Karen Stein Understanding, Selecting and Documenting Accommodations

Selecting accommodations for instruction and assessment for individual students The members of the IEP team must consider the student’s disability and present levels of performance to make decisions about accommodations so that students with disabilities can participate in the general education curriculum.

Selecting accommodations for instruction and assessment for individual students IEP team meetings that simply engage people in checking boxes on a state or local “compliance” document are neither conducive to sound decision-making practices, nor do they advance equal opportunities for students to participate in the general education curriculum. ( *CCSSO - Accommodations Manual Second Edition August 2005)

Accommodations Application The use of accommodations is linked through each of these areas Classroom instruction State and district assessments Classroom assessments Content Standards

Indiana Assessment Program Manual

What are the accommodation categories? Presentation Setting and Environment Response Format Timing/Scheduling

What are the built-in tools for online ISTEP+ and ECA’s?

ISTEP+ Grades 3-8 will have the following icons and tools available for all students during online testing When this tool is selected, the pointer changes to a highlighter pen that allows the student to highlight specific text. This tool allows the student cross out an answer choice that they think is incorrect.

Student can utilize the eraser tool to remove an “X” indicated through the Option Eliminator. Students can utilize this feature to mark any question for later review. It highlights the item number for later reference.

Grade 3 Available tools for Specific Grades: Grade 4-8

Available tools for: A reference card is used to provide formulas or other information that the student may need to answer a question. For questions that contain a response grid, the student can either click on the answer bubbles or type in the answer in the answer box. Grade 5Grade 6-8

Tech Enhanced Items

Depending on the specifics of the student IEP, 504 Plan, ILP or Service Plan, settings in the online system can be changed to allow: A screen reader (read aloud) Change in color and/or font – Large font size will display test items in 18-point font. Background and font colors can also be changed for both questions and answers.

Experience College- and Career-Ready Assessment -college-and-career-ready-assessment The Indiana’s Experience College- and Career- Ready Assessment, is an interactive tool designed for use by parents, students, educators and community members. These sample test items represent the type of questions that student will see in the grades 3-8 on ISTEP+ beginning in April of 2015.

ECA’s (iTester) Tools available for all students during online testing Highlighter– When this tool is selected, the pointer changes to a highlighter pen that allows the student to highlight specific text. Option Eliminator– This tool lets the student cross out an answer choice that they think is incorrect. Bookmark– Students can utilize this feature to mark any question for later review. It highlights the item number for later reference.

Promoting Self-advocacy skills Involve student in selecting, using and evaluating accommodations: The more that students are involved in the selection process, the more likely the accommodations will be used. Students need opportunities to learn which accommodations are most helpful for them. Students need to learn how to make certain those accommodations are provided in all of their classes.

Things to think about…. Plan how and when the student will learn to use each new accommodation. Be certain there is ample time to learn to use instructional and assessment accommodations before an assessment takes place. Involve the student - what is the student’s perception of how well an accommodation works? Finally, plan for the ongoing evaluation and improvement of the student’s use of accommodations.

Contacts Karen Stein, Office of Student Assessment,