English Access Forum: High Stakes Testing, Reading/Writing Accommodations, Implications for Programs and Services Programs and Services

Katherine J. Bruni Outreach Specialist, State Outreach and Technical Assistance Center, PEPNet/PEC English Instructor to Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Georgia Perimeter College Center for Disability Services v/tdd satellite office cell FAX

Guest Experts Dr. Noel GreggDr. Noel Gregg Regents Center for Learning Disorders University of Georgia Jo Anne Simon, Esq.Jo Anne Simon, Esq. Law Offices of Jo Anne Simon Brooklyn, NY Dr. Alton BrantDr. Alton Brant Associate Professor of ASL Clemson University

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Guest Experts Dr. Noel GreggDr. Noel Gregg Regents Center for Learning Disorders University of Georgia Jo Anne Simon, Esq.Jo Anne Simon, Esq. Law Offices of Jo Anne Simon Brooklyn, NY Dr. Alton BrantDr. Alton Brant Associate Professor of ASL Clemson University

Objectives … Participants will… Gain information to help consider an appropriate range of accommodations for testing. Learn about legal perspectives and accommodations for hearing students with disabilities that may challenge current practices.

Why Have an English Access Forum?

English Access Categories:

The High School graduation test Board of Regents Exam Developmental Studies Exit Exam

Entrance requirements for Technical Colleges Teacher Praxis Exam Graduate School Entrance Exams Graduate School Entrance Exams

Vocational Rehabilitation CRC Exam Teacher Training programs’ standards and student teaching General Testing

Discussing/Dissecting the Pink Elephant

GOAL of the English Access Forum: To Begin a Dialogue about English Access for People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Georgia Representatives (Policy Makers and those in positions to influence policy) Students – (graduate students) Deaf Consumers – State Chapter NAD Superintendent of State Schools, Dept. of Ed. (K-12) State Consultant Public Schools, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Division of Exceptional Students, Dept. of Ed. Postsecondary Disability Services Offices 2 yr, 4 yr, and Technical Colleges (counselors and administrators) Dept. of Technical Adult Education (DTAE), Director of Student Services

Superintendents of GSD and AASD (Atlanta Area School for the Deaf) (and invited staff, faculty, Deans, Director of Instruction, etc.) Parents – (postsecondary) State ADA Office Advocacy Agencies GA Council for the Hearing Impaired State Testing Coordinator State Coordinator for the Deaf, Vocational Rehabilitation

A Framework for Discussion:

PrinciplesandQuestions

1. One size does not fit all. 2. English Access (print): a. Access to information b. Testing 3. Testing: What do you want to measure ?

Instruction vs. Access

English Access What does English Access mean?

What is literacy? What is the definition of “illiterate” and might it have a different definition for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing?

What accommodations are currently being provided to people who are blind and to hearing people with learning disabilities related to reading and writing? What are the various legal perspectives related to English Access?

What does “otherwise qualified” mean in an academic setting? What does language disability mean for an adult who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing? What research questions do we need answered?

What are the accommodations that might be considered for printed material? When might these accommodations be appropriate and for whom?

Expert Comments & Forum Discussion

Access to: Print – and also to: Knowledge/Information Language Power

Instructional Access – Children

Dr. HARLEY HAMILTON Atlanta Area School for the Deaf C enter for A ccessible T echnology in S ign

What is Reading & Writing ? What is literacy ?

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What is Reading & Writing ? What is literacy ?

Legal Perspectives

Lookingto Other Disabilities

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Lookingto Other Disabilities

Challenges

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Challenges

Testing

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Testing

Strategies and and Needed Research

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Strategies and and Needed Research

Recommendations

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Recommendations

A Summary from the Forum and Implications for Future Action 1. English Access needs to be considered when making decisions about instruction.

2. We need to: - challenge and investigate our beliefs, fundamental assumptions/understandings, and decision making regarding policies and accommodations. - expand traditional notions of literacy and consider a new paradigm or framework.

3. We need to look to other disabilities and the accommodations that they are requesting and receiving for print.

4. We need to educate ourselves as well as others.

Dispelling our Fears Understanding Understanding English Access – - to help people meet their human potential - to maximize individual potential

… Thank You …

Review

Legally we don’t have good answers. What do we do if an accommodation does not exist ? --- What are we really testing ? How are we doing the testing ? We need to expand our traditional notions of literacy.

We need to consider a new paradigm or framework that might be helpful. What is reading ? What is writing ? Issues of equity and perceptions must be considered. We need more research on accommodations with regard to literacy.

Extended time and “read alouds” are the most used accommodations. Alternative media is the way of the future. Reading = alternative media. Tutoring – is it a reasonable accommodation or an auxiliary aid or service ? We need to look to other disabilities. What are their accommodations ?

We are in an era of High Stakes Testing, and “Item Response Theory”. More and more readers are being granted for students with learning disabilities (print). Dissecting the elephant: Education of children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Access to: Print – and also to: Knowledge/Information Language Power

Instructional Access – children Providing access through technology Guidelines for requesting testing accommodation Lack of $$ = problem People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing are not requesting accommodations for print. We must educate others and ourselves.

Challenging our fundamental assumptions and understandings Accommodations to demonstrate abilities and knowledge – not because of “second language” issues Accommodations vs. modifications Standards and testing

Challenging our decision making re: policies and accommodations Investigating our beliefs Standardizing interpreted versions of tests through video and DVD Editing as an accommodation