ACCOMMODATIONS
TRAINING
2014-15
Agenda:
• Policy
• Accessibility features vs. Accommodations
• Accessibility Features
• Personal Needs Profile form
• Accommodations
• Presentation
• Response
• Entering Accommodations into Q
Assessment Policy:
• All students enrolled in a Colorado Public School in the grades
assessed must be accounted for in either the general summative
assessment or the alternate summative assessment.
• Alternate Assessment Participation
• Student meets eligibility criteria for Intellectual Disability or Establishes
cognitive component within another disability category
• CoAlt: Science & Social Studies
• CoAlt: DLM (alternate to PARCC)
• Alternate ACCESS for ELLs
• 11th grade Alternate to ACT
Colorado Measures of Academic Success:
Science & Social Studies and PARCC (ELA/Math)
Accessibility for all students has increased
ACCESSIBILITY
FEATURES:
Accessibility features are available to all students, even those
with no formal plans, based on observed need
Setting
Considerations
for ALL:
Things to think about:
 Best interest of the
student(s)

Maintain test security

Maintain standardized
test environment
• Small Group
• Frequent Breaks
• Does not stop the testing clock
• May not access internet, text books, friends, etc.
• Time of Day
• Consider test security
• Separate/Alternate Location
• Specified Testing Area or Seating
• Specialized Equipment or Furniture
“Available to any student at his or her discretion during testing”
Embedded
Features for
ALL
CMAS: S & SS
CMAS: PARCC
Computer Based Test
(CBT)
• Navigation
• forward, back
• flag for review
• Highlighter
• Enlargement
• Magnifier, Zoom (Ctrl +-0)
• Ruler
(cm, ¼”, depending on grade & subject)
• Calculator
• Periodic Table
• Eliminate answer choice
• External color overlays
More Features
for ALL:
• Notepad may be available
CMAS: S & SS
CMAS: PARCC
• Audio Amplification
Computer Based Test
(CBT)
• Redirect Students to Test
• Blank Paper
• Up to 2 sheets per section
• Must be treated as secure test materials
• Headphones / Noise buffers
• Writing Tools
• Keyboard shortcut keys
CMAS PARCC ONLY
• Line Reader
• Answer Masking
Accessibility
Feature:
Text-to-Speech
Form required
While available to all students (i.e., without a
plan), it is not appropriate for all students.
• Generally speaking, students who used an Oral Script
on TCAP should be considered for Text-to-Speech on
computer based assessments – per CDE
recommendation
• This can be made available for students who are in the
RtI process for having difficulty reading grade level text.
• Large file size affects student testing – even with proctor
caching
(This is a special
accommodation on
CMAS: PARCC –
ELA.)
• The appropriate form must be assigned in
PearsonAccess/Pearson Next prior to testing
• Students need headphones for this feature
It is strongly encouraged that students using text-to-speech as an accessibility
feature access it in the ePAT environment to ensure they are familiar with it, and
that they will use it.
Other
Accessibility
Features:
Forms required
• Answer Masking
• General Masking
CMAS: S & SS
CMAS: PARCC – ELA/Math
• Color Contrast (all others will
have white screen/black font)
Differences in Extended Time
CMAS: S&SS
• For CMAS: S & SS all students may
access the additional time allowed in
the timing structure of a test
section/unit –
• Time + Additional Time = Extended
Time
• For students with an IEP/504 plan or
ELL
CMAS: PARCC ELA/Math
For students with an IEP/504 plan or ELL
extended time is one school day
• Document amount of extended time
anticipated
• Logistics:
• Test in separate setting
• Unit must be given in a continuous block of
time
•
Lunch – TA must accompany child to lunch and
remain with him/her or bring lunch back to testing
room.
• If the TA observes that the student is no
• Follow time indicated in plan
• Time and a half is presumed if it is not
specifically listed
• Time + Additional Time + 10 minutes =
Time and a Half
longer productively engaged, an inquiry
may be made regarding testing status.
Once the extended time provision is
exhausted, the TA should proceed to the
next test unit or end the testing process.
Redirection allowed for ALL:
The Test Administrator may redirect off-task students back to the test
by saying,
“<student’s name>, continue working.”
LIMITATIONS TO TEACHER-TALK STILL APPLY:
• No coaching or assistance may be provided in any way
• The Test Administrator may not remind or encourage students to
complete a specific item
• The Test Administrator may not provide any physical cues to the test
as they could be misconstrued as directing the student to incorrect
or correct responses
Personal Needs Profiles
• Who creates the personal Needs Profile (PNP) for
students?
• Disabilities – IEP or 504 team
• ELL – English Language Learner team
• Without disabilities or ELL – RtI or informal team
• Teams should consist of:
• Student (as appropriate)
• Parent/guardian
• Student’s primary educator in the subject of the assessment
• Entry into Q (not available yet)
Who Needs a
PNP?
• Students receiving form-
specific accessibility features:
• Answer Masking
• General Masking
• Color Contrast
The PNP is the only
documentation that
the Assessment Office
is requiring this year.
This does NOT negate
your obligation to
document for the RtI
process, READ plans
or other school/district
processes.
• Text-to-Speech (Math)
• Students receiving
accommodations
ACCOMMODATIONS
Assessment accommodations are about accessing the
assessment without changing the construct.
Accommodations Policy:
• Accommodations are provided for students with formal plans:
IEP, 504, ELL
• Must be in use at least 90 days prior to testing No later than Dec 9th
• Regularly and with fidelity during classroom instruction
• For High School Fall test window– that means the accommodations
would be in place the previous spring.
• Based on individual need, not based on program or teaching
style
• Determined by a team of educators, parents, and student
• Must NOT be used only for assessments
Accommodation Policy Exceptions:
 New Student to the District:
Contact the student’s former school for all relevant
documentation (IEP,504,or ELP)
 If no documentation can be obtained, consult the student and
parent to discuss any accommodations that have been provided
over the past three months
 Student may have access to accessibility features or
accommodations listed in their IEP, 504 plan or ELL plan

 Unforeseeable Circumstances:

If a student suffers from an unforeseeable (not predicted or
scheduled) circumstance less than three months prior to the
star t of testing and requires an accommodation to access the
state test, he/she may be provided with it
 HS events over summer

Example: Student with a concussion needs breaks
Unique Accommodations:
(formerly known as Nonstandard Accommodations)
• IEP or 504 plans
• Historically less than .01% of students
• State deadline is DECEMBER 15
(This data subject to change when CDE
publishes state accommodation manual.)
Examples:
• Record answers into a tape recorder and play back
to type
• Picture cues to stay on task
• Magazines to tear when frustrated
• Student given “Skittles” at specific intervals for
time on task
• Accommodations must be based on
Overview:
CMAS: S & SS
CMAS: PARCC
Students with Plans:
IEP
504
ELL
an individual student’s academic need
documented in the student’s
approved IEP, 504, or ELP
• A master list of all students and their
accommodations should be
maintained by the SAC and entered
into Q (Q will give you a report that can serve as your
master list.)
• Accommodations are available for
computer-based (CBT) and paperbased (PBT) administration
CBT Presentation
Accommodations:
CMAS: S & SS
CMAS: PARCC
Students with
Plans:
IEP
504
ELL
IEP Only:
• Oral Script – Sign Language
Oral scripts are
not allowed for
the ELA test
except in rare
circumstances.
ELL Only:
• Word-to-Word Dictionary
• Translated Oral Script – Spanish
• Translated Oral Script – Other Languages (must
be translated locally)
IEP/504 only:
• Low vision devices
IEP/504/ELL:
• Oral Scripts (delivered by human rather than
text-to-speech delivered by computer)
• Most students will be taking CMAS: Science and
Paper Based Form
as an
Accommodation:
Social Studies assessments on a computer
• The paper-based versions of the CMAS: Science and
Social Studies assessments are considered
accommodated forms
CMAS: S & SS
CMAS: PARCC –
ELA/Math
Students with Plans:
IEP
504
ELL
• Use of the paper-based assessments is expected
only to be available for students with specific needs
or conditions
#1 Disability:
•
•
•
Have a neurological disorder (such as recent concussion), a condition that causes
seizures, or another health condition that prevents the student from accessing the
computer*
Braille
Adaptive equipment is not compatible
*Students with disabilities that prevent them from
utilizing devices safely may meet this criterion.
#2 New to technology
#3 Religion/beliefs
Accommodations for PBT
• The following presentation accommodations are available for
students who are taking the paper-based accommodated form:
• Large Print
• Low-Vision Devices
• Oral Scripts – English
• Oral Scripts – Translated
• Oral Scripts – Sign Language
• Braille
• Word-to-Word Glossary/Dictionary
(Human) Oral
Presentation Options: English
CMAS:S & SS
 English oral script for
computer is used for:
 On-site translations into
other languages
 On-site sign language
presentation
 English oral script for paper
 Recommend group size of 3 or
less for Science
 Recommend group size of 1 for
Social Studies
CMAS: PARCC – ELA/Math
• PARCC/Pearson does not
provide Oral Scripts for test
items.
• Presenters are expected to
know and apply the Audio
Guidelines provided.
• The Guidelines are ~36
pages long each: ELA and
Math.
IEP/504/ELL only
Oral Presentation Options:
Languages Other Than English
 Qualifying
 NEP/LEP and in program 3 years or less
 Grade 12 - entered EL programming on or after November 1st, of their 9th grade year
 Grade 8 - on or after April 15th, of their 5th grade year
 Grade 7 - on or after April 15th, of their 4th grade year
 Grade 5 - on or after April 15th, of their 2nd grade year
 Grade 4 - on or after April 15th, of their 1st grade year
 Science and Social Studies
 Embedded Spanish Audio
 Spanish oral script for computer or paper
 Translated English Oral Script
ELL only
Oral Presentation Options continued:
 PARCC ELA/Math
 General test directions are provided in a downloadable PDF in 10
languages (Spanish, Arabic, Navajo, Chinese Mandarin,Vietnamese,
Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Polish, Somali, and Marshallese)
 The Mathematics assessment only:
 Spanish translation
These are
Assistive
Technology
Devices.
 Screen-reader compatible for 3 systems
 Refreshable Braille
IEP/504/ELL only
Depending on accommodation
Oral Presentation of PARCC: ELA
 Students must be at the
basal/foundational reading level
Oral Presentation of PARCC: ELA (cont.)
Guidelines for IEP or 504
Team Consideration
Before listing the accommodation in the
student’s IEP or 504 plan, teams should
also consider whether:
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 should receive ongoing
intensive instruction and/or
interventions to remediate his or her
foundational reading skills in order to
continue to attain the important
college and career-ready skill of
independent reading.
Additional Guidance
States may provide additional guidance
for their respective states based on state
policy or practice.
Agree/Disagree
 Agree
 Disagree
 The student must receive printed
instructional materials for all subjects in
an audio format the majority of
instructional time.
Clarification:
 Students must be at the basal/foundational reading level
AND
 The student must receive printed instructional materials for
all subjects in an audio format the majority of instructional
time.
Basal/foundational readers are:
•
•
at the beginning stages of sound/symbol relationship,
able to decode consonant-vowel-consonant words, as well as some highfrequency words.
How will oral presentation of ELA impact
the individual student’s scores?
• Notation will be provided on all confidential score reports to
the school and parent stating that the student was given a
reading accommodation on the PARCC ELA/Literacy
assessment and therefore, no claims should be inferred regarding
the student’s ability to demonstrate foundational reading skills (i.e.,
decoding and fluency).
• Summative assessment scores for students who receive any of
the accommodations listed in the Accommodations Manual will
be aggregated with the scores of other students and those of
relevant groups and can be included for accountability
purposes.
CBT Response
Accommodations
IEP with visual impairment only:
• Talking Calculator/Abacus/Tactile Math
Manipulatives
ELL Only:
• Scribe – Spanish spoken
• Scribe – Other language spoken
• Spanish written
• Other language written (Transcription required)
IEP/504/ELL:
• Assistive Technology
• Speech-to-Text
• Word Prediction
• Scribe – English spoken
Accommodations for PBT
• The following response accommodations are available for
students who are taking the paper-based accommodated form:
• Assistive Technology
• Speech-to-Text
• Word Prediction
• Brailler/Braille Note-taker
• Talking Calculator/Abacus/Tactile Math Manips
• Scribe – English or Spanish
• Scribe – other language
• Spanish written
• Other language written (transcription required)
Assistive Technology
 Assistive technology includes but is not limited to:
 Computers
 Keyboards
 Communication devices and
 Adaptive computer input/output devices
 Check for compatibility
 www.pearsononlinetesting.com/at
 Speech – to – Text
 Separate Machine
 Printed and transcribed into test
 Word Prediction
 Separate Machine
 Printed and transcribed into test
Assistive Technology continued:
Additional considerations for test security must be applied when students are
using assistive technology, including speech-to-text and word prediction
software.
• Students must be seated in such a manner that they cannot see other students’ screens.
• Students must not retrieve or access work from another student.
• Students must not be able to access additional programs or the Internet while in the testing
environment.
• Student must not be able to access any previously saved data while in the testing
environment.
• Extra time may not be given for “lost” work.
Assistive Technology continued:
Students may not have access to assistive technology devices
that contain secure materials until all secure materials have been
removed from the device.
Devices that still contain secure materials must be secured with
testing materials.
Answers must be transcribed for scoring.
Scribe:
• Selected Response:
• Physical disability that prohibits the use of a keyboard/mouse
• Or adaptive equipment is not compatible with TestNav 8
• Constructed Response:
• A physical disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s
motor process of writing through keyboarding or other assistive
technology
Scribe for PARCC: ELA
For students using a Scribe for Constructed Response on the ELA
assessment:
• A notation will be provided on all confidential score reports to
the school and parent stating that the student was provided a
scribe accommodation on the PARCC ELA/Literacy
assessment, and therefore, no claims should be inferred regarding
the student’s ability to demonstrate expressive writing skills
Written Responses in Native Language
• Students may write in English or Spanish on the CMAS tests
• Students who write in a language other than English or Spanish
will need their answers translated and transcribed
• Students must write in English on the CMAS: PARCC ELA/L
assessment
COLORADO ALTERNATE
ASSESSMENTS
CoAlt
CoAlt: Science & Social Studies:
The CoAlt: Science and Social Studies is intended to be
accessible for students with significant cognitive disabilities
• All questions and answer choices are read aloud to students,
and
• All students are assessed individually and in a separate setting
• Educators may adapt materials and presentation
methods based on each student’s needs
CoAlt Accommodations:
• Accommodations or adaptations must be:
• Documented in the student’s IEP,
• Used regularly during instruction and classroom assessments for at least three months
prior to the assessment window to ensure that the student can successfully use
the accommodations.
Allowable Adaptations:
• The student facing pages of test items may need to be
adapted:
• Size
• Color
• Contrast levels
• Dimension
• Assistive technology
• Tactile
Pictures:
CoAlt Test Examiners should use the picture symbols in the
CoAlt test materials provided, except in the following
circumstances:
•
The student needs to use objects rather than pictures.
•
The student needs pictures of real objects rather than drawings.
•
The student has a personal lexicon with a specific representation for
the concept or words in the student answer choices.
•
In this case, all answer choices must be from the student’s personal lexicon. For students
with visual impairments including blindness, additional information related to materials
adaptations, including standardized picture descriptions, are available through the DAC.
ACCESS FOR ELLS
English Language Proficiency
ELL Accommodation Policy:
• http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/accessforellsaccommodations
• Accommodations for this assessment are only available to students with
disabilities, and the testing accommodation should be stated in the student’s
Individual Education Plan (IEP).
• It is important to remember that accommodations for this assessment
follow the guidelines established by the WIDA Consortia. These guidelines
were set by the 28 governing members of WIDA. Conversely,
accommodations available on Colorado specific statewide assessments may
not be available on ACCESS for ELLs.
Guidelines for
Accommodating:
ELLs with
Disabilities
Guidelines for
Accommodating:
ELLs with
Disabilities
SAC To Do List:
 Document all accommodations properly in formal, written educational plans.
 Enter accommodations into Q
 Be sure that documentation is specific (ex: content area, length of extended time,
etc.).
 Check all IEP, 504, and ELL plans NOW to make sure that all accommodations
listed are currently in use in classroom instruction and assessments.
 If an accommodation is no longer needed or being used, revise the document and
remove the accommodation. (IEP Additional Meeting – Case Manager, Parent,
General Ed Teacher; 504 – Counselor, Parent).
SAC To Do List Continued:
 If a teacher is consistently providing a non-documented individual accommodation
for a student that would be appropriate for use on CMAS, convene a formal
meeting conducted by an educational team (includes parent) to evaluate and
properly document the accommodation.
 Involve parents and students in accommodations decisions and evaluate to make
sure they are useful and purposeful.
 Remember that accommodations must be regularly used for at least 90 days prior
to CMAS in order to be allowed.
 Provide time for students to practice accommodations in the online test
environment (ePAT).
Entering Accommodations in Q:
1.
Log-in to the “Q-Desktop” application (D11 username & password)
2.
Click on the “Services and Programs” Icon:
3.
Click on the “Student Services” Icon:
4.
Use the “Find” feature to locate students.
5.
Use the “Add” feature to insert accommodations.
6.
Required fields:
• “Service”: Accommodation
• “How Served”: Plan Documented
• “Status”: SY 14-15
7.
Repeat the process for each accommodation.
Due by November 17th:
• Type of Plan:
• English learner (EL)
• 504
• Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)
• Assessment Accommodation – Printed Materials
• Paper Test
• Translation of the Mathematics Assessment in Paper - Spanish
• Human Reader or Human Signer - “HumanReadAloud” or
“HumanSigner”;
• Large Print
• Braille with Tactile Graphics
Assessment Hotline 520-2080
• Eric Mason, Director of Assessment
• 520-2414
• Gina Daugherty, Assessment Specialist
• 520-2260
• Jan Berry, Assessment Facilitator
• 520-2245
• Natasha Crouse, Assessment TOSA
• 520-2078
• Pauline Stinchcomb, Data & Reports Coordinator
• 520-2063
• Carolyn Hayward, Data Support Specialist
• 520-2052