[nobe-l] Woodcock Johnson

[Caitlin Hernandez]

These are all great suggestions that I use with other things, but this test administration cannot be altered in any way, as that could impact students' scores. These scores determine whether or not they are permitted to have an IEP. It's not so same as adapting clabbswork or tests in class; finlas have to be trained to do it, and the administration is very rigorous and strictly monitored. The tests must also be completed by the same administrator, so I can't only do the accessible sections. 
Hope this makes sense.

Sent From My BrailleNote Touch

On Feb 28, 2018 12:16 PM, Ashley Bramlett via NOBE-L <nobe-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Caitlin, 
>
> A few ideas but the school probably will not allow it. 
> Can you organize the visuals so you know what they are? 
> To administer the test, can students show you what they are pointing to? 
> Maybe then describe what they see? 
>
> I'm also wondering if someone can come in and assist you such as a parent. 
> You would still be in charge of the test, but the parent could just tell you 
> what is happening. 
> Also, if you cannot braille the material, can you at least put some tactile 
> labels on the testing materials so you know what they are? 
>
> I hope you find a solution! 
>
> Ashley 
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Caitlin Hernandez via NOBE-L 
> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2018 10:02 AM 
> To: nobe-l at nfbnet.org 
> Cc: Caitlin Hernandez 
> Subject: [nobe-l] Woodcock Johnson 
>
> Hi All, 
> I'm a totally blind, Braille-reading, first-year Resource specialist 
> for fifth and sixth graders in San Francisco. For students' triennial 
> IEPs, we use an assessment tool called the Woodcock Johnson, and I've 
> been looking into a way to make this accessible for the past year or 
> so. We've just heard from the company itself that even Brailling the 
> test or my administering it alongside a credentialed sighted person 
> who can assist with the visual bits (students need to do a lot of 
> silent pointing, for example) is not possible and will compromise the 
> validity of the test. 
> Up to this point, I've simply been swapping duties with the other 
> Resource specialists we have on our K8 campus; I run pull-out groups 
> for them while they do my assessments. This has worked fine, but the 
> district is saying that they can't allow this to be an official 
> accommodation, since it adds job functions to someone else's job. 
> They're also saying that, since I technically cannot perform an 
> executive function of the Resource Specialist position, they want me 
> to move to a general-education classroom next year: something I don't 
> particularly want to do at this time, and for which I'm not 
> appropriately credentialed. 
> I'm doing my homework on all this, and my Union representative is in 
> the process of getting an attorney. Further, in the job description 
> for Resource Specialist, it doesn't specify that the teacher must be 
> capable of administering the Woodcock Johnson. However, I promised to 
> ask around among my fellow blind teachers to see if anyone has run 
> into this issue or has another workaround for the Woodcock Johnson, or 
> any other similar modes of assessment which are largely visual and 
> unusable for blind educators. 
> Thanks so much for any advice. 
>
> All best, 
> Caitlin 
>
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