1. SQA Adapted Digital Question Papers Paul D. Nisbet CALL Scotland University of Edinburgh

10. SQA Assessment Arrangements “Assessment arrangements should ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to show that they can achieve the national standards required for Units and Courses.” Introduction to Assessment Arrangements SQA, November 2008

11. SQA Assessment Arrangements 2009 Requests for Assessment Arrangements made for 13,041 candidates (8% of candidates) Requests for Assessment Arrangements made for 13,041 candidates (8% of candidates) Requests made for 45,612 entries (6.2 % of entries) Requests made for 45,612 entries (6.2 % of entries)

12. 2009 assessment arrangements (45,612 requests) Extra Time35,636Digital Question Paper1,167 Separate accommodation26,381Calculator660 Reader16,554Transcription without correction626 Scribe14,197PA referral540 Use of ICT6,253Modified content277 Prompter2,099Adapted certificate119 Coloured Paper2,050Paper signed to candidate57 Rest Period1,434Candidate Signs Responses42 Enlarged Print1,305Tape recorder for responses37 Transcription with correction1,179Braille31

13. SQA Adapted Digital Papers PDFAloud speech tools Form fields for answers Sentence being read and each word highlighted

14. Supporting reading Zoom in and out Zoom in and out Change colours Change colours Navigate with keyboard/mouse Navigate with keyboard/mouse Text-to-speech Text-to-speech

15. Supporting writing Acrobat spellchecker Acrobat spellchecker Word processor spellchecker etc Word processor spellchecker etc Word prediction (e.g. Co:Writer, Penfriend) Word prediction (e.g. Co:Writer, Penfriend) On-screen keyboards On-screen keyboards Switch access Switch access Speech recognition Speech recognition Screen magnification Screen magnification

16. Answer Booklets Only ‘Question and Answer’ papers (Intermediate, SG Foundation and General) have red answer boxes Only ‘Question and Answer’ papers (Intermediate, SG Foundation and General) have red answer boxes To answer most SG Credit, Higher and Advanced Higher papers use either: To answer most SG Credit, Higher and Advanced Higher papers use either: Answer booklets in PDF Answer booklets in PDF A word processor, e.g. Microsoft Word A word processor, e.g. Microsoft Word PDF Answer booklets are available from SQA PDF Answer booklets are available from SQA

17. . Can I use a spellchecker in the examination? SQA’s policy is that “all software such as spellchecks, predictive software etc, must be disabled, unless it has been approved by SQA.” [1] SQA’s policy is that “all software such as spellchecks, predictive software etc, must be disabled, unless it has been approved by SQA.” [1] Spellcheckers can be requested for candidates who “potentially have the ability to achieve the national standards”, but are “unable to do using the published assessment arrangements” [2]. Spellcheckers should only be requested for candidates who have a particular spelling difficulty due to, for example, dyslexia, and where their poor spelling is likely to impact on their ability to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. Spellcheckers can be requested for candidates who “potentially have the ability to achieve the national standards”, but are “unable to do using the published assessment arrangements” [2]. Spellcheckers should only be requested for candidates who have a particular spelling difficulty due to, for example, dyslexia, and where their poor spelling is likely to impact on their ability to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. [1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements [1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements [2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements [2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements

18. . Can I use a spellchecker in the examination? If your candidate is eligible want to use a spellchecker (or any other technique that may help the candidate with spelling, like word prediction or speech recognition), you must request it using the standard Assessment Arrangements Request system. Use of a spellchecker is regarded as a type of Assessment Arrangement. If your candidate is eligible want to use a spellchecker (or any other technique that may help the candidate with spelling, like word prediction or speech recognition), you must request it using the standard Assessment Arrangements Request system. Use of a spellchecker is regarded as a type of Assessment Arrangement. You can request to use a spellchecker in almost all subjects apart from the writing papers in Modern Languages and, Gaelic (Learners) and Gàidhlig. The Writing papers for these subjects assess spelling and so spellcheckers are not allowed for any candidate. You can request to use a spellchecker in almost all subjects apart from the writing papers in Modern Languages and, Gaelic (Learners) and Gàidhlig. The Writing papers for these subjects assess spelling and so spellcheckers are not allowed for any candidate. [1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements [1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements [2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements [2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements

19. Maths and drawing Basic drawing tools in Acrobat Reader Basic drawing tools in Acrobat Reader MS Word Equation Editor or other equation tool can be used to create maths/scientific notation MS Word Equation Editor or other equation tool can be used to create maths/scientific notation But options for maths and science are limited But options for maths and science are limited

20. Software needed for ADPs To access the papers: To access the papers: Acrobat Reader 7.0.9, 8 or 9 (free) Acrobat Reader 7.0.9, 8 or 9 (free) www.adobe.com To have the paper read out: To have the paper read out: Adobe Reader Read Outloud (free) or Adobe Reader Read Outloud (free) or PDFaloud (£295 site licence from PDFaloud (£295 site licence from LTS) or Another TTS program e.g. Read and Write Gold, ClaroRead etc Another TTS program e.g. Read and Write Gold, ClaroRead etc

21. www.theScottishVoice.org.uk

22. Not a panacea! Digital versions of paper assessments Digital versions of paper assessments Some questions may not ‘translate’ particularly well to the screen Some questions may not ‘translate’ particularly well to the screen Only ‘question and answer’ papers have answer boxes Only ‘question and answer’ papers have answer boxes See for a list of papers available for 2008 See http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/30030.html for a list of papers available for 2008http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/30030.html

23. www.adapteddigitalexams.org.uk

24. SQA Assessment Arrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14977.html http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14977.html