Accommodations Toolkit

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Accommodation:

Oral Presentation=Read Aloud (English Text-to-Speech, Spanish Text-to-Speech): Oral Presentation is any form of a read aloud accommodation. This accommodation is provided for students who have a documented reading disability. If a Human Reader is selected, that person must have appropriate experience providing read-aloud support and must sign a Human Reader Oath or other applicable agreements verifying adherence to state policy or practice to ensure test security and ethical practices. The student uses this support to hear pre-recorded or generated audio of directions or test items. Students who use text-to-speech will need headphones unless tested individually in a separate setting.

Pre-recorded Audio: Oral presentation via a USB.

Accommodation (Math, Science):

Text-to-Speech for Mathematics & Science (accessibility feature, PNP); Human Reader/Human Signer for Mathematics (accessibility feature, PNP): Student uses a human reader, human signer, text-to-speech function, or audio file to hear the test questions and passages read aloud. Non-ELA/Literacy assessments may include the PARCC Mathematics Assessment and DC Science Assessment.

Accessibility Feature (Designated Feature) (Math):

Math Read Aloud (Text-to-Speech, Kurzweil, Recorded Voice, Human Reader):

Paper-based testing: Before Testing: Testing locations and logistics must be secured in advance of testing. The DTC must order the Kurzweil or Recorded Voice DVD. After Testing: The Math Read Aloud accommodation and Kurzweil or Human Reader must be bubbled in on the student’s answer document.

Computer-based testing: Before Testing: Testing locations and logistics must be secured in advance of testing. The Math TTS accommodation must be activated within the student’s Accommodations tab within eDIRECT for whichever content area(s) this accommodation applies. During Testing: Audio will begin immediately when the student navigates next/back to each question. On-screen audio controls are provided, allowing the student to pause the audio, adjust the audio volume, turn on/off the follow along feature, and indicate specific areas of the question they wish to replay.

Accommodation:

Test Read Aloud (• Text-to-Speech • Kurzweil CD • Recorded Audio File):

Note: To receive the Read aloud accommodation for the ELA assessment (except English III), a student must meet the ELA Read Aloud Criteria (see Appendix C).

Paper-based testing: A Kurzweil CD and Human Reader File are available for students testing with a paper-based test and require that their test be read aloud. Materials: Read Aloud Kit, which includes a standard print consumable test booklet, a Kurzweil CD, and a Human Reader File. Before Testing: A Read Aloud Kit must be on-hand before testing begins. Proper administration devices and tools (e.g., CD player, headphones) must be arranged for and on-hand before testing begins. After Testing: The Tests Read Aloud accommodation must be bubbled in either the Special Education Student Accommodation(s) field or the Test Accommodation(s)for Students with Disabilities According to Section 504 field on the student’s consumable test booklet.

Computer-based testing: The Text-to-Speech (TTS) function is available for students testing online who require that their test be read aloud. TTS allows students testing online to listen via headphones or speakers to test information displayed on the screen. Words and numbers, including test directions, questions, answer choices, and other information, will be read aloud and can be repeated as necessary. Before Testing: The Text-to-Speech accommodation must be activated within the student’s Accommodations tab in eDIRECT for whichever content area(s) this accommodation applies. During Testing: Audio will begin immediately when the student navigates next/back to each question. On-screen audio controls are provided, allowing the students to pause the audio, adjust the audio volume, turn on/off the follow along feature, and indicate specific areas of the question they wish to replay.

Designated Feature:

English Audio CD: The purpose of this support for paper/pencil testers is detailed in the description for Read-Aloud (human reader). Some Michigan assessments and content areas offer an English Audio CD to better ensure the accuracy and reliability of what is read to students. This support may be used in an individual setting or as a part of a small group of no more than five students. Students may need headphones if the support is administered in an individual setting; the student should have personal control over the equipment. Students may be assisted in playing the CD but may not be given help with the answer to any test item. Students using this support must also have a printed copy of the Form 1 test booklet to use during testing. The Form 1 test booklet will automatically be ordered when an order is placed for a CD (be sure to provide the correct student count when ordering materials).

Accommodation:

North Carolina reading tests. If the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation is provided during the administration of North Carolina tests that measure reading comprehension (i.e., selections, sample questions, test questions, or answer choices are read aloud to the student), the test results are invalid. The following North Carolina tests measure reading comprehension:

1. BOG3 Reading Test
2. Read to Achieve Test
3. North Carolina EOG Reading Tests (Grades 3–8)
4. North Carolina EOC English II Test

Before making a final decision to use accommodations that will invalidate test results, IEP teams and Section 504 committees should refer to the Valid and Invalid Test Results subheading in this handbook for information regarding invalid test results for North Carolina tests. Description: The Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation permits the test to be read aloud to a student during the administration of state tests that do not measure reading comprehension. Considerations and Instructions Procedures during the test administration and the role of the IEP team or Section 504 committee. The IEP team or Section 504 committee determines if a student needs a test read aloud, and if so, in what manner it will be read aloud. These decisions must be documented in the student’s IEP or Section 504 Plan. There are three methods in which a student may have a test read aloud: (1) the test administrator reads the test aloud, (2) a device reads the test aloud, or (3) a combination of the two methods. The IEP team or Section 504 committee may wish to consider the following options when making decisions about the specific way tests will be read aloud when using the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation:

• Student is to have everything (e.g., words on maps, tables, graphs, charts, device screen) read aloud during the test administration.
• Student is only to have words read aloud upon the student’s request.
• Student does not require numbers in mathematics tests to be read aloud.
• Student only requires this accommodation when there is greater content than usual on a test and does not need the accommodation for tests with less content or shorter sentences.

Test Read Aloud (in English) for online testing. Students provided the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation for online testing can control which portions of the online test are read aloud by clicking a button beside the desired text. The device will read aloud what a human reader typically reads aloud. The online audio files for the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation are computer-generated modulation and not human vocalizations. If a student is sensitive to the computer-generated voice, it may be appropriate for the student to have the test administrator read the test aloud. To utilize the device to provide the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation, the Test Read Aloud (in English) option must be selected in the SIQ. Selecting Test Read Aloud (in English) in the accommodations data management system will automatically turn on the option for the device to read the test aloud in the student’s SIQ. If this option is not needed for a student, the functionality can be turned off in the SIQ during the verification process. If Test Read Aloud (in English) is selected in the SIQ, the device will generate one of the available Test Read Aloud (in English) forms. Testing in a separate room. If students receiving the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation are testing online wearing headphones, they may test in a standard test setting. However, to ensure validity of the test, students using a human reader or not wearing headphones for the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation must also receive the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation. The IEP team or Section 504 committee must determine if the student will take the test in a separate room, in either a one-on-one or small group setting. For paper test administrations, a testing session comprised of a small group must use one test form (i.e., same form letter and form number) for students provided the Test Read Aloud (in English) accommodation at one test site (i.e., classroom).

Accommodation (Writing, Science):

Read-Aloud or Audio Accommodation: Students with disabilities that impact their ability to read may have test items read aloud in English by the test examiner using the read-aloud accommodation or delivered through an audio or text-to-speech player in an online test. The IEP Team or 504 Committee must determine whether the audio or read-aloud accommodation is the most appropriate delivery method for the student for online or paper testing.

Students with disabilities are expected to have practice in using the audio accommodation prior to being administered an audio Growth Assessment or SOL test.

Audio Accommodation for Online SOL and Growth Assessments: Since it would be very difficult for school divisions to provide an online audio accommodation during instruction, the following guidelines have been established to provide clarification as to the circumstances under which a student could be provided with an online audio accommodation during testing.

• The IEP Team or 504 Committee must determine whether the read-aloud accommodation administered by a Test Examiner or the online audio accommodation is the more appropriate delivery method for online testing. It is particularly important that the parent agrees to the delivery method and that the decision is clearly documented in the IEP or 504 Plan.
• The online audio accommodation on a Growth Assessment or SOL test may be provided to students who typically have a read-aloud accommodation during instruction or to those who use recorded media or text readers in the classroom.
• If the IEP Team or 504 Committee determines that the online audio accommodation is the more appropriate accommodation, the student should have practice with audio practice items available in the online application, TestNav, which is used to administer online Growth Assessments and SOL tests. See the SOL Practice Items page on the Virginia Department of Education website for more details of how to access the audio practice items.

The online audio accommodation for the 2016 Mathematics SOL tests, the 2017 Reading SOL tests, the 2018 Science SOL tests, and the 2015 History SOL tests (Virginia Studies, Civics and Economics, and Virginia and United States History) will be delivered through the text-to-speech feature in TestNav. The online audio accommodation for the World History to 1500 test, World History from 1500 to the Present test, World Geography test, Science (2010) tests, and all Writing tests will continue to use the audio player in TestNav.

Audio Accommodation for Paper Growth Assessments and SOL Tests: For tests administered in paper, an audio accommodation remains available for some SOL tests. For the paper SOL tests with an audio accommodation available, a CD-ROM with a recording of the SOL test items is provided for eligible students. The following tests do not have an audio accommodation available for the paper format: Mathematics (2016 SOL) tests, Reading (2017 SOL) tests, History & Social Studies (2015 SOL) tests, Science (2018 SOL) tests, and the Writing Prompt. A read-aloud accommodation should be provided to students with disabilities taking any of these paper tests who need the test items read aloud.

Read-Aloud or Audio Accommodation on SOL and Growth Mathematics, Science, History/Social Science and Writing Assessments: The read-aloud or audio accommodation is permitted for students with disabilities on the Mathematics, Science, History/Social Science, and Writing assessments as specified in the student’s IEP or 504 Plan.

Read-Aloud or Audio Accommodation on the SOL and Growth Reading Assessments: The read-aloud and audio accommodations on the SOL and Growth Reading assessments are allowed only for students with a visual impairment, including blindness, and those students with a specific disability that severely limits or prevents them from decoding text at any level of difficulty as determined by a diagnostic tool or instrument that was administered by a qualified professional. Students with disabilities who are simply having difficulty reading text or are reading below grade-level are not permitted to use the read-aloud or audio accommodation on the statewide Reading assessments. Note: For the EOC Reading test, under certain circumstances, students with disabilities may receive the read-aloud accommodation even though the student has not been determined as eligible by the school division according to the criteria required for the read-aloud accommodation on the Reading Assessment. To qualify, the student must meet all of the following criteria:

• the student is retaking the EOC Reading test, having failed the previous attempt(s) without using the read-aloud or audio accommodation; and
• the student’s IEP or 504 Plan lists the read-aloud or audio accommodation for other tests; and
• the student receives the read-aloud or audio accommodation in the classroom.

If the student received the read-aloud accommodation on the EOC Reading test as a result of meeting these criteria, it will be considered a non-standard accommodation. Refer to the Test Implementation Manuals for instructions regarding proper coding. If a student passes the EOC Reading test using a non-standard accommodation, the student is considered to have passed for the purpose of earning a verified credit toward graduation.