National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects...

National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects


General Advisory Committee

December 8, 2006

Overview of TARA project

Cara Cahalan-Laitusis


Technology Assisted Reading Assessment

• Focus on improving state reading assessments for students with visual impairments

• Jointly directed by Cara Cahalan-Laitusis (ETS) and Martha Thurlow (NCEO)

• Subcontract to Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)


TARA Technical Advisory Committee

• Dr. Karen Barton, Research Scientist, CTB/McGraw Hill• Ms. Paula Bress, Teacher, Boston Public Schools• Dr. David Edyburn, Associate Professor, University of

Wisconsin• Dr. Kay Ferrell, Executive Director, National Center on

Low-Incidence Disabilities• Dr. Richard Jackson, Professor, Boston College• Dr. Dorothy Strickland, Professor of Education, Rutgers

University• Dr. Brian Touchette, Delaware Department of Education• Dr. Scott Trimble (USED/OSEP)


Project Tasks

• Examining the performance of operational ELA tests for students with visual impairments (Goal 2)

• Development of prototype Technology Assisted Reading Assessment (Goals 2 and 4)

• Contribute research findings to NARAP Principles and Guidelines (Goal 3)

• NARAP/TARA Field Test with VI students (Goal 4)


Timeline

• Year 1 Goal 2 (Research)– Psychometric Research– Survey of AT Users

• Year 2 Test Development– Contribute research findings to Goal 3– Develop test blueprint for TARA– Item development for TARA


Timeline Continued

• Year 3– Pre-testing of TARA– Revision of TARA

• Year 4– Test Development for Goal 4– Goal 4 Field Testing

• Year 5– Analysis of Field Test data– Dissemination


Examining the performance of operational ELA tests

• Differential Item Functioning: comparison of item difficulty across ability matched students with and without VI

• Descriptive and trend statistics for students with visual impairments on state ELA assessment

• Develop recommendations based on research findings


Technology Assisted Reading Assessment

• Overview of Frequently Asked Questions

• Timeline for 2007


What is the Technology Assisted Reading Assessment?

• A prototype assessment of a student’s ability to independently access text using technology

• Modified assessment of reading for NCLB accountability purposes


Who will take the TARA?

• 8th grade students with visual impairments who use technology to access text

• May expand to surrounding grades (6-10) to achieve adequate sample sizes


What state standards will the TARA measure?

• Word Recognition

• Reading Fluency

• Basic Comprehension


How will higher level comprehension be measured?• Standard reading comprehension measure

with accommodations:– Braille– Large Print– Assistive Technology

• Screen Reader• Refreshable Braille• Text Reader• Screen Magnification

– Audio • CD or Audiocassette• Human Reader


Why are reading comprehension and text access skills separated?• Isolation of skills can provide teachers with

information on each skill.• Isolation of skills will allow students who are

struggling on one standard to demonstrate their skill on another standard (e.g., read aloud of comprehension if decoding is not part of comprehension).

• Allows the TARA to serve alternate purposes (in addition to modified NCLB assessment):– Accountability measure for AT instruction– Screening test before recommending AT (for reading) as

an accommodation on other assessments.


What types of questions and format will be on the TARA?

• Specific questions will be informed by research but test format will most likely be an on-demand performance assessment which may include the following types of tasks:

– Open an electronic textbook– Navigate to particular section– Scan paper document and open resulting file


How will the TARA be scored?

• No decision has been made but the following scoring formulas are under consideration– Scoring rubric

– Degree of success

– Degree of success within specific number of attempts

– Degree of success within specific period of time


What scores will be provided?

• We are considering providing two sets of scores– Access: score based on the extent to which the tasks are

accomplished

– Fluency: score based on whether the tasks are accomplished in a reasonable period of time and whether the basic comprehension questions are answered correctly


Development

• Tasks for 2007– Survey of students and teachers – Observational interviews – Develop test specification (i.e., test blueprint)

based on survey and interview data– Develop test items for pilot testing


More information

www.naraptara.info

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