The ABCs of Accessibility and Accommodations in State

The ABCs of Accessibility and Accommodations in State Assessments Martha Thurlow, Sheryl Lazarus, and Laurene Christensen National Center on Educational Outcomes www. CTDInstitute. org

Topics • Types of Assessments • Technology-based Assessments • Paradigm Shift in Accessibility and Accommodations • Challenges and Solutions in Technology-based Approaches to Accessibility and Accommodations www. CTDInstitute. org

Types of Assessments Based on Every Student Succeeds Act: • General (Regular) Assessments • Alternate Assessments for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards) • English Language Proficiency Assessments www. CTDInstitute. org

Forms of Assessment • • • Summative** Interim or Benchmark Formative Progress Monitoring Classroom Diagnostic **Primary focus today www. CTDInstitute. org

Summative Assessments • Standardized assessment (norm-referenced, criterion referenced)** • Performance Tasks/Authentic Tasks • Portfolios **Criterion-referenced assessments are the primary type of assessment used for summative purposes (including for ESEA accountability) www. CTDInstitute. org

Assessment Formats • Paper and pencil tests have a long history of development, over time increasingly including only multiple choice and short constructed response. • Technology-based assessments are now being used with increasing frequency, expanding greatly after the 2010 Race-to-the-Top Assessment Program provided funding to consortia of states. www. CTDInstitute. org

National Education Technology Plan (2016) • Provides a vision for including students with disabilities in technology-based assessment • Makes four recommendations (http: //tech. ed. gov/netp/) Is this vision being realized? Are the recommendations being followed? www. CTDInstitute. org * Developed by U. S. Dept. of Education, Office if Educational Technology Available at: http: //tech. ed. gov/netp/0/

Technology-based Assessments • Innovative item types promoted (a sample) Ø Drag and drop Ø Audio and/or video stimuli Ø Multiple responses • Possibility of adaptivity • Possibility of timely reporting • Embedded accommodations** www. CTDInstitute. org

Accommodations Redefined • Paradigm shift in thinking about meeting the “accommodations” needs of all students, not just students with disabilities. • Each of the consortia of states, and many states not in a consortium, now have a range of accessibility features. • All assessments incorporate (to greater or lesser extent) a “universal design” approach. www. CTDInstitute. org

New Paradigm • Universal features – accessibility supports available to all students as part of the technology platform (may need to be turned off for some) • Designated features – accessibility supports available to students for whom the need has been indicated by an adult or team of adults • Accommodations – accessibility supports that are available only to students with disabilities and/or English learners www. CTDInstitute. org

Smarter Balanced Framework The three levels in Smarter Balanced are Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations are available only to students with disabilities (IEP and 504). www. CTDInstitute. org

PARCC Framework The three levels in PARCC are Features for All Students, Accessibility Features (Identified in Advance), and Accommodations are available to students with disabilities (IEP and 504), ELs and ELs with disabilities. www. CTDInstitute. org

ELPA 21 Framework The three levels in ELPA 21 are Universal Features, Designated Features, and Accommodations are available only to ELs with disabilities (IEP and 504). www. CTDInstitute. org

Individualized Features • Personal Needs Profile: Digital version of accessibility features and accommodations needed by an individual student, formatted to an international standard that allows it to be sent electronically with other student information (PARCC Definition). • ISAAP: Individualized Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (Smarter Balanced) www. CTDInstitute. org

Lessons Learned • Most lessons were related to instruction or to the assessment • Many lessons, though, were about the technology (will address these in more depth in next webinar) www. CTDInstitute. org

Lessons Learned About Instruction • • Reading Writing Justification of Answers Getting the Research and Essay Done in One Day www. CTDInstitute. org

Lessons Learned About Assessment • Unfamiliarity with Item Types • Accessibility Challenges • Technical Challenges www. CTDInstitute. org

Other Lessons • Decision making about which accessibility supports and accommodations are needed by an individual student remains a challenge • Adults often are more challenged by the technology than are the students www. CTDInstitute. org

Technology Challenges Many lessons, though, were about the technology itself (will address these in more depth in next webinar), for example: • Scrolling requirements were a big issue • Accessibility features and accommodations did not work as intended • Use of accessibility features and accommodations was not tracked www. CTDInstitute. org

“Assistive and Instructional Technology Supporting Learners with Disabilities” The Center on Technology and Disability is funded by the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) under award #H 327 F 130003 – 13 A. www. CTDInstitute. org