DeSSA Accessibility Guidelines
Online Training, 2014-2015
English Language Learners
Helen Dennis – Office of Assessment
Sarah Celestin – Exceptional Children (Special Education)
Terry Richard – Exceptional Children (ELL/Migrant)
October 2014
1
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
2
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)
3
What is DeSSA?
•
•
•
•
Delaware
System of
Student
Assessments
• Includes Smarter, DCAS, DCAS ALT 1, SAT/PSAT,
ACCESS/ALT ACCESS, NAEP
4
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
5
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.
6
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
7
Smarter
8
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
9
What are the Available Supports?
Embedded
• 3.01 Color contrast (onscreen)
• 3.02 Masking
• 3.03 Text-to-speech for items
• 3.04 Translated test directions
• 3.05 Translations (glossaries)
• 3.06 Spanish Translations
(stacked)
• 3.07 Turn off any universal
tools
Non-Embedded
• 4.01 Bilingual dictionary
• 4.02 Color Contrast (printed)
• 4.03 Color overlays
• 4.04 Magnification
• 4.05 Human Reader - items
• 4.06 Scribe
• 4.07 Separate Setting
• 4.08 Translations (glossaries)
• 4.09 Translated test directions
• 4.10 Paper/Pencil
• 4.11 Noise Buffers
10
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_T0zaTUtLXhrY
nRLZWs/edit?pli=1
– Non-narrated module:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9nrTDov_T0zcXAxQWs5
T29iZms/edit?pli=1
11
Smarter – DCAS Crosswalk
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/assessment/files/Accoms_Crosswalk_DCAS12
SBAC.pdf
Supports for Limited English Language
Proficiency
DCAS Science/Social
Studies and EOC
Math/History
Smarter ELA/Math
Text to Speech – Test
Questions
Available
Available for ELA & Math
(Including ELA PT passages).
Human Reader – Test
Questions
Available
Available for ELA & Math
(including ELA PT passages).
Text to Speech – Reading
Passages
Not Applicable
Not Available*
Human Reader – Reading
Passages
Not Applicable
Not Available*
* Except to ELLS with and IEP or 504
• We expect Smarter to announce that TTS to be available in Spanish for spring 2015.
13
Smarter
Text-to-Speech/Human Reader for ELLs
and Gen Ed with Supports
Questions/Items
Passages
Grades 3-5
Available
Not programmed
Grades 6-8
Available
Not Available*
Grades 3-5
Available
Not Available*
Grades 6-8
Available
Not Available*
Embedded (TTS)
Non-Embedded (Human Reader)
*Unless student is also a student with an IEP or a 504 plan.
Language Translation Supports
DCAS Science/Social
Studies and EOC
Math/History
Smarter ELA/Math
Full Spanish Translation –
Stacked (online)
Available
Available for Math only
(not permitted for ELA)
Full translation in Other
Languages (besides
Spanish)
Human
Interpreter/Translator
Not available. Human
Interpreter/Translator NOT
PERMITTED.
Print Glossary or word to
word dictionary
Permitted in Print. Selected Available from Smarter in
by school.
10 languages. Use of nonsmarter-produced glossary
not permitted. For MATH
only.
Translations (Glossaries)
Not available
Embedded. Online glossary
or word-to-word dictionary
Available for 10 languages
with audio. For MATH
only.
15
Translated Glossaries & Full Translations
• Following languages are listed in the Smarter
Accommodation & Supports “Frequently Asked
Questions”
 Vietnamese
 Mandarin
 Arabic
 Korean
 Tagalog
 Punjabi
 Ilokano
 Russian
 Cantonese
 Ukrainian
• Full translation for Spanish (“stacked” with English )
• Math only (not ELA)
16
Smarter Supports for ELL Students:
Dictionaries
When and to whom are dictionaries available?
Embedded
Bilingual (Translated)
English only – gives meaning in
English for an English word
See “glossary, embedded,
bilingual” (next slide)
English Language Dictionary
Category: Universal Tool
Available to: Everyone
Mode: Online
Subject: ELA Performance Task
Non-Embedded
Bilingual Dictionary (Print)
English Language Dictionary
Category: Designated Support
Available to: ELLs & identified
others
Mode: print
Subject: ELA Performance Task
Category: Universal Tool
Available to: Everyone
Mode: Online
Subject: ELA Performance Task
Smarter Supports for ELL Students:
Glossaries
Embedded
(online)
NonEmbedded
(not online)
Bilingual (Translated word to word,
no definitions)
English – gives meaning in English for
an English word
Bilingual Glossary
Category: Designated Support
Available to: ELLs & identified others
Mode: Online
Subject: Math
English Glossary
Category: Universal Tool
Available to: Everyone
Mode: Online
Subject: Math and ELA
How it Works: Translations for these
terms appear on screen when
students click on them. Students can
also select the audio icon next to the
glossary term and listen to the audio
recording of the glossary.
How it Works: Via pop-up window,
grade and context-appropriate
definitions of specific constructirrelevant terms are shown in English
on the screen. Student can access the
embedded glossary by clicking on any
of the pre-selected terms.
See Bilingual Dictionary (NonEmbedded)
N/A
DCAS
• Science and Social Studies only
• Same accommodation policy as previous years
– Accommodations only (No Supports)
– Formally identified students only
• ELL (English language learners)
• SWD (students with disabilities)
• Universal design features for all
19
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
20
Accommodations & Supports Timeline
for General Assessments
• 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 accommodation &
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
21
Accommodations & Supports in
Classroom and Assessment
Classroom Accoms
and Supports
DCAS
Accommodations
and supports
Smarter
Accommodations &
Supports
22
Accommodations Form
23
Accommodations Listings/Forms
• Smarter Example
24
Recently-Arrived ELL/Immigrants
• Recently arrived LEP student: an LEP student who has
attended schools in the United States for less than 12
months.
• During his/her first 12 months attending schools in the U.S.,
a State may exempt such a student from one administration
of the State’s reading/language arts assessment.
• For purposes of participation in a State's assessment
system, recently arrived LEP students must take an English
proficiency assessment
– (no exemption from ACCESS, ALT ACCESS)
ELL Exemptions From Smarter Reading
or DCAS ALT 1 Reading
• Accom 9.01 (from Smarter Reading) or Accom 901 (from DCAS ALT 1)
• Student must be formally identified as ELL and immigrant
• Student is Not enrolled in U.S. schools for a 90 day period or longer
(excluding June, July, August). The 90 days must occur between Sept 1
– May 30 to qualify the student as immigrant.
• Student is Not FEP
• Student has been entered into ELL 2.0 by school
• Student’s most recent immigration date has been entered into ELL 2.0
by school
• Exemption lasts 12 months.
• If student’s 12 months expires during the spring test window, then the
student must test during the window.
– It does not matter when the student tests in the window, as long as
the student tests
Accommodations for ELLS taking
the Alternate Assessment
DCAS ALT 1
27
DCA 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
28
Accommodations on the English
Language Proficiency Assessments
• ACCESS, ALT ACCESS
• Refer to pages 59-68 of the DeSSA
Accommodations forms.
• Take the WIDA training in winter/spring
• Select accommodations for SWD/ELLs on ACCESS
with an understanding of the purpose of ACCESS
test
– NOT the same purpose as Smarter Reading and DCAS
ALT-1 Reading.
– Probably different accommodations selected for
different purposes
29
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.
30
Technical
31
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
Student-Related Reports
Currently-DCAS only
Report Results Screen
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.
37
Smarter Reset Policy
• Different from previous DCAS Reset Policy
• If student answered 6 or more items, no reset will be
granted.
– If the test was administered incorrectly (i.e., the wrong
accommodations were provided), the test will be
invalidated, and the student will not get another
opportunity to test.
• 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.
38
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
39
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
40
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
• DOE Training on how to use the Assessment
Accommodations Database
• Smarter module on universal tools
41
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
42
Questions
• Sarah Celestin – Students with Disabilities
o 302-735-4210
o Sarah.Celestin@doe.k12.de.us
• Terry Richard – English Language Learners
o 302-735-4210
o Terry.Richard@doe.k12.de.us
• Helen Dennis – Office of Assessment
o 302-735-4090
o Helen.Dennis@doe.k12.de.us
43