Presented by:

Kathleen Vanderwall, Manager of Test Design

Holly Carter, Assessment Policy Analyst

Scott McCallum, Northwest Regional ESD

Oregon Department of Education

October 6, 2011

Topics Covered

Why an Online Braille Interface?Specifics of the AssessmentBraille Pilot Training OpportunitiesTest Administrator QualificationsWhat Districts Need to KnowSystem & Set-up RequirementsDistribution of EquipmentTesting EnvironmentResourcesQuestions & Answers

Why an Online Braille Interface?

Office for Civil Rights Review: Progress to Date

All students having online assessment opportunities

Administration Overview

The Braille interface of OAKS Online will deliver assessments to students in the following formats:

1. OAKS Mathematics, Science, and Social Sciences assessments will include a text-to-speech audio component delivered through the JAWS 12 Screen Reader.

2. Text-to-speech will not be provided for OAKS Reading.

Administration Overview (cont’d)

3. OAKS Mathematics and Science will include a Braille component delivered through a Braille Tiger Embosser.

4. OAKS Reading and Social Sciences will include a Braille component delivered through either a 40-cell Refreshable Braille Display or a Braille Tiger Embosser.

Administration Overview (cont’d)

5. Each item on the OAKS Reading and Social Sciences assessments will be automatically displayed to the student using a Refreshable Braille Display, unless the item contains tactile or spatial components; such items will be automatically sent to the Braille embosser.

6. In addition, a student may request embossing for any item as the student progresses through the test.

7. Districts may also designate a student to receive all items through the Braille embosser instead of through the Refreshable Braille Display as a restricted resource based on the student settings specified by the school district within the OAKS Online System.

Braille Interface Pilot

The pilot test evaluated:

Students’ ability to access, navigate through, and enter responses on the test.

Students’ comfort using the supporting Braille technologies used to access the test.

The functioning of the supporting Braille technologies in an assessment setting.

Training needs for both students and teachers for the visually impaired (TVIs).

OAKS Online Braille Interface

Assessment Training Training Dates:

9/19/11 – Columbia/Intermountain Regions 9/20/11 – NWRESD/Lane Regions 9/21/11 – Willamette/Cascade Regions 9/22/11 – Southern/Central Regions

Who attended: Teachers for the Visually Impaired (TVIs), back-up TVIs

What was covered in training? Set-up, equipment, software training, Braille Interface practice tests

Practice Test available August 2, 2011 Assessment available November 8, 2011 Reminder: Test Administrators must receive Test

Administration security training through district.

Test Administrator Qualifications

1. Teacher for the Visually Impaired (TVI)

2. Complete Braille Interface training (provided by ODE)

3. Complete Test Administration and Security training(provided by the district)

4. Experience using required computer equipment prior to test administration (e.g., through OAKS Online Training Site and Practice Test)

What Districts Need to Know

System and set-up Requirements How software and equipment will be deployed How to designate the Braille Interface Plan for test environment Test Security Reminder Checklist Prior to Assessment Test Administrator Qualifications

System Requirements

2 PCs (not Macintosh)

Windows 7.0

JAWS (text to speech software)

Duxbury Braille Translation Software

Viewplus Tiger Max Braille Embosser

Refreshable Braille display

Regular keyboard

Set-up Requirements TA Computer

Windows OS (Mozilla web browser seems to work best) Duxbury Demo Braille Translation Software Tiger Braille Translation Software (ViewPlus Software

supplied with embosser)

Student Computer Jaws 12 Screen Reading Software Refreshable Braille Display software and additional

drivers for Jaws communication (these should install automatically according to the ALVA manual)

Windows 7 OS OAKS Secure Browser 5.0

Two Testing Rooms One room for TA and student computer and; One for the Embosser (must be securely monitored)

Set-Up with Laptop

Embosser, Laptop, Braille Display

ALVA Refreshable Braille Display

ViewPlus Tiger Max

Braille Embosser

Braille Technology Flowchart

How To Designate the Braille

Interface for a Student

A student’s access to the Braille Interface is controlled

through the language setting of OAKS Online.

Default can be set ahead of time in the Test

Information Delivery Engine (TIDE) of OAKS or;

Set for a specific test opportunity from the TA

Interface during student approval.

Important: The language must be set to Braille before

a student begins a test opportunity!

How Districts Will

Receive Equipment Software will be provided to all regions via September

Regional Management Team (RMT) meeting Equipment provided to Teachers for the Visually

Impaired (TVIs) based on student assignments during ODE-provided Braille Interface training

All equipment is bar-coded by the Oregon Textbook Media Center (OTMC)

Requests for additional equipment go through OTMC (e.g., to address new student enrollment)

Plan for the Test Environment

2 rooms, 1 for student and TA, 1 for embosser.

Person to monitor embosser during printing (must have signed an Assurance of Test Security form).

Quiet testing environment.

Have everything set up and tested before student arrives.

Schedule the testing rooms to be used for longer than you think it should take.

Checklist Prior to Assessment

Arrange testing date

Assign Test Administrator (see qualifications)

Contact Network Staff for set-up

Assign a location --2 testing rooms

Check to make sure equipment is set up

Designate Braille Interface through the language setting of OAKS Online

Test Security Reminder

Remember, all printed secure test materials must be securely shredded after each testing session.

This includes embossed Braille print-outs.

In a Perfect World

The student will have been using the Refreshable Braille display and JAWS prior to the assessment (as per the IEP).

The system is networked and ready to go prior to the test.

The TA computer and Student computer are located in a different room than the Embosser.

Students will have learned the Braille Interface by accessing the practice test prior to the assessment.

Resources

Parent Brochure

http://www.ode.state.or.us/wma/teachlearn/testing/resources/asmtbrailleparentbroch

ure_08112011.pdf

Braille Webpagehttp://www.ode.state.or.us/go/braille

BVI Website:https://sites.google.com/site/oregonbvis/home

Test Administration Manualhttp://www.ode.state.or.us/go/tam

Accommodations Manualhttp://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/admin/alt/ea/accman-update-7-7-2011-12_hc.pdf

Who to Call:

Technical Support

Problems with Jaws:support@freedomscientific.com

Problems with NetworkContact your district Network Specialist

Problems with Embossermailto:support@viewplus.com

Problems with Refreshable Braille displayPhone: 503-297-1510 (press 3 or extension 115)

Problems with DuxburyPhone: 978-692-3000; E-mail: support@duxsys.com

Questions & Answers