PSSA Accommodations Guidelines for Students with IEPs and

Standard
Ethics/
Security
Invalidates
score
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Accommodations Guidelines for Students with IEPs and Students with 504 Plans
TABLE 1 continued
MULTISENSORY PRESENTATION ACCOMMODATIONS
Not allowable
for PSSA,
PSSA-M &
Keystone
(paper/pencil)
Electronic Readers continued
B. Text Reader, e.g. scan and read program (MUST have prior approval by PDE)
An electronic text reader application may be used with the PDF version of the PSSA, PSSA-M, and
Keystone paper/pencil tests so that students may access the printed text by enlarging, masking,
inverting the contrast or using adaptive keyboard, mouse, and/or pointer. An IEP or 504 Team
must first determine this accommodation is absolutely necessary in order for the student to
participate in the PSSA, PSSA-M, and Keystone paper/pencil tests. Computer literacy is essential for
electronic application use. In order to preserve the validity and reliability of the assessment, the
program must not modify the test; the Team must be familiar with how the computer program
works in translating standardized assessments. Some programs do not have the capability to
produce an exact replica of the scanned item. Student must be severely limited or prevented from
performing the skill without this accommodation, i.e. not simply performing below grade-level
expectations. Examples include students with low vision or multiple disabilities.
Requirements for use of text reader: see above, p. 31
Answers must be marked and/or transcribed in the test booklet and/or answer sheet.
Test security procedures must be followed, documented, and provided to the Pennsylvania
Department of Education.
Grammar, spelling, word prediction with topic specific dictionary, internet, thesaurus, dictionary
and all other functions and stored files that might cue the student in any way must be disabled and
password protected. Refer to the Handbook for Assessment Coordinators.
Storing computer files containing the downloaded test document beyond the testing window.
Enabling speech synthesizer function for the reading or Literature tests.
Speech function used to read the reading or Literature tests.
Speech function used to read Section One of the writing or English Composition tests.
The Keystone Exams will not be administered 2011-2012 32 1/24/2012