Testing Students with Disabilities in Kentucky Schools Essays

The right of entry to education resources is more than uncomplicated admission to a college. The right to use means to provide students with the devices they will need to be victorious in higher learning. Students with a recognized disability ought to be no omission. In reality, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, “ensure that all qualified persons have equal access to education regardless of the presence of any disability.” Objective replacement, class waivers, and revision of classroom management, testing and course necessities are all illustrations of behavior to supply access for the learner with a disability. A break down to the creation of such practical adjustments can place schools in breach of federal and state statutes, ensuing expensive fines.

Assessments are important tools that educators use for a variety of reasons. The basic use of assessments is for measuring the student’s knowledge. For English Language Learners and special education students, assessments are generally used for placement. Using the results from the evaluations, educators use their findings to place the students in the most beneficial class for them. As more ELL students enter the classroom as well as other diverse scholars, the importance of having knowledge of different assessments and teaching strategies becomes imperative and basically mandatory. When entering the kindergarten English Language Learners classroom at Sprout State School of the Arts, the head teacher was able to give inciteful information in regards to the many educational questions that were asked concerning the different facets of education in the classroom. Through a lengthy interview with the teacher, information was gained concerning indicators of exceptionality in ELL students, information pertaining to the use of formal and informal assessments in placement, the role of parents and teachers in placement, as well as underachievement factors that may not need special education needs, justification for changes in proficiency levels, the integration of assessment types and the benefits of the SIOP protocol for all learners.

With high stakes testing, it requires, states to use accommodation and alternative testing in order to allow states not to exclude students with special needs from taking any of the state’s test. Before

Students with disability and with special education services will be provided those services based on his or her needs, not by their diagnosed disability.

Standardized testing is a topic that is all too familiar for those families whose children are still in school, but also for young adults where standardized testing has passed but still remains near. There is a stigma about standardized testing that looms as student’s abilities are put into question. Factors, for example, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds of students are also questioned due to standardized testing. Characteristics such as these are not types that students can control or change, but “high-stakes testing is widely viewed as positively discriminatory” against such static characteristics (Thernstrom, 2000, page 46).

There are many students with disabilities in our society. They also have right to take tests as normal students. ACT should also accommodate them, and find a test which also apt able for all. If they are dropped from test takers, then it make this standardized exam unstandardized. According to Cawthon, Stephanie, and Rachel Leppo “[I]nclusive assessment participation policies require that all students be provided with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on these tests. Assessment accommodations should be one strategy used to expand the inclusivity of standardized assessments for students with disabilities” In this case disability does not count for mental disability, but for physical disability such as paralyzed hands or legs. The People on wheelchair should also be equally eligible to take this test. They can have verbal testing. They just lack the ability to write or walk, but they are able to think as normal children. If they are given some extra time they could take tests as other kids. This extra time would also help other students to think carefully, and choose the answers

Modifications such as sitting secluded, time extensions or not being required to fill in the bubble sheet are common modifications but these students are all still taking the same exam as their peers in the same grade level. “A standardized test is one that is given to evaluate the performance of students relative to all other students with the same characteristics, for example, all fourth-grade students or all students taking AP English in high school.” (Issitt, Micah L., and Maureen McMahon). Students with disabilities should not be expected to perform on the same level as children without disabilities; they should be compared apples to apples not apples to

Accommodations involve the use of different strategies, assistive technology, changes in the schedule or environment, or support from a person to increase, maintain, or improve the performance of a student with disabilities. Accommodations are most often made in: 1. Scheduling (extra time to complete work) when the student will be instructed and assessed. 2. Setting (working in small group) where the student will be instructed and assessed.

Numerous of these assessments have need of students to pay attention to or read questions and mark or put in writing their responses, often within a specific time limit. Students with disabilities every now and then have trouble presenting what they know on tests, for the reason of very strict rules on how the tests are to be prearranged. These regulations can generate troubles for students with disabilities. A testing accommodation is any adjustments in characteristic test procedures that permit students with disabilities to enhance in showing their understanding. This may consist of a change in, how the examination is offered (Braille, large print or items read aloud),how the student reply (using a computer, marking answers in a test pamphlet), test arrangement (extensive time for a timed assessment or more numerous breaks) or maybe test location (taking the test alone or in a small

Modifications and accommodation are incorporated into the IEP student. Accommodations and modifications affect different aspects of assessments for special needs students. Accommodations makes provisions for the students to take the same test as students that have no disability such as giving them more time or an interpreter or allowing them to take the test apart from other students. Accommodation can be seen as early as Pre School or in college. The accommodations follow the students throughout their education lifespan. An example of this is when Johnny is struggling with taking a timed test. He does not need the test changed, however, he needs more time to complete the test. The teacher noticed this issue while grading his previous test.

In these past few sessions, I have learned a lot of new information concerning standardized testing. For starters, I learned that the purpose of standardized test is make sure teachers do their job, and prepare students for adult life while also making sure they are ready for the following school year. We also talked the different state test (TEAMS, TASS, TAKS, and STAAR). With this conversation, I was surprised to learn that with the TEAMS and TASS, special education students were not tested but, they are tested (but modified) with the TAKS and STAAR. This surprised me, because I personally could not picture my little cousin who has down syndrome taking the STAAR test even if it is modified.

children, receiving few of the accommodations usually provided to them as part of their Individualized Education Plans. Teaching to

In high school, decisions are made for students with disabilities. The school is responsible for providing students with a disability a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). In providing FAPE, the school district must ensure that the appropriate and allowable accommodations and modifications are in place to promote academic success. The school must complete the necessary assessments as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) within the required timeframe. Assessments such as developmental assessments, screening tests, individual intelligence tests, individual academic achievement tests; adaptive behavior scales, behavior rating scales, curriculum-based assessments and alternate assessments are all considered appropriate assessments for determining eligibility or educational needs for students with disabilities. At this stage, the parent or legal guardian has the autonomy to make decisions for the student. A parent’s rights and protections are written in the procedural safeguards. The procedural safeguard not only protects the rights of children with disability and their parents but it also provides information that assists in any

This helps ensure that all students have an equal opportunity at earning their education. This testing also helps make sur that their disability will not hinder their learning process. At the same time making sure each student is strategically place on the best path for success.

Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals, and institutions, and in other settings; and instruction in physical education. (34 CFR §300.39)