1. Trouble with the Audio? Click on the phone icon at the top Call the number given Join the conversation through your phone You will continue to see the slides

2. January Community of Practice NCSC AA - AAS (NCSC Alternate Assessment – Alternate Achievement Standards) Important Dates Assessment Features Assessment features embedded Allowable accommodations Student response check Item complexities and supports (Tier differences) Response format

3. Important Dates User File Upload (Teachers’ user IDs are requested by the Test Coordinators) February 2015

4. Important Dates Student Registration Upload February 2015 (Test Coordinator does this Through Student Selector App) **The Test Coordinators are responsible for registering the students through the Student Selector Application in ADE Common Logon

5. Important Dates Trainings March 9 – March 30

6. Important Dates Testing March 30 – May 15

7. Assessment Features Embedded Accessibility Features: Answer Masking Audio Player Alternate Color Themes Increase Size of Text and Graphics Increase Volume Line Reader Tool Read Aloud and Reread Item Directions, Response Options, and Passage Allowable Accommodations Assistive Technology Paper Version Scribe Transcription Read Text Aloud Sign Language

8. Student Response Check Purpose and when to use: use if the Test Administrator is uncertain whether the student has a consistent mode of communication or is concerned that the student’s response to a test item may not be observable by the Test Administrator. What to do: if the student displayed consistent and observable responses during the response check, then administer all test items. If the student did not display a consistent and observable response, then administer the first 4 items in math or ELA. Terminate Test if observed NO student response Administer all test items if observed 1 student response

9. Definition of a Scribe: The Test Administrator writes or types the student response because the student is physically incapable of doing so. Must be noted in the IEP

10. Definition of Transcription When to use: the Test Administrator uses this feature for When a student’s written or typed response the writing test. is clear to the Test Administrator but would not be clear to others, the Test Administrator may elect to use transcription. How to use: the Test Administrator will enter the student response exactly as written/typed and annotate as appropriate. Must be noted in the IEP

11. For the 2015 NCSC test administration, responses will be displayed vertically. responses may not show on the page together Possible issue for students: How to address: require student wait time before responding Hold hand count practice with format during instruction

12. For the 2015 NCSC test administration, responses will be displayed vertically. responses may not show on the page together Possible issue for students: How to address: require student wait time before responding Hold hand count practice with format during instruction

13. Test Questions Tiered: Tier 1 & 2 – lower complexity Tier 3 & 4 – higher complexity Simplified language and reduced passage length; visual support; embedded modeling and examples; fewer answer options Increased passage length; little to no visual support; some embedded examples; 3 answer choices

14. Training Modules and Student Tests: Make sure to check your spam if you can’t find it in your regu lar Email inbox. Also, if your school or district/charter has firewalls that may prevent the delivery of emails from NCSC, please resolve this with your IT department as soon as possible. All Alternate Test Coordinators and Test Administrators will receive an email from NCSC with login information for access to the Training modules and the NCSC Assessment System.

15. Topic Requests for future calls