Test Access and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

   The Test Access and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Guide provides information and tools to assist professionals or parents involved in making appropriate decisions for determining necessary testing accommodations for students with disabilities. This manual also provides information on implementing such testing accommodations in the classroom and during districtwide and State assessments. It is a well organized manual and a necessary resource for any professional that is working with students with disabilities.
   A common mistake seen in the field of special education is the interchangeable use of the terms accommodation and modification, (something I am also guilty of). The Test Access and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Guide does a great job of defining these terms and explicitly stating the differences. As described in the guide:

• Testing accommodations are "changes made in the administration of the test in order to remove obstacles to the test-taking process that are presented by the disability without changing the constructs being tested." 
• Examples include: flexibility in scheduling/timing, changes in the method of presentation and changes in method of response.
• Testing modifications are "changes made to the testing process or to the content of the assessment itself, or provision of certain adaptive technologies or services,  that affect the constructs being tested."
• Examples include: simplification of test questions, reading items designed to test reading skills, use of a calculator on a test for computational skills.

   Another part of the guide that addresses misconceptions that I had is the section about Decision Makers, which discusses who is responsible for providing permission for a student to use an accommodation. The Committee on Special Education or Committee on Preschool Education is responsible for identifying and documenting the appropriate testing accommodations for an individual with a disability. However, I was unaware that Multidisciplinary Team is responsible for determining the appropriate testing accommodations for individuals classified as having a disability under Section 504. In addition, I was unaware that the principal may grant access to test accommodations for general education students within 30 days before the administration of State assessments. This decision making responsibility is important information that every teacher should be knowledgeable about. 


Reflection: Before reading this manual, there were many considerations and guidelines that I was unaware of in terms of test access and accommodations for students with disabilities. I have heard of this document prior to the assignment but I have never seen it before, which is surprising because I feel as though every classroom that educates students with disabilities should have a copy of it on hand. I believe this document is very well organized and is a great resource since it provides many examples of accommodations and modifications, as well as how they should be implemented. In terms of my own experience, I have worked with students that are provided with test accommodations or alternative testing options, but I have never been involved in or observed the process in which this is decided upon. After reading this manual I have realized now more than ever how integral this decision process is in the life of a student with a disability. I also realize that although this document is a wonderful reference, the test accommodation decision process involves more than simply reading over these guidelines. It is a complex and time-consuming process that requires input from all professionals involved, including the student himself/herself.