<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
h2
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.Heading2Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2";
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:85152085;
mso-list-template-ids:-6362868;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Hi Amy,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The people at STAR need to be educated—Their statement that “the Braille format is not compatible with computer-adaptive testing” is completely false. The SBAC/CAASPP tests
used in California are also CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) and are compatible with Braille… by using a refreshable Braille display. So a blanket statement that all CAT tests won’t work with Braille is totally false. Sounds like the people at STAR are thinking
only of printed Braille. It is true that an embossed Braille test booklet would be different than a CAT test, because the adaptive test chooses the next question based on whether or not the student correctly answered the previous question (while the embossed
test is what it is, regardless of whether or not students get each question right or wrong). However, the problem would easily be solved by STAR if they made their test compatible with refreshable Braille displays. Sounds like they need a consultant to teach
them a thing or two about Braille in the modern age!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">You can find out more about how SBAC/CAASPP has made their Computer Adaptive Tests accessible to Braille users here:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.caaspp.org/administration/accessibility/index.html">http://www.caaspp.org/administration/accessibility/index.html</a><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<h2><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";font-weight:normal">Near the bottom of the page it says “Accessibility Resource Webcasts and Trainings”. There you will find specific information about using CAT tests with blind students, and
how to configure their devices to work with the test:<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Configuring Testing Devices for Students with Visual Impairments (April 2016)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.caaspp.org/rsc/videos/archived-webcast_042716.html" target="_blank" title="This link opens in a new window">Archived Webcast (Video)</a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.caaspp.org/rsc/pdfs/CAASPP.apr_27-slides.2016.ppt" target="_blank" title="This link opens in a new window">Configuring Testing Devices for Students with Visual Impairments (PPT)</a>
presentation<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3Zwvd-jgu6STmIybl9OaTdyRXM" target="_blank" title="This link opens in a new window">Configuring Testing Devices for Students with Visual Impairments</a>
resources—includes handouts, materials, installation files, and sample .brf & .prn files<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Maybe you could send these links on to STAR. It would behoove them to start working on this now before they get slapped with a lawsuit…!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In regards to your original question (stepping off my soapbox, sorry), the CAASPP website does have Interim assessment available. These are specifically designed to monitor
ongoing student progress throughout the school year. However, I think these are only available to users in California.
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings">L</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> I can’t find a way to access them without a login. Your state may also have interim assessments, though, which could fall under
the umbrella of their statewide summative assessments, similar to the way it is now done in California.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">DIBELS is a good benchmark assessment for reading. You can get it in contracted and uncontracted Braille for grades 1-6, and uncontracted for Kindergarten.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gina<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> PIBE-Division [mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Amy_Brush--- via PIBE-Division<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 06, 2016 12:06 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> nfb group<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Amy_Brush@caboces.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Pibe-division] STAR testing alternative for Braille readers?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I had explained to them that she uses online technology but the link they sent me expressly states the following:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Computer-adaptive tests including the STAR Enterprise assessments are not appropriate for blind students because the student completing the test must be able to read the text visually; the
Braille format is not compatible with computer-adaptive testing. To take a STAR Early Literacy or STAR Reading assessment, a student must be able to respond to on-screen prompts that assess the ability to read print-based text. STAR Math also requires that
a student respond to visual representations of mathematics symbols and notations. Educators working with a student with a visual impairment are encouraged to evaluate the suitability of STAR for that particular student and decide on an appropriate course of
action. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Each item in star testing prompts/predicts the next item, so downloading and creating a test each month is not possible.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Thanks for your input. Amy
<br>
<br>
<span style="color:#990099">-----"PIBE-Division" <<a href="mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org">pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote: -----</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List <<a href="mailto:pibe-division@nfbnet.org">pibe-division@nfbnet.org</a>><br>
From: Marianne Denning via PIBE-Division <br>
Sent by: "PIBE-Division" <br>
Date: 09/06/2016 02:56PM<br>
Cc: Marianne Denning <<a href="mailto:marianne@denningweb.com">marianne@denningweb.com</a>><br>
Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] STAR testing alternative for Braille readers?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I think this is reprehensible. According to OSEP the school district is out of compliance. I know that isn't your question but it is a big problem.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 2:51 PM, Amy_Brush--- via PIBE-Division <<a href="mailto:pibe-division@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">pibe-division@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Hello all,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">One of my schools using STAR testing to set and track learning benchmarks in both math and literacy skills for their students. It is expressly not recommended by renaissance
learning that this system be used with blind individuals. However; I'd like to find something comparable that can be either loaded in her Braille Sense or made into hardcopy Braille for monthly benchmark testing.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Does anyone have ideas to help with this solution?
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Thank you,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Amy B<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
PIBE-Division mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:PIBE-Division@nfbnet.org">PIBE-Division@nfbnet.org</a><br>
<a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org</a><br>
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for PIBE-Division:<br>
<a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/pibe-division_nfbnet.org/marianne%40denningweb.com" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/pibe-division_nfbnet.org/marianne%40denningweb.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><br>
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Marianne Denning, TVI, MA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">(513) 607-6053<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black;background:white">
<hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black;background:white"><br>
<a href="https://milton1.wnyric.org/canit/b.php?i=04REiV0r4&m=856c98eaa6da&t=20160906&c=s">Spam</a><br>
<a href="https://milton1.wnyric.org/canit/b.php?i=04REiV0r4&m=856c98eaa6da&t=20160906&c=n">Not spam</a><br>
<a href="https://milton1.wnyric.org/canit/b.php?i=04REiV0r4&m=856c98eaa6da&t=20160906&c=f">Forget previous vote</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"">_______________________________________________<br>
PIBE-Division mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:PIBE-Division@nfbnet.org">PIBE-Division@nfbnet.org</a><br>
<a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/pibe-division_nfbnet.org</a><br>
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for PIBE-Division:<br>
<a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/pibe-division_nfbnet.org/abrush%40caboces.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/pibe-division_nfbnet.org/abrush%40caboces.org</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>