2020 DHH STAAR Update
FAQ for STAAR Administration for DHH Students
Oral/Signed Administration of STAAR Online FAQs
Question: If the student needs the test read aloud or signed, do they have to take the paper test instead of the online test?
Short Answer: NO
Needing to have the STAAR test read aloud or signed should not be the reason for administering the paper version of the STAAR.
"Students who are eligible for oral/signed administration and content and language supports who are deaf and hard of hearing will take STAAR online."
Question: Can the test administrator orally interpret the test?
Short Answer: YES
Whoever is interpreting for the student on the computer administration is replacing the text-to-speech function. This is true for sign language interpreting as well as for oral interpreting. Your staff can sign, speak, mouth – make visually accessible – the computerized version.
"A signed administration is allowed for parts of the test that can be read aloud but cannot be accessed through text-to-speech."
"The test administrator may provide a signed administration of the test for deaf and hard-of-hearing students who cannot access the text-to-speech function."
Question: I thought that designated supports used during a state assessment must be routinely used during classroom instruction and classroom testing. My student is not ARDed for an oral interpreter and does not use one in class. How can we justify the test administrator orally interpreting the test?
Refer back to your student's communication evaluation. If the data shows that the student needs visual access such as speech reading and facial expression for effective receptive communication, then oral interpreting is an appropriate accommodation for the STAAR test. The student most likely would not use an oral interpreter during classroom instruction, because he or she can see the educator as they talk.
Question: Can portions of the writing test be read aloud by the testing administrator?
Short Answer: YES
Anything read aloud by text-to-speech online can be interpreted using a sign language or oral interpreter.
"Writing: No part of the editing selections, test questions, and answer choices in a writing assessment (including the writing section of English I, English II, and English III) may be read aloud unless otherwise specified by TEA. However, the revising selections, questions, answer choices, and embedded supports may be read aloud to a student on a writing test (including the writing section of English I, English II, and English III). Additionally, reading aloud the expository or persuasive writing prompt is an accessibility feature allowable for any student who requests this assistance."
Question: Can pop ups and rollovers be read without the student requesting it be read?
Short Answer: YES
Consider what level of reading support is documented in the student's ARD paperwork. If it is documented that the student needs the entire test read, then you do not need to wait for the student to ask for the pop-up to be read. If it is documented that the student can request certain words, phrases, or sentences to be read aloud when needed, you can read aloud what the student requests when he or she requests it.
"Test administrators must be made aware of the reading needs of the student as well as any requirements that are documented in the student’s paperwork. This includes, if applicable to the oral administration, understanding the level of the student’s reading support and whether that level of reading support can change during testing, based on the documentation in the student’s paperwork."
American Sign Language Videos FAQs
Question: My students don't use American Sign Language. Would the ASL Videos be appropriate?
Short Answer: MAYBE
The ASL Videos were created using "Academic ASL," which refers to those linguistic features that are utilized in the classroom, such as the structure and grammatical parameters of English. Even if your students don't use the grammatical features of social ASL, you may find that what they are using is very similar to academic ASL. You can request the PNP ASL option for your students, and if you find that during the test they are asking for a lot of clarification, you can provide the signed support yourself instead.
If you don't try the ASL Videos, you will not know whether they will be helpful for your students.
For more information about Academic ASL, visit the Street Leverage website.
Question: If the student is using the ASL videos but doesn't understand a sign or the question, can the test administrator sign the question using signs the student is familiar with?
Short Answer: YES
"It is important to note that ASL videos are not available for content and language supports. In these instances, the test administrator may sign test content as previously indicated. Students with access to this PNP will click on an ASL icon at the top of the screen, and a video of a person signing applicable test content with a closed captioning option will appear. Students will have the ability to play the video as many times as necessary and will also be able to pause, fast-forward, and rewind the video. If a student needs signing support from a test administrator in addition to the ASL videos (e.g., student does not understand a sign being used in the video), this is allowed as long as the requirements for a signed administration are adhered to. These PNP functionalities are available in a practice test for students to become more familiar with the videos."
Question: We tried to use the ASL videos, but we couldn't find the option on the test.
When registering the student, the Personal Needs and Preferences (PNP) Support must be indicated in the Test Version Code field. The PNP Accommodation code for ASL Signed Videos is V.
"Students eligible for an oral/signed administration will have access to American Sign Language (ASL) videos through the STAAR Online Testing Platform (SOTP). This personal needs and preferences (PNP) option will be available for online administrations of all grades/subjects and courses of STAAR (only English versions)."
General Instructions for Administering State Assessments to Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (p.2)
Use of Certified Interpreters - FAQs
Question: If an RDSPD Program has a communication facilitator (noncertified interpreter who interprets for the student in his classes and is an employee of the school district), can the communication facilitator interpret for the STAAR Test?
Answer: - It depends...
If you have a student who is using a communication facilitator on a regular basis because that is the best match for the needs of the student, then that person CAN interpret the test, even if they are not certified.
While it is very important that our interpreters are certified, we do have some students who are using a non-certified staff member on a regular basis due to their particular communication needs. In those situations, it would be more detrimental for the student to have an unfamiliar certified person signing the test than it would for an uncertified staff member to do so. If you are not sure if your uncertified staff member has the sign skills to effectively interpret the test, they can partner with a certified interpreter to make sure the student has effective access.
If you are needing to use uncertified personnel to administer the test because you don’t have enough certified interpreters to make your schedule work, and your students usually receive their services from a certified interpreter, you must figure out how to schedule things so you have certified staff members interpreting the test. TEA allows some flexibility in scheduling the test for purposes such as this.
Proctor Codes
"For test administrators who are providing a signed administration of a State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) online, proctor codes will be available in the STAAR Assessment Management System approximately one week prior to testing."
General Instructions for Administering State Assessments to Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
I have more questions!
Contact TEA’s Student Assessment Division at 512-463-9536 or at assessment.specialpopulations@tea.texas.gov if you have any questions regarding the administration of state assessments to students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
About Us
Texas Sensory Support Network
State Lead for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Email: stiggs@esc11.net
Website: TexasDeafEd.org
Location: 1451 South Cherry Lane, White Settlement, TX, United States
Phone: (817) 740-7580
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