Last week I posted about the TNReady accessibility and accommodations that are being offered this year with the new testing. You can find those right here.

Today I want to dig a little deeper about two parts in the accommodations for children with IEP's or 504's, Text to speech and Word Prediction.

First let me talk about the easier of the two...word prediction. What is word prediction? From the SC Assistive Technology Program: Word prediction programs work with word processors. They predict the word a person wants to enter into the computer. The person types the first letter of a word, and the program offers a list of words beginning with that letter. If the right word appears on the list, it can be chosen and automatically inserted into the sentence. If the right word doesn’t appear, the student continues to type the next letter until it does appear. After the user chooses a word, the computer predicts the next word in the sentence. Again, it offers a list of possible words, even before the first letter is typed. Predictions are based upon the sentence content and spelling, as well as the number of times a word is used. Word prediction may be helpful to students who have trouble with spelling, grammar, or using a keyboard (by reducing the number of keystrokes needed). These programs may also help people who struggle to come up with the exact word they want to use in a sentence.

Knox County uses a program called Solo 6 which has word prediction so if your child is using Solo 6, your child is already familiar with word prediction. Sadly though, a memo dated October 14, 2015 stated that word prediction would not be live for the 2015/2016 school year. Here is the exact statement from the memo...

I am currently looking for clarification on this. This seems mean that a student can use their own assistive technology device to use for word prediction but would that also mean that the assistive technology accommodation would also need to be added to the IEP accommodation as well?

Next let's talk about Text to Speech which seems to be a bit controversial this year. In the same assessment accommodation memo it states the following...

The decision to provide the text-to-speech accommodation for both the TNReady English language arts assessment and the social studies assessment must be made based on a student’s ability to access text. Below are key questions to ask when determining the need for the text-to-speech accommodation.

504 Plans:

• •Does student have a documented decoding or fluency deficit which precludes access to printed text?
• •Is student engaged in intense Tier III intervention to address specific deficit?
• •Does student need supported reading in core academic instruction?

IEP's:

• •Does student have a documented decoding or fluency deficit which precludes access to printed text?
• •Does student have a goal to address deficit listed in the present level of educational performance?
• •Is student engaged in intense intervention to address specific deficit?
• •Is inability to access printed text included in the impact statement?
• •Does student need supported reading in core academic instruction?

Make sure when you go into your child's IEP that you aren't just being told that the state says we have to remove read aloud, now called text to speech. These questions must be asked before the IEP team, and that includes you as the parent, decides whether a child should have the text to speech accommodation. Don't just take no for an answer.

As I prepare for another IEP meeting I am once again reading Ben Foss' book, The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan. If you have not read this book, you really need to. It is one of the books I recommend for all parents of dyslexic children. Ben is a huge supporter of assistive technology and invented the Intel Reader, a mobile device that takes photos of text and recites it aloud.

One major draw back of AT is that as kids get older they don't want to look different than their classmates, and using an iPad, for example, might be the very thing that makes them look different. While reading his book this statement made an impact on me...

And...

So now you may be asking what kind of assistive technology is out there? The number one accommodation needed is a way to ear-read. In school kids learn to eye read but as we know that is not easy for dyslexics so listening to a book is very important for a child to build their vocabulary just like their classmates do when they eye-read. Bookshare and Learning Ally are get sites that you can get a membership to, with a documented reading disability, that have thousands of books that you or your child can listen to.

An iPad has many apps that can help a dyslexic, from reading to writing to memory and organization.

Solo 6 is used in the Knox County school district which is a great program that allows a student to type with word prediction software and also reads the sentences typed to the student as well. Dragon is also a good speech-to-text program.

There are many things out there, but you must do your research. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I saw this on Facebook this morning and as usual Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley is 100% correct, teacher training is VERY important.

I am proud to say that I had a very good meeting yesterday with two wonderful people and I am hopeful that we will start getting some training on dyslexia in the schools very soon. Keep talking to your principals, tell them you would like teachers to be trained. It is what is most important!

This year's end of year standardized testing in TN is called TNReady. Up until this year an IEP team made decisions for accommodations on the TCAP and basically your choices were, read aloud and extended time, and most times, if not all, if your child had an IEP they were given one, if not both, of these accommodations. However, this year is different. This year there are many more accessibility features and I will go through them all for you here.

Accessibility Features for All Students:
These features are all built into the computer testing platform. These are available to all students and can be assessed at any time during the assessment. (Students should be practicing using all these features during the school year.)

• Help: View on-screen instructions and video tutorial about how to respond to each item type.
• Highlighter: Highlight text in a passage or item.
• Line Reader: Allows student to track the line he or she is reading. Students are able to focus their attention on a specific piece of text at a time.
• Mark (Flag) for Review: Mark an item for review so that it can be easily found later.
• Notes/Comments: Allows student to open an on-screen notepad and take notes or make comments. In ELA, notes are available globally and available throughout the session. In math, comments are attached to a specific test item and available throughout the session.
• Answer Eliminator: Cross out answer options for multiple-choice and multi-select items.
• Text-to-Speech for Internal Test Instructions: Students are read internal test instructions via computer platform.
• Writing Tools: Editing tools (cut, copy, and paste) and basic text formatting tools (bold, underline, and italic) as well as spell check for extended response items. Spell check gives options for the correctly spelled word.
• Zoom In/Zoom Out: Enlarge the font and images in the test. Undo zoom in and return the font and images in the test to the original size.The zoom levels are 0.65x, 0.8x, 1.0x, 1.25x, 1.6x, and 2.0x.
• Pop Up Glossary or Dictionary/Thesaurus: The student is able to view definitions of pre-selected, underlined words. The definition appears in a pop-up text box.
• Audio Amplification: Student can adjust the volume of the audio during the test session.

Accessibility Features Identified In Advance:
A small number of students will require additional accessibility features to meet their individual needs. These accessibility features will be selected ahead of time based on the individual needs and preferences of the student.

• Answer Masking: Answer options are masked. The student will uncover answer options when ready. This feature is recommended for students who have attention difficulties. It may also be needed by students with print disabilities or visual impairments. Students may need to mask content not of immediate need which may be distracting.
• Color Contrast (Background/Font Color): Enables students to adjust screen background or font color, based on student needs or preferences. Provides an alternate onscreen background and/or font color when enabled. Students with attention difficulties may need this support for viewing test content. It also may be needed by some students with visual impairments or other print disabilities. Choice of colors should be informed by evidence that color selections meet the student’s needs.
• Text-to-Speech for Math: Text is read aloud to students using embedded text-to-speech software. Students must be tested in a separate setting if unable to wear headphones. This feature is not recommended for students who are currently reading on or just below grade level. If not used regularly during instruction, this support is likely to be confusing and may impede the performance on assessment. The use support should only be reserved for the struggling readers who need assistance accessing text. This may be used with beginning and intermediate ELs.
• Human Signer for Math: A human signer may be provided for a student with a hearing impairment or deafness. Students who require an interpreter for daily instruction.
• Magnification: Allows student to use a “magnification bubble” tool to increase the size to an even larger level not provided by the zoom tool. Students with a visual impairment who require magnification above that which is provided via zoom tool. This feature allows a student to “hover” a magnification glass over text to enlarge the image.
• Increased Font Size: The font size can be increased to a predetermined size as needed. The zoom and magnification features are available for use in conjunction with increased font size. Students with a visual impairment who require a larger font size in addition to zoom and/or magnification of text.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
Accommodations are available only to students with a disability served under an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), 504 plan, or students classified as English Learners, and only when the student requires the accommodations to participate in the assessment meaningfully and appropriately. IEP teams and/or educators make decisions about accommodations. These teams (or educators for 504 and English Learners) provide evidence of the need for accommodations and ensure they are noted on the IEP or 504 plan. Therefore, no accommodations may be put in place for a TNReady assessment that does not have data to support its use.

• Adult Transcription: An adult marks selected response items based on student answers provided orally or using gestures. An adult transfers student responses to the MIST testing platform.
• Assistive Technology: Use of assistive technology for the writing response and/or other open response items. Internet access, grammar check, and word prediction functions must be turned off. An adult must transfer the student’s responses exactly as written to the MIST testing platform. Any print copy must be shredded. Any electronic copy must be deleted. This accommodation also requires Adult Transcription. Students may use a range of assistive technologies on the assessment, including devices that are compatible with MIST and those that are used externally. Assistive technology options include, but are not limited to, adapted keyboards, large keyboards, MouseKeys, FilterKeys, adapted mouse, touch screen, Dynavox, and head wand.
• Braille Test Booklet: Provide a paper Braille test booklet. This accommodation requires Adult Transcription on the MIST platform.
• Extended Time: Not to exceed double time. If a student has a need to exceed double time, please submit a Unique Accommodation Request.
• Paper Test: A PDF may be available through the Unique Accommodation Request process for students who are unable to participate in a computer-based assessment due to his or her disability. This accommodation requires Adult Transcription on the MIST platform.
• Text-to-Speech for English Language Arts: A student receives an audio representation of the ELA/Literacy assessment via text-to-speech or a human signer. This accommodation is intended to provide access to text on TNReady ELA assessments to students with print related disabilities who would otherwise be unable to participate. Access is defined as a student who is able to decode and comprehend text. For additional guidance, please see Appendix A, page 14 in the guidelines.
  
• Human Signer for English Language Arts: A student who requires a human signer for English Language Arts content may use this accommodation during the TNReady English Language Arts assessment. For additional guidance, please see Appendix A, page 14 in the guidelines.
  
• Visual Representations for Math: This accommodation may be used in place of scratch paper for students who typically use an abacus or manipulative such as cubes, tiles, rods, blocks, etc. This accommodation may only be used on the non-calculator sections of the assessment.
• Rest/Breaks: This allows for the assessment to be paused at any time and restarted. Each session must be completed within one test day. Once paused, a student may not be able to view previously completed work if the break exceeds 20 minutes.
• Speech-to-Text: Voice recognition software allows students to use their voices as input devices to the computer to dictate responses. Students may use their own assistive technology devices.
• Word Prediction: This accommodation provides a bank of frequently used words on-screen for the student to choose.
• Unique Accommodation Request: This request process is provided to review any accommodation not listed for a student with an identified need. The accommodation may not invalidate or modify any intended test construct.

The document that all this information came from is the TNReady Guidelines for Allowable Test Administration Conditions, Accessibility Features, and Accommodations, which can be found here along with many other documents that everyone should be familiar with before heading into your IEP or 504 plan meeting.