Frequently Asked Questions - Accommodations
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What size is a small group?
Definition: A test setting of 2-12 students used to administer accommodations as needed.
Usage: Small group testing may be used with the following accommodations: Audio with headphones, Translation and signing, Distractibility, Frequent breaks, Providing planned extra time, For a student who is anticipated to utilize the “Read Aloud of Some Allowable Items” test feature frequently, Other documented need
Please note: Small group settings with despiraling should no longer be used for Read Aloud. Read Aloud by a Human Reader must be conducted in a one-on-one setting. Audio with headphones can be administered with the general population or in a small group. For this reason, PDE no longer differentiates between a 1-5 and 1-12 small group. A one-on-one setting must be used for any accommodation where a student’s responses are verbalized out loud..
PDE’s Accommodations Guidelines contain additional detail regarding small groups.
Where do I find scribing and/or transcribing rules?
PDE’s Accommodations Guidelines and DRC’s Handbook for Assessment Coordinators contain information about the scribing and transcribing accommodations. The Accommodations Guidelines should be closely reviewed when determining whether a student’s responses can be scribed or transcribed.
Are Braille or large-print rulers provided for students using those test formats?
No. Students are allowed to use the same Braille or large-print rulers on the tests that they use for normal classroom work.
Are there read aloud guidelines?
Yes. Guidance can be found on PDE’s website for administering a read-aloud test session to individual students or small groups that are taking the paper assessment. Students who are taking the online assessment can have allowable text read aloud to them via the Audio (text-to-speech) accommodation. Students receiving the online Audio accommodation do not need to be in small groups. . The Read Aloud and Scribing Guidelines are found here: Read-Aloud and Scribing Guidelines
What is the Large Print font size?
The paper large-print booklets are produced with an 18-point font. Students who benefit from the large-print format can also utilize the magnification functionality of the online test to increase the screen output 1.5 or 2 times.
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