Accommodations and Text-to-Speech

For students who need it, there are several accessibility and accommodations features available during testing.

How Accommodations Are Assigned

When setting up test sessions, your Assessment Coordinators make accommodations assignments, including Text-to-Speech. As a Proctor, you can view the assignments when you start the test session. Ask your Assessment Coordinator if you need changes made.

To view assigned accommodations:

1. From NSCAS > Manage NSCAS Testing, click a session name to open Test Session Details.

2. Look under the ACCOMM column and click VIEW for complete details, or click the down arrow for a summary.

   

Using Accessibility Features

All students can take advantage of the following universal accessibility features. These tools do not need to be assigned. Some tools appear only when they are relevant to the subject and test question. 

Zoom Useful for enlarging the question display		Highlighter and Eraser Useful for marking key parts of a question		Line Reader Useful for focusing attention on one line at a time, such as with reading passages		Notepad Useful for making notes about the question		Answer Eliminator Useful for marking wrong answers so they appear dimmer

 

Calculator Either standard or scientific. Appears for applicable questions, based on grade level. For details about using the scientific calculator, go to :  https://learn.desmos.com/scientific		Mathematics Reference Sheet Appears for Mathematics assessments for each relevant grade and provides students with useful formulas and mathematical definitions		Ruler and Protractor Appears for applicable questions and enables students to measure lengths and angles, and to move and rotate the tools

 

Keyboard Navigation

For students on a non-touchscreen device who are unable to use a mouse, it is possible to use keyboard controls. See Keyboard Navigation for Testing.

Using Text-to-Speech

If Text-to-Speech tools are enabled in the testing session Accommodations settings, students can use them to hear questions read aloud.

Students use either the first tool (ear) to begin at the top of the page or the second tool (finger) to select the starting point. Pause and Volume operate like most audio controls.