Students with disabilities and English language learners (ELLs) participate in state assessment systems. Some participate in the regular assessment and some students with disabilities participate in an alternate assessment. How they participate is guided by each state's assessment guidelines for inclusion. These guidelines define the ways in which…

Current educational policies require the participation of students with disabilities in state assessments. Their participation has raised a number of issues, among them the need for accommodations. In this article we consider the role that assistive technology (AT) can play to alleviate current accommodations demands, and highlight research and…

This report discusses outcomes of a study of assessment directors and transition specialists from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia on exit documents available to and graduation requirements for students with and without disabilities. Results indicate: (1) approximately 80 percent of the states have alternative exit documents for…

This briefing paper discusses academic accommodations for high school students with disabilities. It begins by reviewing provisions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that require Individualized Education Programs to include a statement of the program modifications or supports that will be provided for the child to enable the…

This report is designed to assist states and districts as they consider the issues surrounding the use of non-approved testing accommodations for students with disabilities, including changes in test setting, timing, scheduling, presentation, or response. Recommendations are provided for ways to use and report data from assessments taken with…

This report examines issues concerning the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities participating in state and district assessments. The report considers what an accommodation is, what kinds of accommodations are available, who should make the decision regarding accommodations, when accommodations should be used, and how…

This report is a compilation of information collected from a searchable database on the testing accommodations that are most often allowed for students with disabilities in state policies. These ten accommodations include: (1) Braille edition of the test; (2) computer/machine response; (3) dictate response to a scribe; (4) extended time; (5)…