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ATIA 2009. Accessible Online State Assessment Compared to Paper-Based Testing: Is There a Difference in Results? Presenters: Linnie Lee, Bluegrass Technology Center, Preston Lewis, University of Kentucky. Kentucky Investigation. Enhanced Assessment Grant. 2. Kentucky Investigation.
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ATIA 2009 • Accessible Online State Assessment Compared to Paper-Based Testing: Is There a Difference in Results? Presenters: Linnie Lee, Bluegrass Technology Center, Preston Lewis, University of Kentucky
Kentucky Investigation Enhanced Assessment Grant 2
Kentucky Investigation • Purpose: To fully evaluate the variables around comparability of the KY online accessible assessment to the traditional paper-based administration with an adult reader (oral) accommodation for students with disabilities 3
Background: KY CATS Online • KY state assessment is accessible online for reading and responding with a text reader (text to speech technology) • State test available online for eligible students with disabilities since 2003 • Includes all grades and test content areas • In the spring of 2008, 2,421 students from 118 KY schools tested online 4
CATS Online Basic Design/Accessibility Features •Choice/variety of screen/text presentation modes • Digital text readable with text or screen reader • One question/answer per screen • Choice of layout for Reading passages • Alternative text for graphics • Headphones for privacy and engagement 5
Question: How does performance of online students compare to offline students statewide ? • Are online students results comparable to those of paper students statewide that received an oral accommodation? • Does the large difference in the “N” of two groups impact comparison? 6
Finding: Online students scored lower compared to paper students statewide, but large difference in N of two groups • Paper students with readers scored higher statewide across all 3 years (2006-2008) in most grades/content areas (although gap is narrowing) • Large difference in “N” of students and schools statewide using paper vs. online impacts validity of comparison • In 2008: 24,035 paper students with adult reader while 1,775 students tested online 7
Question: How does online student performance compare to that of paper peers in their same school? • Peer Schools=Schools testing online and on paper • Peer school analysis compares scores of online students to their paper peers in schools offering both modes of testing • Peer school comparison reflects sameness of school culture, instruction and number of students (N) 9
Finding: Online Students Scores Higher than Paper Peers from Same Schools • Peer school comparison across grades and content areas shows online scores comparable to or higher than paper students from their same schools 10
Question: Are the accountability levels/rankings of KY schools with students online different from schools at large? • Do KY schools at large differ in their accountability profile from schools with students testing online? • Are “struggling” schools more likely to seek online assessment as a solution?
Finding: Students Testing Online Twice as Likely to be from Struggling Schools • 26% of schools participating in online listed as “meeting” state accountability goals • 54% of schools not participating in online listed as “meeting” state accountability goals • 68% of schools participating in online in various levels of “progressing” in school accountability • 43% of schools not participating in online listed as “progressing” in school accountability
Accountability Status of Schools With and Without Students Testing Online SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY STATUS OF SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN CATS ONLINE -2008
Question: Do the same students and schools tend to return to online testing from year to year? • Does the population of students participating in online testing remain consistent across years? • Do the schools participating in online testing remain consistent across years?
Finding: While Most Schools Return to Online Each Year, Most of the Students Are Different • 29% of students testing online in 2008 • also tested online in 2007 • 71% of 2008 online students did not • test online in 2007 • 70% of schools participating in online • in 2007 participated again in 2008 • 30% of schools participating in online • in 2007 did not return in 2008
Finding: While Most Schools Return to Online Each Year, Most of the Students Are Different
Question: Did online students receive adult supports/accommodations to the same extent as paper students? • Textreader provided oral/reader accommodation for each online student • Unclear if local decision-making always considered online students need for other adult supports/accommodations (e.g., paraphrasing, cueing/prompting or dictation) 18
Finding: Online students received traditional adult accommodations about half as often as paper students • Online students had fewer adult supports/ accommodations (e.g., paraphrasing, cueing & dictation) than paper students • Online students provided these other adult accommodations performed overall better than online students w/o these accommodations • While technology provides oral/reader accommodation, it may not replace need for also providing other traditional accommodations during online testing 19
2007 Accommodations Distributions and Average Scores8th Grade Math - 2007 – In addition to Oral Accommodation, Use of One, Two, Three, or No Paraphrasing, Cueing, or Dictation & Averages
Question: Did online students’ reading of passages differ from students testing on paper with adult reader? • Previous KY post-test surveys indicated students using a text reader were re-reading test items more often than when they tested on paper with an adult oral accommodation 21
Finding: Study Shows Online students more likely to use text reader to re-read test items • Data collected on 52 online students using textreader and 32 paper students with adult reader on “re-reads” of text passages • Online students re-read rate with their textreader was almost twice that of re-read request rates by paper students with adult reader 22
Lessons Learned: Further Research ● Findings mixed on whether online students’ performance differs from students on paper • Unclear on extent to which performance differences may be due to adult readers’ influence • Unclear of extent to which performance differences were a result of most students being new to online assessment ● Connection between accessible instruction and student selection for online was not always evident 24
Lessons Learned: Further Research ● Unclear if local decision making always considered online students for receipt of other accommodations consistent with IEPs • Need to determine the extent to which text reader accommodation was a routine part of instruction • Need to determine why many students did not return to online assessment year to year, even though most schools continued participation 25
Other Lessons Learned & Insights • Technology accommodation in isolation of other traditional supports not always sufficient • Great variability across schools in quality of hardware and student software skills • Online students may read the test more independently and more often than paper students, but impact not clear • Text reader consistently reads the same way to each student, while adult readers may not • Adult readers able to provide supports not available to online (e.g., inflection), but not always appropriate 26