PARCC Computer-Based Accessibility Features/Accommodations Form Instructions PARCC Computer-Based Accessibility Features and Accommodations Form is provided to assist in identifying and documenting the accessibility features and/or accommodations for students determined eligible to take the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment. The PARCC assessment is designed to determine whether students are on track to be college- and career-ready, assess the full range of the common core state standards, measure the full range of student performance, and provide timely data throughout the academic year to teachers to help inform instruction, interventions, and professional development. Accessibility features and accommodations identified for students taking the PARCC assessment are provided to ensure that the assessment will provide an accurate picture of what the student knows. It is important that as part of the IEP process, the team discusses with the parents the accessibility features and/or accommodations that their child will have available to him or her to complete the assessment. Accessibility Features Accessibility features are tools or preferences that are either built into the assessment system or provided externally by test administrators. Since the accessibility features for all can be used by anyone taking the PARCC assessments, they are not classified as accommodations. There are some accessibility features that have to be turned on in advance (i.e., answer masking, color contrast, human signer/ reader, and text-to-speech for mathematics) and will be required by only a small number of students. These must be pre-identified through the Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/ file which catalogs each student s testing needs and demographic information. For students with disabilities, the choice of accessibility features that must be turned on prior to testing, is determined by the IEP team and should be listed on the individualized education program (IEP). Other students who may need the extra accessibility features include English learners, English learners with a disability, students with 504 plans, and students receiving interventions through RTI and other tiered support systems. PNPs for students other than those with disabilities will be drawn up by educators with possible input from parents. Accommodations The accommodations are broken into three categories: presentation accommodations, response accommodations, and timing and scheduling accommodations. Presentation accommodations alter the method or format used to administer a PARCC assessment to a student, including adjustments to accommodate students auditory, tactile, or visual needs and/or a combination of these, rather than having the student take the test in the same format as other students. Response accommodations allow students to use alternative methods to provide responses to test items, such as through dictating to a scribe or using an assistive device. Timing and scheduling accommodations are changes in the allowable length of time for a student to complete the assessment and may also change the way in which the time is organized (e.g., frequent breaks or time of day). Please refer to the PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual (Fourth Edition, September 19, 2015) for further clarification on the accessibility features and accommodations available for students. Some accommodations require the IEP team to complete a form in order for the student to have access. The manual identifies those accommodations that require a form which must be attached to the IEP. Documenting the IEP for Computer-Based Assessments The PARCC Computer-Based Accessibility Features and Accommodation Documentation Form provides a starting point for parents and educators to discuss the needs of the student for the state assessment. The form also provides documentation of the general accessibility features, accessibility features which require advance notice, and the accommodations the student will need to complete the state assessment. The IEP teams will use the form to guide them in making the most appropriate decisions for students with disabilities. When documenting accessibility features, the IEP team needs to identify the specific accessibility features, including those which must be turned on in advance, that are appropriate for the student based on his/her needs. It is not necessary to document the features that will be employed for a particular student if they are available to all students; however, such documentation will ensure the provision of those features. Accessibility features which must be turned on in advance will need to be identified on the PARCC Computer-Based Accessibility Features and Accommodation Documentation Form. The IEP team will also need to identify on the IEP whether any accessibility features must be turned on in advance. The determination of appropriate accommodations will follow the same protocol as accessibility features. The IEP team will use the PARCC Computer-Based Accessibility features and Accommodation Documentation Form to determine which accommodations are appropriate for the student. The form should be attached to the IEP. If a student requires a unique accommodation, the IEP team must complete the Unique Accommodation Request Form and submit it to the Illinois State Board of Education six weeks prior to the assessment for approval. ISBE 34-50 (8/16) Page 1 of 5
PARCC Computer-Based Accessibility Features and Accommodations ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES FOR ALL Audio Amplification The student raises or lowers the volume control before testing, as needed, using headphones. Student must be tested in a separate setting if unable to wear headphones. Bookmark Blank Scratch Paper General Masking Eliminate Answer Choices General Administration Directions Clarified General Administration Directions Read Aloud and Repeated as Needed Highlight Tool Line Reader Mask Tool Headphones or Noise Buffers Magnification/Enlargement Device Notepad Pop-up Glossary Redirect Student to the Test Spell Check or External Spell Check Device Writing tools The student selects the Bookmark icon in the tool-bar to review selected items later. Before testing, test administrators must provide at least one page of blank scratch paper (i.e., either unlined, lined, or graph) per unit for the student to use during testing. Additional scratch paper will be provided to the student as needed. After testing, the scratch paper will be collected by the test administrator to be securely destroyed (i.e. shredded if used). The student can cover portions of the test with a blank box. The student crosses out possible answer choices (for multiple choice items only). The test administrator clarifies general administration directions only. For EL students, directions are clarified in the student s native language. The test administrator reads aloud the general administration directions only. Student may raise hand to have the directions be repeated. For EL students, directions are clarified in the student s native language. The student highlights text as needed to recall and/or emphasize. The student uses on-screen tool to assist in reading by raising and lowering the tool for each line of text on-screen. The student uses headphones or noise buffers to minimize distraction or to access embedded text-to- speech. The student enlarges text and graphics on-screen as needed (while preserving clarity, contrast, and color). The student writes and edits notes using the embedded Notepad tool on the /L assessment. The student is able to view definitions of preselected, underlined words by hovering over them. Test administrator redirects the student s attention to the test without coaching or assisting the student in any way. There is no limit to the number of times this may be done. The student uses the embedded spell check icon in TestNav to review their written text for errors. If preferred, the student may use an external spell check device. The student uses embedded writing process tools for written responses, including copy/ paste, bold, italicize, underline, insert bullets, numbered list, undo, redo, and spell check. Available in the constructed response items on the /L assessment. ISBE 34-50 (8/16) Page 2 of 5
Accessibility Features for All - Turned on in Advance Answer Masking (SR/ Color Contrast (SR/ (Font/ Background Color) Text-to-Speech (SR/ ematics Only Human Signer/Reader(SR/ ematics Only The student electronically covers answer options, as needed. The student changes the onscreen background and/or font color based on need preference. Refer to manual for visual of the color choices. Test content will be read aloud to the student via Text-to-Speech via computer. A test administrator reads aloud to a student. The student must be tested in an individual or small group setting. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (Must have Accommodation IEP or Accommodation 504 as Yes in the PARCC Pre-ID.) Text-to-Speech (SR/ /L Only Human Signer/Reader(SR/ /L Only ASL Video (SR/ Assistive Technology (SR/ Screen Reader (for blind/visually impaired students) Non-Screen Reader Closed Captioning for /L (SR/ Refreshable Braille Display for /L (SR/ Braille Response (SR/ Test content will be read aloud to the student via Text-to-Speech via computer for /L. Please refer to manual for further instructions. A test administrator reads aloud to a student. The student must be tested in an individual or small group setting. The student views an embedded video of a human interpreter for the ematics/ assessment. If a deaf student does not use ASL, an actual human interpreter and separate test setting will be required. Students may use a range of assistive technologies during the PARCC assessment, including those compatible with the PARCC online testing platform. Test administrators are responsible for collecting all non-scorable student work created from assistive technology devices. Content must be cleared off all devices. Non-scorable student work must be securely shredded. Students who are deaf or hardof-hearing view captioned text on multimedia (i.e., video) on / Literacy assessments. Refreshable Braille displays must be used in conjunction with screen reader software. For students with visual impairments who are unable to take the computer-based test with a refreshable Braille display, a contracted Braille form will be available. For a student who is blind or visually impaired, the student s responses are captured by a Braille Writer or Braille Notetaker. See PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations manual for 01 Black/Cream 02 Black/Lt. Blue 03 Black/Lt. Magenta 04 White/Black 05 Yellow Blue 06 Gray/Pale Green 01 Text only 02 Text and graphics ISBE 34-50 (8/16) Page 3 of 5 03 Human Singer 04 Human Read Aloud 02 Text and graphics 03 Human Singer 04 Human Read Aloud 05 Screen Reader 06 Non-Screen Reader
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (Continued) (Must have Accommodation IEP or Accommodation 504 as Yes in the PARCC Pre-ID.) Calculation Device and ematics Tools (SR/ /L Constructed Response (SR/ /L Selected Response or Technology Enhanced Items (SR/ ematics Response (SR/ Monitor Test Response (SR/ Word Prediction (SR/ /L Only Student uses a specific calculation device other than the embedded grade-level calculator on the calculator section of the mathematics assessment. communication device, or by signing, communication device, or by signing, communication, or by signing, The test administrator or assigned accommodations provider monitors proper placement of student responses on a test booklet/answer document or within a computerbased test. The test administrator or assigned accommodations provider cannot assist the student with changing a response. The student uses word prediction external device that provides a bank of frequently- or recently-used words onscreen as a result of the student entering in the first few letters of a word. Extended Time (SR/ A maximum of up to one school day is allowed to complete one test unit during the prescribed testing window. Student Reads Assessment Aloud to him- or herself A maximum of up to one school day is allowed to complete one test unit during the prescribed testing window. 01 EL 02 IEP/504 03 Both 00 NO Extended Time Student reads aloud the assessment to themselves. Students may use an external device such as a whisper phone. The student must be tested in a separate setting. ISBE 34-50 (8/16) Page 4 of 5
Other Accessibility Features and Accommodations For EL Students (Must have Accommodation EL as Yes in the PARCC Pre-ID.) Word-to-Word Dictionary (SR/ (English/Native Language) The student uses a published word-toword hand-held dictionary. ematics Response-EL (SR/ ematics Only Translation of the ematics Assessment in Spanish (SR/ ematics Only Extended Time (SR/ communication, or by signing, The student will be assigned an online form in Spanish. If text-to-speech is also needed, this accessibility feature must also indicate Yes and it will automatically be provided in Spanish. A maximum of up to one school day is allowed to complete one test unit during the prescribed testing window. 01 EL 02 IEP/504 03 BOTH 00 NO Extended Time Unique Accommodations Unique Accommodations A unique accommodation is an accommodation that is not listed in the PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual and does not change the construct being measured by the assessment. The IEP team will need to complete the unique accommodations form and submit it to the Illinois State Board of Education. *Always refer to PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual (Fourth Edition, September 19, 2015) for further guidance. ISBE 34-50 (8/16) Page 5 of 5