1. Who are the Students who take Alternate Achievement Standards Assessments in KY? Jacqueline F. Kearns, Ed.D. Elizabeth Towles-Reeves, MS OSEP Low Incidence Affinity Call Presented by Toyah Robey Kentucky Department of Education Toyah.Robey@education.ky.gov May 17 th, 2010

2. Learner Characteristics Demographic Variables  Learner Characteristics (all on a continuum of skills):  Expressive Language  Receptive Language  Vision  Hearing  Motor  Engagement  Health Issues/Attendance  Reading  Mathematics  Use of an Augmentative Communication System (dichotomous variable)

3. Demographic Information Participation Rate – 1.14% Disability Category Mental Retardation – 60% Multiple Disabilities – 22% Autism – 14% Other – 3%

7. Who are the Kids?  Represent approximately 1% or less of the total assessed population  All disability categories were represented but primarily 3 emerge,  Mental Retardation  Multiple Disabilities  Autism  Highly varied levels of expressive/receptive language use  Most students in the population 70% or more use symbolic communication  Level of symbolic language use does not change across grade-bands  Only about 50% of the pre and emerging symbolic language users use ACS  Pre-symbolic expressive language users are more likely to have additional complex characteristics.  Most of the population read basic sight words and solve simple math problems with a calculator.  Lack of skill progression in reading and math across grade bands (elementary, middle & high)