1. DeSSA Accessibility Guidelines Online Training, 2014-2015 English Language Learners
Helen Dennis – Office of Assessment
Sarah Celestin – Exceptional Children (Special Education)
Terry Richard – Exceptional Children (ELL/Migrant)
October 2014
Live Webinar took place on 10/14.
PDMS course section #38082 (live) and PDMS course #23592 (recorded).

2. Purpose of the Accessibility Guidelines Training Session
Become familiar with:
Smarter Accommodations and Supports
DCAS Accommodations
DCAS ALT 1 Accommodations
Differences/similarities between DCAS/Smarter Accommodations
Policies, expectations, and timelines related to assessment accommodations and supports
Forms and Databases
The purpose of this training session is to become familiar with Smarter Accommodations and Supports, DCAS Accommodations, and the differences and similarities between them. We will also cover DCAS ALT 1 accommodations briefly. The policies, procedures and tools for implementing accommodations and supports will also be covered.

3. DeSSA Accessibility Guidelines
This document provides guidelines for making decisions about the inclusion in assessments of
students with disabilities (SWD),
English language learners (ELL),
students who are classified as both (SWD/ELL);
“General Ed Students With Supports,” (students not identified as SWD or ELL that may be provided supports during assessments)
DOE changed the name from Guidelines for Inclusion of SWDs and ELLs to the DeSSA Accessibility Guidelines. The tests are more accessible to more students than ever before. These Guidelines inform decisions about how to participate. Decisions must be made for ELLs, SWDs – what test to take, which accommodations, (if any), and whether to exempt and ELL from reading. Decisions must be made regarding identification of “General Ed students with supports” and also regarding selection of supports for these students.

4. What is DeSSA? Delaware System of Student Assessments
Includes Smarter, DCAS, DCAS ALT 1, SAT/PSAT, ACCESS/ALT ACCESS, NAEP
DeSSA is the new name for the System of Delaware statewide assessments for students handled in the Office of Assessment.

5. Assessments Covered by Guidelines
Smarter (ELA/Math)
Accommodations and Supports
DCAS (Science/Social)
Accommodations
High School End-of-Course (Math/History)
DCAS ALT-1 (ELA/Math/Science/Social)
ACCESS & ACCESS ALT (English Language Acquisition)
DeSSA’s predecessor document (Guidelines for Inclusion) covered only the general assessment in read, write, math and social studies. And tangentially, the DCAS ALT-1, because it listed the ALT1 as an accommodation, and provided the participation criteria for DCAS aLT-1. This year, the General assessment is split over two assessments – Smarter for ELA/Math and DCAS for science and social. The alternate covers all four content areas. The EOC tests are still available -History is required but Math is not. ACCESS and ALT ACCESS are covered and are for ELLS. Some ACCESS takers will also be SWD’s and will need accommodations. All ALT ACCESS takers will be ELL/SWD as the test if for students with severe cognitive disabilities. All these assessments are administered via our test contractor American Institutes for Research (AIR) except for ACCESS and ALT ACCESS.

6. Different tests, different purpose, different accommodations
DeSSA covers a variety of tests with a variety of purposes:
DCAS/Smarter – measures content knowledge/skills based on standards
DCAS—ALT 1– measures content knowledge/skills based on extended standards
ACCESS, ACCESS ALT – measure language proficiency
SAT/PSAT – measure college readiness
Accommodations may change based on the purposes and the constructs of the tests.
This slide is a reminder that when students are to take more than one of these assessments, their accommodations or supports may be different from assessment to assessment, due to the different purposes of each assessment. It is important to consider the accommodations for each assessment individually, in the context of the purpose of the assessment. For example, a student might have different accommodations on the WIDA reading portion of the test than on the Smarter reading portion of the test.

7. Smarter Content Areas: Accommodations and Supports for SWDs
ELA: Items measuring reading, listening, writing, research
Mathematics
Accommodations and Supports for SWDs
Supports for ELLs and Gen Ed students receiving supports
Universal tools for all
Smarter offers Accommodations for SWDs. For ELLs and Gen Ed students who are specially identified, supports are offered.
Smarter only has tests in ELA and Math.

8. Smarter
This graphic should be familiar to anyone who was involved in the spring 2015 field test.
We usually begin explaining this slide by pointing out the Accommodations box in green in the lower right corner. Accommodations are test features that are available to students with IEP’s and students with 504 plans. One example of an accommodation is Text to Speech for Reading passages. These test features are the ones that we might think of as being disability related.
The next largest box is the Designated Supports box. Note that the Accommodations box is nested within it. Designated supports are test features that are available to ELL students, General Ed with Supports (others*) and also to students with 504’s and IEP’s. So, supports are available to more students than accommodations are available to. Supports include the test features that are specifically ELL related, and other supports that might be helpful to a wide group of students and which are not necessarily disability-related. An example is Text to Speech for test questions on ELA or math.
Finally, the largest box is the Universal tools box. Universal tools are available to all students, spontaneously, without prior planning. Students should practice the universal tools, along with any accommodations and supports they expect to have, on the practice test prior to the real test administration. An example of a universal tool is the Zoom feature.

9. What are Smarter “Designated Supports?”
Another name for an accessibility feature of the test that is available to selected groups
Available to more student-types than Smarter Accommodations
ELL, SWD, 504, Gen Ed
Might be called accommodations on another test (i.e. DCAS)
Might be called universal tools on another test
Include ELL related features
Designated Supports, or “Supports,” are assessment features that can be assigned to ELLs, and GWS. They can also be assigned to students with IEPs and 504s. Supports include the ELL related features, and many other features that are not disability-related. Accommodations are features that are disability related.
Some of the features classified as designated supports might be called accommodations or universal tools on DCAS.

10. What are the Available Supports?
Embedded
3.01 Color contrast (on- screen)
3.02 Masking
3.03 Text-to-speech for items
3.04 Translated test directions
3.05 Translations (glossaries)
3.06 Spanish Translations (stacked)
3.07 Turn off any universal tools
Non-Embedded
4.01 Bilingual dictionary
Color Contrast (printed)
4.03 Color overlays
4.04 Magnification
4.05 Human Reader - items
4.06 Scribe
4.07 Separate Setting
4.08 Translations (glossaries)
4.09 Translated test directions
4.10 Paper/Pencil
4.11 Noise Buffers
This slide goes into detail to answer the question, “What is a Support?” You can see that supports include a combination of ELL related and non ell related features.
EMBEDDED
Color contrast is sometimes helpful with attention. Also for visual impairment that isn’t so significant that student has a 504.
Masking is helpful with attention, focus
TTS questions - helpful with students with weaknesses in reading – prevent misunderstanding of question. Also recently exited from ELL.
Translated test directions – only translation provided by Smarter. For ELLS and recently exited from ELL.
Translations Glossaries for 10 languages (with audio) for ELLs and recently exited from ELL
Stacked translation is only available in Spanish.
Turn off universal tools useful with attention, focus issues.
NON EMBEDDED
Bilingual dictionary for ELLs, & recently exited from ELL.
Color contrast
Color overlay – over screen. For attention or vision.
Magnification for vision with external device.
Human reader of test questions for reading issues.
Scribe in case of injuries or ELLs with limited proficiency in writing. Not available on ELA PT “full write.” Must use SMARTER scribe protocol.
Separate Setting for change of testing venue, or if there is a need to document change of setting features such as group size or lighting. (change of group size and lighting are considered universal design and DOE does not require these to be reported as supports).
Translations (glossaries) provided in PDF by test vendor.
Translated test directions- provided in PDF by test vendor.
Paper/Pencil. Usually used in cases of homebound students or other students who can’t be tested at school.
Noise buffers – Ear mufflers, white noise, and/or other equipment used to block external sounds

11. What are Universal Tools?
Accessibility feature available to all students
No need to select prior to test
Student selects independently/spontaneously during the test
Smarter Balanced Module on Embedded Universal Tools and Online Features :
Narrated module:
Non-narrated module:
Universal tools are available to all students and do not need to be selected prior to test administration. Universal tools include features such as zoom, highlighting, and strikethrough. See the Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines for a full list of Universal Tools.
Students will independently select the universal tools they wish to use during the test. Students have the opportunity to try out these tools during the practice test. Afterwards, it is helpful for teachers to discuss with students which features they found most helpful and develop and idea of what they might plan to use during the field test.

12. Smarter – DCAS Crosswalk
To better understand the differences between Smarter’s universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations compared to our current DCAS accommodations, DOE developed a Smarter-DCAS crosswalk that was distributed before the spring Smarter field test. The crosswalk matches Smarter features to similar DCAS accommodations. DOE has provided the crosswalk to help familiarize staff with the differences between DCAS and Smarter accommodations’ policies.

13. Supports for Limited English Language Proficiency
DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History
Smarter ELA/Math
Text to Speech – Test Questions
Available
Available for ELA & Math (Including ELA PT passages).
Human Reader – Test Questions
Available for ELA & Math (including ELA PT passages).
Text to Speech – Reading Passages
Not Applicable
Not Available*
Human Reader – Reading Passages
Text to speech and Human Reader for test questions is available as a support on the reading and math tests to ELLs and other students who are not identified with a disability.
Text to speech and human Reader for reading passages is not available to ELLS as need for this feature is seen as disability-related and is only available as an accommodation.
Spanish TTS voices are expected to be available in spring 2015 on tests for which translation is provided and TTS Is available.
* Except to ELLS with and IEP or 504
We expect Smarter to announce that TTS to be available in Spanish for spring 2015.

14. Smarter Text-to-Speech/Human Reader for ELLs and Gen Ed with Supports
Questions/Items
Passages
Embedded (TTS)
Grades 3-5
Available
Not programmed
Grades 6-8
Not Available*
Non-Embedded (Human Reader)
This is the same information presented on the previous slide, but laid out differently. This provides a reference that is easy to read with less information than the previous slide.
*Unless student is also a student with an IEP or a 504 plan.

15. Language Translation Supports
DCAS Science/Social Studies and EOC Math/History
Smarter ELA/Math
Full Spanish Translation – Stacked (online)
Available
Available for Math only (not permitted for ELA)
Full translation in Other Languages (besides Spanish)
Human Interpreter/Translator
Not available. Human Interpreter/Translator NOT PERMITTED.
Print Glossary or word to word dictionary
Permitted in Print. Selected by school.
Available from Smarter in 10 languages. Use of non-smarter-produced glossary not permitted. For MATH only.
Translations (Glossaries) Embedded. Online glossary or word-to-word dictionary
Not available
Available for 10 languages with audio. For MATH only.
The full translation (online-”stacked”) into Spanish is available on DCAS Science/Social Studies and on Smarter Math.
Full translations in other languages besides Spanish is permitted via human interpreter on DCAS Science/Social Studies, but not permitted on any Smarter test.
Printed glossary or word to word dictionary is available on DCAS Science/Social Studies and Smarter Math.
The embedded Translations (Glossaries) are available on Smarter Math for 10 languages (NOT including Spanish).

16. Translated Glossaries & Full Translations
Following languages are listed in the Smarter Accommodation & Supports “Frequently Asked Questions”
Full translation for Spanish (“stacked” with English )
Math only (not ELA)
Vietnamese
Arabic
Tagalog
Ilokano
Cantonese
Mandarin
Korean
Punjabi
Russian
Ukrainian
The Smarter online glossaries and print glossaries are available in these 10 languages (Spanish is only available in full translation). The languages were selected based on state counts of ELL’s native languages. Smarter looked at what languages were the most common within each state and across all Smarter states as a whole.

17. Smarter Supports for ELL Students: Dictionaries
When and to whom are dictionaries available?
Bilingual (Translated)
English only – gives meaning in English for an English word
Embedded
See “glossary, embedded, bilingual” (next slide)
English Language Dictionary
Category: Universal Tool
Available to: Everyone
Mode: Online
Subject: ELA Performance Task
Non-Embedded
Bilingual Dictionary (Print)
Category: Designated Support
Available to: ELLs & identified others
Mode: print
This slide shows when word to word and English only dictionaries are available to students and defines the type of word to word dictionary permitted. In General, word to word dictionaries are only permitted on the ELA Performance Task. The non-embedded word to word dictionary is a designated support. The English language dictionary is a universal tool which is available to all students (embedded and non embedded).

18. Smarter Supports for ELL Students: Glossaries
Bilingual (Translated word to word, no definitions)
English – gives meaning in English for an English word
Embedded (online)
Bilingual Glossary
Category: Designated Support
Available to: ELLs & identified others
Mode: Online
Subject: Math
How it Works: Translations for these terms appear on screen when students click on them. Students can also select the audio icon next to the glossary term and listen to the audio recording of the glossary.
English Glossary
Category: Universal Tool
Available to: Everyone
Subject: Math and ELA
How it Works: Via pop-up window, grade and context-appropriate definitions of specific construct-irrelevant terms are shown in English on the screen. Student can access the embedded glossary by clicking on any of the pre-selected terms.
Non-Embedded (not online)
See Bilingual Dictionary (Non-Embedded)
N/A
Bilingual Glossaries are available to students as a designated support on the Math test. English only glossaries are available on Math and ELA as a universal too to all students. These are both embedded supports. No non-embedded glosssaries are available as supports or universal tools.

19. DCAS Science and Social Studies only
Same accommodation policy as previous years
Accommodations only (No Supports)
Formally identified students only
ELL (English language learners)
SWD (students with disabilities)
Universal design features for all
The DCAS assessment is still administered for Science and Social studies.
The accommodations policy is the same as previous years. Accommodations are available to identified ELLs and SWDs (with 504 or IEP).
Universal tools are available to all students taking DCAS.
No Supports are available for DCAS and no students are classified as “gen Ed with supports” with respect to DCAS.

20. DCAS ALT-1
Alternate test for students with significant cognitive disabilities
Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies
Participation Guidelines
Increasing number of ELLs documented with significant cognitive disabilities
: For the first time, DOE will track some accommodations in the Assessment Accommodations Database
Test Characteristics Profile
DCAS ALT 1 is the alternate assessment in all content areas for students with significant cognitive disabilities. This year we are tracking some accommodations use on the DCAS ALT 1 including some accommodations related to English language proficiency.

21. Accommodations & Supports Timeline for General Assessments
When can I plan accommodations & supports?
Any time before the assessment.
When can I enter accommodations & supports?
Between test windows
during the planned test window, prior to testing
With 3 days prior to testing, (number specified in DeSSA Test Administrator Training)
Do not enter accommodations for before spring 2015 window closes (June 4).
When should the student start using the accommodation & supports?
In the classroom – as soon as it can benefit the student
On the test –
after the student becomes proficient in the accom or support
after it is showing in the TIDE database
You can plan, document, and implement accommodations for Smarter and DCAS students now. The information is available and the database is prepared to accept data entry.
It is important to have all accommodations and supports entered at least 3 days prior to the student’s scheduled test administration so accommodations have time to load in the test vendor’s system. It is best to wait until after a student’s spring assessment has been taken to enter any accommodations or supports changes for the next school year.

22. Accommodations & Supports in Classroom and Assessment
Classroom Accoms and Supports
Smarter Accommod-ations & Supports
DCAS Accommodations and supports
We received a question recently: “When we select classroom accommodations, should we be looking at the DCAS list or the Smarter list?” This graphic is meant to clarify best practice with regard to this question. When selecting classroom accommodations, teams should consider the student’s learning needs generally, and not simply reference the availability of certain accommodations or supports on the statewide assessment.
Once the classroom accommodations are selected, then teams should refer to the list of permissible accommodations and supports on an assessment to determine which of the classroom accommodations and supports are available on the assessment.
By federal regulation, states are to determine which accommodations and supports are permissible on the statewide assessment. It is best practice for the team to select only accoms and supports on the assessment that the student has used regularly in the classroom. However, it is not a requirement of ESEA or IDEA that all classroom accommodations be provided on the statewide test. This is a common misconception.

23. Accommodations Form
This is the revised version of this form. Portrait form with many lines for recording selected accommodations and supports. You may use this form to record only the students new accommodations and supports or to record all of the students accommodations and supports.

24. Accommodations Listings/Forms
Smarter Example
This is the revised, condensed version of the form. It has been decreased in size to 18 pages from its original 30 pages. You may print out and use only the pages that are relevant for your student. There are clear page breaks and headers at the start of listings for each assessment and at the start of the lists of Smarter supports and smarter accommodations.
Contains:
Short description
Grades in which accommodation is permitted
Content areas
Accommodation codes
Pages with info about this accommodation
Applicable assessment
Groups eligible for this accommodation

25. Recently-Arrived ELL/Immigrants
Recently arrived LEP student: an LEP student who has attended schools in the United States for less than 12 months.
During his/her first 12 months attending schools in the U.S., a State may exempt such a student from one administration of the State’s reading/language arts assessment.
For purposes of participation in a State's assessment system, recently arrived LEP students must take an English proficiency assessment
(no exemption from ACCESS, ALT ACCESS)
We are still able to allow recently arrived immigrant ELLs to be exempt from any English Language arts testing for 12 months after their arrival in US schools.

26. ELL Exemptions From Smarter Reading or DCAS ALT 1 Reading
Accom 9.01 (from Smarter Reading) or Accom 901 (from DCAS ALT 1)
Student must be formally identified as ELL and immigrant
Student is Not enrolled in U.S. schools for a 90 day period or longer (excluding June, July, August). The 90 days must occur between Sept 1 – May 30 to qualify the student as immigrant.
Student is Not FEP
Student has been entered into ELL 2.0 by school
Student’s most recent immigration date has been entered into ELL 2.0 by school
Exemption lasts 12 months.
If student’s 12 months expires during the spring test window, then the student must test during the window.
It does not matter when the student tests in the window, as long as the student tests
Enter Accommodation 9.01 for a student taking the general assessment (Smarter ELA) who meets the criteria for an ELL exemption. Enter accommodation 901 for a student taking the alternate assessment who meets the criteria for an ELL exemption.
Students qualify for an ELL exemption from Smarter ELA or DCAS ALT 1 Reading if they meet ALL the following criteria:
The student is entering the country followed by an absence from the US of 90 days or more.
This means that for students who frequently move out of and back into the U.S., if they are gone from US Schools for 90 or more days (excluding the summer months) then they can again be considered recent arrivals and qualify for the ELL exemption from Smarter ELA or DCAS ALT 1 Reading.
Student is formally identified as ELL and immigrant in DOE databases
Including entry into ELL 2.0 database
Including entry of the student’s most recent immigration date into ELL 2.0
Student is not classified as FEP (Fully English Proficient)
If the student’s 12 months of exemption expires during the spring test window, then the student must take Smarter ELA (General Assessment) or DCAS ALT 1 Reading (Alternate Assessment) before the end of the test window. It does not matter when, as long as they complete one of these two tests.

27. Accommodations for ELLS taking the Alternate Assessment
DCAS ALT 1

28. DCA ALT 1 Accommodations Tracking Overview
Substitution or Presentation of response cards
Large Print
Magnification
ASL
Braille & tactile graphics
ELL-related accommodations
Translator/interpreter items
Translator/interpreter reading passages
Translation of construct-irrelevant words
Definition of construct-irrelevant words
These accommodations are among those offered during the DCAS ALT 1 test. These particular DCAS ALT 1 accommodations are the first to be tracked by DOE for DCAS ALT 1. It is required that if a student has any of these accommodations that they be entered into the Assessment Accommodations System before the test is administered.

29. Accommodations on the English Language Proficiency Assessments
ACCESS, ALT ACCESS
Refer to pages of the DeSSA Accommodations forms.
Take the WIDA training in winter/spring
Select accommodations for SWD/ELLs on ACCESS with an understanding of the purpose of ACCESS test
NOT the same purpose as Smarter Reading and DCAS ALT-1 Reading.
Probably different accommodations selected for different purposes
There is some information in the DeSSA Guidelines about the ACCESS and ALT ACCESS accommodations for students who are dually identified. Many students who are dually identified will require accommodations related to their disability on the ACCESS or ALT ACCESS.
You may enter WIDA accommodations in the Assessment Accommodations database this year for record keeping, but they will not be electronically transferred to WIDA. Remember that accommodations for ACCESS may be different from accommodations on Smarter or other assessments. Entering ACCESS or ACCESS ALT accommodations in the database is a good way to make sure information about a student’s accommodations on the ACCESS tests is available to all current and future teachers of the student.

30. Switching between General and Alternate Assessments
Document the decision to switch BEFORE the opening of the Spring Window
After you administer a spring test, it is too late to switch tests.
Please document the assessment a student should take and their accommodations before the beginning of the spring test window.
Once a student has taken a spring test, it is too late to switch assessments.

31. Technical

32. Assessment Accommodations Database
Access Via IMS
Contains Accommodations and Supports for
Students with Disabilities (IEP, 504)
ELLs
Gen Ed with Supports
Enter, List, or Report Accommodations and Supports
Data for AIR TIDE (Test Information Distribution Engine) is extracted from it
The Assessment accommodations database in IMS is the official record of testing accommodations. This is where users enter accommodations and supports for students with disabilities, ELLs and Gen Ed students with supports.

33. Opening Screen (“Search” Screen)
This is the opening screen. First, indicate your search terms in the “search by” field. Then enter criteria in those fields. You can filter on student sub-group membership.
 Students with IEP’s

34. Search Results Screen Edit, View
This is an example of a search results screen. You can see the edit (pencil/hand/paper) and view (magnifying glass) buttons that you would click to view or modify a student’s record.
Edit, View

35. Student-Related Reports
This is the list of pre-programmed reports that can be run. The last report listed currently reports only DCAS accommodations. We are working on a new design for this report.
Currently-DCAS only

36. Report Results Screen Save, Print
This is a report results screen. You can download or print this list.

37. Help! None of Our Reading Accommodations “Rolled Up”
Accommodations could not be rolled up from DCAS reading to Smarter ELA. They are too different.
The list of accommodations & supports are permitted;
The rules about who can have which accommodations & supports.
Schools must enter all Smarter ELA accommodations and supports. 
Use the crosswalk from last spring’s field test
determine what accommodations and supports offered on Smarter ELA are similar to DCAS Reading Accommodations.
Schools must also enter all Smarter math accommodations and supports.
The only math accommodations in the system are DCAS math accommodations.
Math rolled up because High School End of Course Algebra II and Integrated Math III tests are still being offered.
DOE has been asked why none of the reading accommodations rolled up within Assessment accoms database from the school year records to the school year records. The reason is that there are no DCAS reading assessments offered this year. The DCAS Math accommodations were rolled up because of the HS EOC math assessments that are offered.
DOE has also been asked why we couldn’t recode the DCAS reading accoms into Smarter ELA accoms. The reason for this is that the relationship between smarter and DCAS accommodations is complicated. There are many accommodations on smarter that are not accoms on DCAS, and vice versa. Even in cases in which the same accommodation exists, the Smarter rules for assigning the accommodation, or the rules about when it can be used, are different than for DCAS. Therefore, it is necessary for IEP and 504 teams to translate the student’s DCAS accommodations into Smarter accommodations manually.
All Smarter ELA and Math accommodations must be entered. If no Smarter ela or math accoms are entered for a student, the student will not receive any accoms on the Smarter tests, even if the student may have DCAS reading/math accoms in his/her record.

38. Smarter Reset Policy Different from previous DCAS Reset Policy
If student answered 6 or more items, no reset will be granted.
If the test was administered incorrectly (i.e., the wrong accommodations were provided), the test will be invalidated, and the student will not get another opportunity to test.
If the student answered fewer than 6 items, a reset can be granted.
If the test was administered incorrectly, the test reset will give you another chance to administer the test correctly.
DCAS/EOC will adopt the new Smarter reset policy.
This change in policy increases the practical importance of providing accurate information about a student’s accommodations to the staff who are administering the test. Tests must be stopped early if accommodations or supports are in doubt.
In school years , the most frequent reason for an individual reset request was incorrect provision/documentation of accommodations. Under the policy in effect during these school years, most tests could be reset if anything went wrong with a test administration, regardless of the number of questions the student had already completed.
Smarter has a conservative reset policy in order to minimize item exposure rates and to improve test security and fidelity to prescribed test procedures. This policy is more conservative than the reset policy for DCAS that was in effect from school year through spring If a student’s accommodations are not provided correctly, and this is discovered after item 6 is completed, then the test will not be reset. In some cases, the student test may be invalidated, which would result in non-participant status for the student.
Now, it is more important than ever to reduce the number of errors in accommodated test administrations. This policy increases the practical importance of providing accurate information about a student’s accommodations to the staff who are administering the test. Accommodations should be verified before the test begins. Tests must be stopped early and accommodations re-verified if the student or staff have doubts about the correctness of accommodations or supports that are being provided.

39. AIR TIDE In 2014-15, TIDE will contain all information related to
Smarter ELA/Math
DCAS Science/Social Studies
EOC Alg II/IM III, US History
DCAS ALT 1 ELA/Math/Science/Social Studies
Student will have one record in TIDE that has the info for all his/her tests
TIDE stands for “Test Information Distribution Engine.”
TIDE Resides at AIR
TIDE Stores student identification, demographic, and accommodation information and teacher identification information.
Data extracted from DELSIS, Assessment Accommodations, eSchool is loaded into TIDE.

40. Paper/Pencil (incl. Braille p/p)
Support 4.10
Available for Spring 2015 (not yet official)
Intended for schools nationally that do not have adequate internet access
Use of “Print on Demand” is preferred
Paper/Pencil flag in eSchool or add support in database for identified Gen Ed with Supports
Paper and pencil will be available in spring 2015, but the particulars are still being worked out. You may still flag students in e school as paper/pencil or select the paper/pencil support.

41. Future Updates to 2014-15 Accessibility Guidelines
Additional updates and clarifications are likely between now and spring 2015 testing
Look out on DOE website and DCAS Portal
Updates memo
Updated Accommodations form
Expected future updates
Announcement regarding Spanish TTS
DOE Training on how to use the Assessment Accommodations Database
Smarter module on universal tools
Smarter will likely issue additional updates and clarifications between now and spring testing. DOE will keep districts and charters updated.

42. Upcoming Training
Additional Accessibility Guidelines training for DCAS--ALT 1 coordinators and test administrators
DOE Training on how to use the Assessment Accommodations Database
Smarter module on universal tools
DCAS ALT 1 Online Update Training
DCAS ALT 1 Face to Face training for new TAs
Upcoming training includes:
Accessibility Guidelines training for DCAS ALT 1 coordinators and test administrators
How to use the Assessment Accommodations Database
Smarter module on universal tools
DCAS ALT 1 Online Update Training for Experienced TA’s (starting in late winter 2015)
DCAS ALT 1 Face to Face Training for New TA’s (Feb 2, 3, 4 and March 4, 2015)

43. Questions Sarah Celestin – Students with Disabilities
Terry Richard – English Language Learners
Helen Dennis – Office of Assessment
Please feel free to contact Sarah, Helen, or Terry with any questions you have.