ACCESS for ELLs Guidelines for Accommodating English Language Learners with Disabilities
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The following guidelines are divided into each of the four domains of the test - listening, reading, writing, and speaking - with indications of whether a particular accommodation is appropriate for the domain (Yes), inappropriate and therefore not recommended (No), or Not Applicable (N/A) because the "accommodation" is already incorporated into the test design (e.g., responding orally on the Speaking Test) or is irrelevant for the domain (e.g., use of a scribe for the Speaking Test which requires no writing).
| Accommodation
| Assessment Domains |
| Test Directions
| Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
| Test "directions" refers to all text in the Test Administrator's Script that is provided to explain logistics of the test, including all practice items. Directions include only what is scripted in the Test Administrator's Script. For Speaking and Listening, the directions end just before the test administrator reads "Part A." |
| Translation of directions into native language |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Sign directions to students |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Explanation of directions in English and/or native language |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Repeat directions |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Use directions that have been marked by teacher |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| Presentation Format |
Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
| "Test" refers to test items (including introductory text and graphic support), but not scripted test directions (defined above). |
| Translation of test into native language |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Translation of test into sign language |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Oral reading of test in English |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Oral reading of test in native language |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Use of bilingual dictionary |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Use of highlighters* (yellow only) by student in test booklet text only; must not be used in answer area |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| Use of marker to maintain place |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| Large Print |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Low vision aids or magnification device |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Audio amplification device or noise buffer |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Student reads questions or responses aloud to self |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| Student reads questions or responses aloud and records with tape recorder |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Setting Format |
Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
| Test may be administered... |
| By school personnel familiar to student |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| By special education personnel |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| By school personnel in non-school setting (e.g., home or hospital) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| In a separate room |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| In a small group |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| With preferential seating |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Individually |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| In study carrel |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| In space with special lighting |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| In space with special acoustics |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| With special furniture for student |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| With equipment or technology that the student uses for other tests and school work (e.g., pencils adapted in size or grip, slant board or wedge) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Timing/Scheduling |
Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
| Flexibility with timing of test is permitted for students who require extra time or have limited attention spans as documented on their IEPs. |
| More breaks as needed by student |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Short-segment testing (refers to administration of very brief sections of the test at a time, such as three or four items related to a common theme) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Extend testing time within same school day |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Extend testing sessions over multiple days |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Response Format |
Listening |
Reading
| Writing |
Speaking |
| Certain devices or practices may be used to facilitate testing for students who have difficulty with bubbling or writing in the correct area of the test booklet. |
| Braille writers |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
N/A |
| Computer, word processor, or similar assistive device (spell check, grammar check, and dictionary/thesaurus must be turned off) |
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
N/A |
| Tape recorders for recording student responses |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
N/A |
| Scribes: all student responses must be transcribed verbatim, including spelling, punctuation, and paragraph breaks |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
| Responses in native language |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Answer orally, point to answer |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
N/A |
| Other Test Administration Considerations for All Students |
Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
| Certain practices can reduce testing anxiety for students. For example, test administrators may... |
| Provide verbal praise or tangible reinforcement to increase motivation |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Administer practice test or examples before the administration date of the assessment |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Other Accommodations Not Recommended by the WIDA Consortium at this Time(See below for more information) |
Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
| Braille edition of assessment |
Possible |
Possible |
Possible |
Possible |
| Signing questions or answers |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Additional Information about Braille
If an IEP team determines that it is in the best interest of a student to make the test available in Braille, the following guidelines are recommended to ensure the integrity of the assessment:
- The student must be Braille proficient so as not to confound English language proficiency with proficiency in Braille;
- Braille graphics must be included as this is a graphic dependent test;
- If the Braille graphics are also verbally described by the test administrator, such descriptions should be made in the student's native language so as not to confound with English language listening skills;
- The student's responses should be transcribed verbatim, including spelling, punctuation, and paragraph breaks, by a school staff member into a regular ACCESS for ELLs® test booklet for scoring; and
- The writing assessment should be transcribed verbatim into the test booklet by a school staff member.
While not recommended for the majority of blind students, in the rare instance that it is an appropriate test accommodation, please contact MetriTech, Inc. at 1-800-747-4868.
Additional Information about Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Deaf and hard of hearing students, including those for whom American Sign Language (ASL) is their first or primary language, can generally participate in the Reading and Writing sections of the test with few or no accommodations necessary. Lip-reading with spoken responses for those students who possess these abilities may be possible for the Listening and Speaking parts of the test. IEP teams should make such determinations on a case-by-case basis. Translating the listening and speaking prompts into sign language is equivalent to translating into another spoken language, such as Spanish or Arabic, and therefore is prohibited as it changes the construct (i.e., assesses proficiency in a language other than English) and invalidates the test.