Reasonable adjustment in assessments for learners with SpLD
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This document summarizes key points about reasonable adjustments for learners with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) such as dyslexia. It discusses the duty to provide reasonable adjustments to remove substantial disadvantages for disabled people, including those with SpLDs. It also examines different perspectives on what constitutes a substantial disadvantage and what evidence is required to prove impairment. The document analyzes adjustments to assessments and exams, including debates around validating qualifications, unfair advantages, and students' normal ways of working. It also introduces concepts of universal design for learning and assessment to make exams more inclusive.
Reasonable adjustment in assessments for learners with SpLD
- 1. Reasonable adjustment in assessments for learners with SpLD - what does the future hold? Abi James University of Southampton BDA NTC
- 2. Reasonable adjustments “Where a disabled person is at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with people who are not disabled, there is a duty to take reasonable steps to remove that disadvantage by (i) changing provisions, criteria or practices, (ii) altering, removing or providing a reasonable alternative means of avoiding physical features and (iii) providing auxiliary aids” Equality and Human Rights Commission http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/private-and-public- sector-guidance/guidance-all/glossary-terms
- 3. Principles for making reasonable adjustments for awarding bodies Reasonable adjustments are available to candidates with a disabilities but adjustments to assessments: • should not invalidate the assessment requirements of the qualification; • should not give the candidate an unfair advantage; • should reflect the candidate’s normal way of working; • should be based on the individual needs of the candidate
- 4. Equality Act, Disability & SpLDs Consider… • Is everyone with a Specific Learning Difficulty disabled? • Does a Specific Learning Difficulty have a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ effect on an individual? • Do Specific Learning Difficulties impact an individual’s daily tasks? Probably but not necessarily Education providers & qualification providers may have an anticipatory equality duty
- 5. SpLDs are neurological and independent of intelligence 1. People whose overall level of intellectual and language functioning is such as to predispose them towards finding the acquisition of literacy, numeracy, learning and work-related skills difficult: that is, people who have problems learning most things. 2. People whose intellectual and language functioning is at an average or better than average level, but who have specific areas of cognitive weakness that undermine their acquisition of some skills. (2) Is the dyslexia group McLoughlin, David; Leather, Carol (2013-02-14). The Dyslexic Adult: Interventions and Outcomes - An Evidence-based Approach
- 6. Different philosophies to “substantial disadvantage” • Schools – Establish if there is a significant difference from the average expected performance. – No account of the individual’s potential performance • Higher Education – Establish if there is a significant difference from the individual’s expected performance. – No linked to average expected performance
- 7. What evidence of substantive impairment is required? • Standardised scores for speed scores • Usual way of working School (JCQ regulations) • Diagnosis of SpLD after age 16 following SASC guidelines Higher Education • Positive screening or previous diagnosis sufficient for claiming Access to Work Support Workplace Vocational & professional assessments?
- 8. For example… • Student A has poor handwriting and uses a word processor for assignments For A-levels able to use a word processor as it is their usual way of working At university must hand write as they are not disabled Student B is diagnosed with dyslexia at age 14 but standard scores are not be 81. Did not receive extra time at GCSE or A-level At university is able to request extra time through disability officer
- 9. Adjustments to assessments: • Should not invalidate the assessment requirements of the qualification; • Should not give the candidate an unfair advantage; Detailed assessment criteria are key e.g. SPAG requirements in GCSEs
- 10. Reasonable adjustment in practical exams Christopher Hope, Chief Political Correspondent, Daily Telegraph: “ I complained to the ISTD, who made it clear that “reasonable adjustments” could be made – such as allowing more time or extra lighting – but essentially the challenge of the test could not be amended.”
- 11. Spanish exam example • A student with low vision uses text to speech to help with reading a proof reading. • Requests use of Spanish text to speech in an exam to assess reading and spelling • Spanish is phonetically regular. Therefore spelling errors easily identified and corrected using speech • Student is allowed to use English text to speech only as spelling is part of the assessment criteria
- 12. Traditional assessments… “…tend to measure things that teachers aren't trying to measure (visual acuity, decoding ability, typing ability, motivation), thus confounding the results and leading us to make inaccurate inferences about students’ learning” Rose & Meyer (2002)
- 13. Universal Design for Learning, UDL Applying universal design principles to learning, including assessment www.udlcenter.org UK – limited awareness, referred to as “Inclusive design for learning”
- 14. Universal Design for Assessment (UDA) Designed and developed from the beginning: • To allow participation of the widest possible range of students • To result in valid inferences about performance for all students who participate in the assessment. – Inclusive Assessment Population – Precisely Defined Constructs – Accessible, Non-Biased Item – Amendable to Accommodations – Simple, Clear, and Intuitive Instructions and Procedures – Maximum Readability and Comprehensibility – Maximum Legibility http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/onlinepubs/synthesis44.ht
- 15. Dyslexia Friendly Assessment • Inclusive Assessment Population: • Precisely Defined Constructs • Accessible, Non-Biased Item: • Amendable to Accommodations: • Simple, Clear, and Intuitive Instructions and Procedures: Maximum Readability and Comprehensibility: • Maximum Legibility
- 17. Computer-Based Assessment & Accessibility • Computer-based testing can be more accessible but can just as easily present more barriers • They must: – be compatible with assistive technology & follow accessibility stands (e.g. colour contrast) – allow for accommodations (e.g. additional time) – enable candidates to apply usual coping strategies (e.g. enabling answers to be reviewed and proofed) • Universal design principles and accessibility requirements must be included in design/procurement stages
- 18. Computer-Based Assessment & Accessibility • Flash-based assessments usually not accessible and not adaptable. E.g. – Not compatible with text to speech – Timing can not be altered • But solutions available: – Built-in accessibility tools e.g. read aloud button, colour options – Adaptive testing with accessible question banks
- 19. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Albert Einstein http://www.joebower.org/2011/08/
- 20. Contact details Abi James a.james@soton.ac.uk https://access.ecs.soton.ac.uk/ ATbar: www.atbar.org STEMReader: www.stemreader.org.uk
Editor's Notes
- #5: In pairs consider the 3 questions on screen
- #11: Also practical science examined separately at A-level. Limited reasonable adjustments available
- #15: Inclusive Assessment Population—Tests designed for state, district, or school accountability must include every student except those in the alternate assessment, and this is reflected in assessment design and field-testing procedures. Assessments can measure the performance of students with a wide range of abilities, allowing opportunities to demonstrate competence on the same content. Precisely Defined Constructs—The specific constructs tested must be clearly defined so that all construct-irrelevant cognitive, sensory, emotional, and physical barriers are removed. Assessments should measure what they are intended to measure. Item design offers the broadest range of success within the determined constructs. Accessible, Non-Biased Items—Accessibility is built into items from the beginning, and bias review procedures ensure that quality is retained in all items. The purpose of bias review is to examine items for advantages or disadvantages in presentation or content which invalidate the item’s contribution to a test score. Amendable to Accommodations—Test design facilitates the use of needed accommodations (e.g., all items can be brailed) and reduces threats to validity and comparability of scores. Simple, Clear, and Intuitive Instructions and Procedures—All instructions and procedures are simple, clear, and presented in understandable language. Maximum Readability and Comprehensibility—A variety of readability and plain language guidelines are followed (e.g., sentence length and number of difficult words kept to a minimum) for readable and comprehensible text. Student background, sentence 6 difficulty, and organization of text all contribute to readability of the text, and these points can be considered in item development. Maximum Legibility—Characteristics that ensure easy decipherability are applied to text, tables, figures, and illustrations, and to response formats. Legibility is the actual appearance of text which enables people to read it easily
- #16: Inclusive Assessment Population: assume at least 10% of candidates will have dyslexic/SpLD traits Precisely Defined Constructs: only require the skills being assessed to be demonstrated Accessible, Non-Biased Item: do not expect them to have been exposed to experiences outside of the assessment context. Amendable to Accommodations: compatible with assistive technology; adaptable to additional time Simple, Clear, and Intuitive Instructions and Procedures: don’t make understanding the instructions part of the assessment Maximum Readability and Comprehensibility: as simple language as required Maximum Legibility: consider font and colours; consider table and page layout so information can be extracted without typography in interfering e.g. having to turn a page.