedures
Previously, many of these Test Administration
Procedures had been limited only to students
with disabilities.
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address


Test Administration Procedures –
Descriptions:
Presentation:
Test Administration
Procedures
 Clarify test directions in student’s native
(Available to ALL
language by test administrator (per
ELLs)
If a student has an IEP/504 Plan, these test
administration procedures must be documented in
the IEP/504 and routinely used in the classroom
If a student only has an LEP plan, please refer to
the publication Guidelines for Testing Students
Identified as Limited English Proficient
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction does
not allow clarification of test directions in student’s native
language by the test administrator.
availability and local policy)
Descriptions
Test Administration
Procedures
(Available to ALL
ELLs)
August 7, 2015
Test Administration Procedures –
Presentation:

Allow student to take the paper-based
test based on policy outlined by the state
education agency
If a student requires a paper/pencil version of the test to
meet his/her unique needs as documented in the current
IEP/504, it can be ordered using the WIDA Assessment
Management System (AMS) to designate students who
need a paper/pencil version.
If a school is having a technology hardship and is unable
to provide the online assessment to students identified as
LEP, a waiver request shall be submitted for approval to
the Director of Accountability Services
4
Document and
Page Number
Descriptions
Test Administration
Procedures
(Available to ALL
ELLs)
Descriptions:
Accommodations
Document Text
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
Accessibility Tools
Scratch/blank paper (including lined or graph
paper)
 Submit with test materials or dispose
according to state policy
The accommodations manual control of item
audio (MC), repeat item audio (RI), or
extended Speaking test response time (ES)
must be pre-selected in the WIDA
Assessment Management System (or in the
student pre-ID data file that is imported into
the WIDA AMS) in order to be activated
within the test items at the time of testing.
Check with your state policy on how, where,
and which accommodations data should be
uploaded.
Scratch paper used during the assessment shall be
securely recycled or destroyed at the local level.
For this year these accommodations will be equated as
follows:
-
-
Manual Control of Item Audio will be applied if a
student has Computer Reads Test Aloud—Student
Controlled
Repeat Item Audio will be applied if a student has
Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud
Extended Speaking Test Response Time will be
applied if a student has Scheduled Extended Time
If a student requires a human face-to-face reader to
access testing materials, he/she should take the
paper/pencil version of this assessment.
Descriptions
Accommodations
August 7, 2015
Student uses assistive technology to respond
to test items (AT)
 Confirm with your state which adaptive
equipment or devices are allowable
Refer to the North Carolina Testing Program Testing
Students with Disabilities document.
5
Document and
Page Number
Document Text
Extended testing time within school day
(ET)
Descriptions
Accommodations
Student is allowed extended test time
within the same school day
Extended testing of a test domain over
multiple days (EM)
Descriptions
Accommodations
Student completes a test domain over
multiple days, based on state policy
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
Refer to the North Carolina Testing Program Testing
Students with Disabilities document.
Refer to the North Carolina Testing Program Testing
Students with Disabilities document.
 This accommodation may be used in rare
cases, and only when absolutely necessary,
due to a student’s illness, disability, or
extended interruption in testing, with
approval of state assessment official upon
receipt by the state of a written request
with evidence supporting the need for the
accommodation
August 7, 2015
6
Document and
Page Number
Document Text
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
The following test administration procedures are not
permitted in North Carolina for the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0
assessment for any student, regardless of IEP/504/LEP
status:
-
Descriptions
Accommodations
Test Administration Procedures
-
Explain/clarify test directions in English by test
administrator
Clarify test directions in student’s native language
by test administrator
Provide verbal praise or tangible reinforcement to
a student
Verbally redirect student’s attention to test, in
English or in student’s native language
All other test administration procedures listed in the
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Accessibility and Accommodations
Descriptions document are available to all students,
regardless of IEP/504/LEP status. It is a best practice to
have documentation of test administration procedures
needed by a student in the respective plan.
August 7, 2015
7
Document and
Page Number
Document Text
Descriptions
Accommodations
August 7, 2015
Accessibility Tools
NCDPI Policy – Key Points to Address
The Accessibility Tools described in the ACCESS for ELLs
2.0 Accessibility and Accommodations Descriptions
document are available to all students taking this
assessment without documentation. Students must
complete the practice items on days before the test so
that these tools do not become a distraction during the
actual test administration.
8