Standardized Testing and Students with Assistive Technology

Website design By BotEap.comIn recent years there has been a boom in standardized testing in American schools. Students are being assessed in reading, math, science, social studies to state and school district standards that are used to demonstrate compliance with No Child Left Behind, along with the NCLB tests, students are also being hit with graduation tests, tests to advance school progression (i.e. a student must pass this test before moving to the next grade level).

Website design By BotEap.comWith the increasing number of tests being administered to students where results weigh heavily on the school, school districts, or individual student performance, where do students with disabilities fall in this mix? Where especially are students with assistive technology or augmentative communication? Federal law requires states and school districts to include students with disabilities in large-scale assessments and to publicly report their scores, in disaggregated form, as a way to determine how well schools are serving these students. . This is a matter of system responsibility. However, federal law is silent on whether states or school districts should impose high-risk consequences on individual students with disabilities who fail large-scale tests. In other words, while federal law requires participation in large-scale testing and public reporting of disaggregated scores, it is up to states to decide whether large-scale testing will result in high-risk individual consequences and, accordingly. be so, for which students (Heubert, 2002).

Website design By BotEap.comAccommodations can be granted to students with disabilities without losing test standardization. An accommodation is considered any change in the standard test format to assess an individual’s abilities, rather than their

disabilities. Although the accommodations allowed vary, they generally fall into one of four categories:

Website design By BotEap.como Presentation (eg instructions / questions read aloud, large print).

Website design By BotEap.como Response (for example, use of a scribe).

Website design By BotEap.como Environment (small group or individual tests, study cubicle).

Website design By BotEap.como Time / schedule (extra time, extra breaks; Wahburn-Moses, 2003)

Website design By BotEap.comIDEA requires the IEP team to document any accommodations in the student’s Individualized Education Plan. As Washburn-Moses (2003) put it, “The IEP team

They should focus on the individual student’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning characteristics, and refrain from basing their decision on the student’s disability.

current level or location. Team members should consider only those accommodations that the student uses during classroom instruction and testing, rather than introducing new accommodations specifically for use on the state test (Thurlow et al.). It is extremely

It is important to document in the IEP the team’s decision regarding accommodations, as well as the rationale for that decision. “

Website design By BotEap.comDunne (2002) stated in an Education World article, “In Wisconsin, students with disabilities are allowed test accommodations so that more can take the test. Accommodations include longer time to take a test, use use of a scribe to write down responses and the use of a reader to read directions and questions aloud. Those types of accommodations will allow approximately 85 percent of students with disabilities to participate in the Wisconsin State Assessment System, according to a study written by Eva M. Kubinski of the University of Wisconsin -Madison Center for Education Research.

Website design By BotEap.comFor those students who cannot be assessed, even with accommodations, the state developed an alternate performance indicator linked to state standards for schools to use to assess the 2 percent of Wisconsin students with severe disabilities or limited proficiency. from English, Kubinski wrote in his article. “

Website design By BotEap.comWhat does this mean for students with assistive technology or AAC? Based on research found, having an assistive technology device would allow the IEP team to determine if accommodations were needed on standardized tests. Each student is as unique as their assistive technology device and therefore it can be said that each student will pose different circumstances when it comes to testing in the school setting. Under IDEA, as noted above, the IEP team must determine what accommodations need to be made for the student to be successful on the test. These accommodations must be written in the student’s IEP.

Website design By BotEap.comSince students who use AT / AAC vary greatly and many have underlying issues as to why they have AAC devices, such as other confusing disabilities. It is important that the IEP determines if the device the student uses to communicate will be part of the standardized test accommodation or if it is not necessary. It will be important to determine that and then prepare the student for whether or not they can use the device during the test. This is especially important if the device cannot be used during the test, as this is the voice of the students.

Website design By BotEap.comIEP teams must work to find the best accommodations for the student to be successful, there are several ways to do this, including the Dynamic Assessment of tests.

Accommodations (DATA), which helps teachers determine which students

benefit from accommodations.

Website design By BotEap.comBased on the information provided, it can be concluded that each student’s case will be very different, but in general, each student who qualifies for special education, including those who use assistive technology or augmentative communication devices, may qualify for special accommodations. standardized tests that allow those students to complete tests with reasonable scores.

Website design By BotEap.comReferences

Website design By BotEap.comDunne, D. (2000). Are high-stakes tests punishing some students? Education Weekly 34 (1) 32-35.

Heubert, JP (2002). Disability, race and high risk tests of students. NCAC. 4 (1) 38-45.

Sindelar, T., Hager, R. and Smith, D. (2003). High-Risk Assessment Standards for Students with Disabilities. Neighbors Legal Services, Inc.

Washburn-Moses, L. (2003). What Every Special Educator Should Know About High-Risk Testing. Teaching Exceptional Children 35 (4) 12-15.