1. OK Department of Career Technology Ed. November 2015 A Closer Look at ACT WorkKeys Accommodations Dr. Claudia Otto Disability Services Specialist

2. Career Readiness Certificates Can be earned by taking three WorkKeys assessments o Applied Mathematics o Locating Information o Reading for Information The OKCRC contains ACT’s national RegiSTAR number and is recognized by industry organizations

3. Career Readiness Certificates Great information to put on scholarship applications and resumes Encourage you to add the OKCRC level to the transcript as well

4. Eligibility for ACT National CRC Scores on ACT WorkKeys assessments for examinees who take those assessments under accommodations that do not meet ACT standards will not be considered eligible for the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate

5. What To Do??? Promote Accessibility and Accommodate

6. Tech centers must… make accommodations/modifications to academic requirements necessary to ensure the requirements do not discriminate or have the effect of discriminating on the basis of disability

7. Tech centers must… make “reasonable” accommodations/modifications to policies, practices, or procedures when the accommodations/modifications are necessary to avoid discriminating on the basis of a disability

8. Testing Confidentiality Testing site is responsible for acquiring and maintaining documentation o minimum one year May not copy documents containing individual identifiable information Must only be used for the test only

9. Equal Treatment Administer and supervise ACT WorkKeys tests in a nondiscriminatory manner In accordance with applicable laws o ADA o IDEA - High School  IEP plan o Section 504 - High School or Postsecondary  504 plan

10. ACCESSIBILITY

11. What is Accessibility ??? Available Reachable Usable by people, with or without accommodations General, in advance

12. Testing Events Under ADA Offered in locations accessible to individuals with disabilities Alternative arrangement must be made for these individuals

13. Environment – Room Type & Size Not too small a space Not too crowded Preferential seating for individuals with disabilities Adequate / enhanced lighting Adequate temperature Ventilation Special tables and chairs Separate room

14. Allowable Materials Soft-lead No 2 pencils with erasers Pencil sharpener Signs cards or other admission materials Permissible calculators for applied math Formula sheet for applied math o if student requested Scratch paper

15. Accommodations for Accessibility Preferential Seating o front for ease of directions being heard Testing in a quiet environment o small group o individual room

16. Accommodations for Accessibility Wheelchair access Permission for diabetics to eat snacks Written copy of the spoken instructions or a sign language interpreter for the spoken instructions

17. ACCOMMODATIONS

18. What is an Accommodation ??? A change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability BUT… A student is expected to know the same material and answer the same questions as fully as the other students

19. Providing Accommodations Must not disrupt or afford an advantage over other examinees

20. Accommodations Documented physical or mental disabilities Cannot complete the ACT WorkKeys assessments under standard conditions or using standard materials May be tested under special conditions May use special testing materials available from ACT

21. Types of Accommodations Use of a sign language interpreter Assistance in recording responses Word-to-word foreign language glossaries Extended testing time

22. Other Accommodations … Must test using paper materials Accommodations questions Call ACT 800-967-5539 to order materials

23. Written Documentation Written by diagnosing professional States the specific disability Is current o no older than 3 years Describes the presenting problems Describe the Developmental History o educational o medical Describes the comprehensive assessment Evaluation dates

24. Written Documentation cont. Describe the functional limitations or impairment resulting from the disability o adverse effect on learning achievement Describe specific recommended accommodations o rationale explaining how accommodations address functional limitations of the disability Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator

25. Hearing Impairments May require interpreter for spoken instructions Seated at front for directions to be heard Seat an examinee using an interpreter at the front of the room o will sign all spoken words

26. Hearing Impairments cont. Translate/Interpret any questions Lip readers can sit with clear view of the room supervisor All instructions are to be given in sight of the examinee

27. SLD / LD Documentation Specific Learning Disability (SLD / LD) Standard scores or percentiles o aptitude assessment o achievement battery o assessment of information processing o evidence that alternative explanations were ruled out

28. ADD/ ADHD Documentation Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) Evidence of early impairment Evidence of current impairment o presenting problem o diagnostic interview

29. ADD / ADHD Documentation cont. Evidence that alternative explanations were ruled out Results from valid standardize, age- appropriate assessments Number of applicable DSM-IV criteria and how they impair the individual

30. Other Impairments Documentation Visual Hearing Psychological Emotional Physical Disorders o must provide detailed results from complete ocular, audiologic, or other appropriate diagnostic examination

31. Accommodation Guidelines Response Assistance o mark answers o turn pages o write out the problem o operate the calculator Computer-Based Work Station

32. Accommodation Guidelines cont. Foreign Language Dictionary for English Language Learners o word to word For business writing o words must be spelled out o punctuation marks o capitalization indicated

33. Accommodation Guidelines cont. Signer (sign language interpreter) o different sign languages Large Print Braille Readers o clear o even voice tone o pacing

34. Judgment of Accommodations If nondisabled students also make gains when given the same accommodations as students with disabilities, then there are questions about fairness and integrity in the testing situation

35. Research Shows… Accommodations policies differ from state to state Approx. 2/3 of SpEd students have been afforded accommodations in statewide assessments

36. Research Shows… Most commonly given accommodations are: o alternative setting o extended time o read aloud Accommodations affect test scores o higher o lower

37. In Conclusion… For students with disabilities being able to show what has been learned is greatly improved when a teacher provided individualized instruction and appropriate accommodations in the classroom and in testing situations

38. Ineligible Accommodations Testing aids, translation of test items, interpretation of test items, other than those provided by ACT, is generally considered an ACT WorkKeys ineligible accommodation Scores will not be issued in these circumstances

39. Thank You !!! Claudia Otto, Ph.D. Disability Services Specialist Oklahoma Department of CareerTech 405-743-5596 claudia.otto@careertech.ok.gov