Considerations When Determining Adaptations FOR Evaluation ACTIVITIES (supporting document)

May 2011

Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport Direction de l’adaptation scolaire

Direction de l’adaptation scolaire (DAS) Anne Robitaille, Director

Text Suzanne Tremblay, DAS

Collaboration Jolène Lanthier, Direction de l'évaluation Jean Chouinard, Service national du Récit en adaptation scolaire

Page Layout Maryse Plourde

Title of Original Document: Considérations pour établir les mesures d’adaptation à mettre en place en situation d’évaluation (Document de soutien)

English Version Direction de la production en langue anglaise Secteur des services à la communauté anglophone, des affaires autochtones et du Plan Nord Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport

Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport Direction de l’adaptation scolaire

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Considerations When Determining Adaptations for Evaluation Activities (Supporting Document).........................................................................................4 Characteristics of the Student With Specific Needs ..........................................5 Analysis of the Student’s Situation ........................................................................6 Definition and Characteristics of Assistive Technology ......................................6 Types of Assistive Technology Authorized for Reading and Writing Evaluation Situations .................................................................................7 Points for Clarification ............................................................................................8 The Difference Between “Product,” “Type of Assistance” and “Purpose of the Assistance”…... ............................................................................................9 Appendixes ...........................................................................................................10 Appendix 1: Excerpt from the Reference Framework for the Establishment of Individualized Education Plans .....................................11 Appendix 2: Excerpt from the Education Act ...........................................12 Appendix 3: Excerpt from Evaluation of Learning at the Secondary Level: Framework, Preliminary Version......................................................13

Considerations When Determining Adaptations for Evaluation Activities (Supporting Document)

For a number of years, students with specific needs have been allowed certain adaptations in their evaluation activities so as to help them better succeed. As these adaptations have been implemented, a number of stakeholders in the education system have felt it necessary to clarify certain concepts used in official documents produced by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS). For example, the following is a translation of an excerpt from Info/Sanction 10-11-013 regarding adaptation: “During a ministerial evaluation period, the school principal is authorized to implement the measures outlined below for students with specific needs. A report analyzing a student’s situation must be included in the student’s record. The relevance of the measure in terms of the student’s specific need, as recognized by school personnel, must be identified in the student’s individualized education plan. The student must use this measure regularly during learning and evaluation activities and the student must have been involved in the decision to use this measure.” This document will address questions that have been raised, particularly with regard to the definition of a student with specific needs, the content of a report analyzing a student’s situation and the assistive technology that a student may be authorized to use when taking compulsory and uniform examinations. This document will be updated periodically. If you would like to make any suggestions for improving it, please write to: [email protected].

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Characteristics of the Student With Specific Needs



The student has an individualized education plan.1 The plan is based on a rigorous analysis of the student’s situation performed by the staff involved with the individualized education plan.2



The student has previously benefited from systematic, frequent and targeted interventions that have specifically involved learning strategies throughout his or her schooling. In spite of these interventions, the student is not able to demonstrate his or her learning because the difficulties persist and the student is not making sufficient progress to be able to meet the requirements of the task, as expected of students of the same age.



The student’s situation may require support measures (teaching of certain cognitive and metacognitive strategies, assistive technology, etc.).3



It is imperative that strategies continue to be taught, with or without assistive technology.



The support measure selected must be relevant to the student’s specific need and the target of evaluation. This will make it possible to verify whether the means selected should be considered an adaptation or a modification.4



The student must need the measure to develop, apply and demonstrate his or her competency. Without this measure, the student would not be able to meet the requirements of the tasks he or she is expected to perform.

1

See Appendix 1 regarding individualized education plans. Regarding ministerial evaluation, refer to the guidelines in Chapter 5 of the Administrative Guide for the Certification of Studies and Management of Ministerial Examinations: General Education in the Youth Sector, General Education in the Adult Sector and Vocational Training – 2011, accessed June 20, 2011, http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/publications/index.asp?page=fiche&id=1849. 2

See Appendix 2.

3

For more information, refer to Chapter 5 of the Administrative Guide for the Certification of Studies and Management of Ministerial Examinations: General Education in the Youth Sector, General Education in the Adult Sector and Vocational Training – 2011. 4

See Appendix 3.

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Analysis of the Student’s Situation The report analyzing the student’s situation must include: 

the problem identified



the frequency, intensity, persistence and duration of the problem



a list and evaluation of interventions already used with the student, including the results of these interventions, in order to demonstrate the necessity of taking additional action



identification of other possible interventions to support the student, including assistive technology

Definition and Characteristics of Assistive Technology 

Assistive technology refers to assistance by means of technology that allows the student to perform a task that he or she could otherwise not perform (or could perform only with difficulty); this technology must prove essential to the student.



The student must be given training so that he or she can use the assistive technology properly and integrate it on both a technical and a pedagogical level.



The assistive technology selected must be used in a methodological and rigorous manner in a learning situation; if the assistance proves relevant and useful, the student must use the technology on a regular basis and in a prolonged fashion in learning and evaluation situations.



It is important to teach and ensure that a student uses any assistive technology in an effective and responsible manner. The student must always use his or her judgment and maintain his or her autonomy with respect to the assistive technology.

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Types of Assistive Technology Authorized for Reading and Writing Evaluation Situations 1.

Writing aids help the student with writing tasks related primarily to planning, organizing and writing text. Examples include idea management software, word-processing software and word prediction software.

2.

Revision/correction aids help the student with writing tasks related primarily to reflecting on, revising and correcting text. Examples include spelling and grammar checkers as well as various dictionaries.

3.

Reading aids help the student with reading and writing tasks related primarily to reading and rereading a personal production or someone else’s text. Examples include speech synthesizers, reading pens and pen scanners.

IMPORTANT: Access to the Internet is not permitted because it is impossible to control how it is used.

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Points for Clarification Three types of assistive technology related to voice Speech synthesis Speech synthesizing software converts written text into spoken speech. For example, the student types a sentence using word-processing software and has the speech synthesis software read each of the words typed (synthetic male or female voice). The software reads the text exactly as it is written.

Voice recognition (oral dictation) (This type of assistance is not authorized for a writing examination.) Voice recognition software converts spoken speech into written text. For example, the student dictates into a microphone and the software converts the words into text using correct spelling and grammar. This kind of tool also allows the student to access and control different computer and software functions.

Recorded voice (This type of assistance is not authorized for a writing examination.) This software records the human voice in MP3 format. It is based on the principle of the tape recorder. For example, the student dictates his or her answers into an MP3 recorder (for an examination other than writing). Note that the audio file remains in MP3 format and cannot be converted into written text.

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The Difference Between “Product,” “Type of Assistance” and “Purpose of the Assistance” The product is the brand name of the software, its trademark. Depending on its functions, a product may be categorized as a specific type of assistance.

The type of assistance is the category of assistance. For our purposes, three categories have been identified: writing aids, correction aids and reading aids.

The purpose of the assistance is related to the usefulness of the assistance in performing a specific task. For example, software may have several functions: assisted reading by means of speech synthesis, word prediction, grammar and spell check, dictionary, synonyms, etc. Software with more than one function is referred to as multifunctional.

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APPENDIXES

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APPENDIX 1 Excerpt from the Reference Framework for the Establishment of Individualized Education Plans, page 25:

Source: Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, Individualized Education Plans: Helping Students Achieve Success: Reference Framework for the Establishment of Individualized Education Plans (Québec, 2004), 25, accessed June 20, 2011, http:// www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/DGFJ/das/soutienetacc/pdf/19-7053a.pdf. 11

APPENDIX 2 Excerpt from the Education Act: 96.14.  In the case of a handicapped student or a student with a social maladjustment or a learning disability, the principal, with the assistance of the student's parents, of the staff providing services to the student, and of the student himself, unless the student is unable to do so, shall establish an individualized education plan adapted to the needs of the student. The plan must be consistent with the school board's policy concerning the organization of services for handicapped students and students with social maladjustments or learning disabilities and in keeping with the ability and needs of the student as evaluated by the school board before the student's placement and enrollment at the school.

Education plan The principal shall see to the implementation and periodical evaluation of the education plan and inform the student's parents on a regular basis.

Education Act, section 96.14, accessed June 1, 2011, http:// www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=/ I_13_3/I13_3_A.html.

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APPENDIX 3 Excerpt from Evaluation of Learning at the Secondary Level: Framework, Preliminary Version, page 27: 1.3 Three types of differentiated evaluation There are three types of differentiated evaluation: pedagogical flexibility, adaptation, and modification. Pedagogical flexibility is used to offer planned options to all the students during learning and evaluation situations. It applies to the whole group rather than to individual students. On a day-to-day basis, this flexibility creates all kinds of opportunities for students in terms of content (different texts to read, for example), structure (individual work, teamwork, group work), processes (various levels of guidance, for example) and work produced. This flexibility means that learning and evaluation situations can encompass different options designed to match students’ pace, style of learning and cognitive levels. However, these options must not affect the level of difficulty of the tasks to be performed, competency evaluation criteria or requirements. Adaptation involves making adjustments or changes to learning and evaluation situations without modifying what is evaluated. It can lead to a change in the way students with specific needs experience these situations or can affect the procedure to be followed or the way in which texts are presented visually, for example, using a more spacious layout. Adaptation gives students access to the adjustments or accommodations they are used to enjoying without changing the content of evaluation situations, evaluation criteria or requirements. Adaptation does not involve reducing the requirements or modifying what is evaluated. For example, in the context of a geography evaluation, allowing a student with specific needs to listen to, rather than read, the introductory text or instructions would be considered an adaptation.

Source: Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, Evaluation of Learning at the Secondary Level: Framework, Preliminary Version (Québec, 2006), 27, accessed June 20, 2011, http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/publications/publications/EPEPS/ Formation_jeunes/Evaluation/framework_sec_prel.pdf.

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Modification involves changes to learning and evaluation situations that actually modify competency evaluation criteria and requirements for students with specific needs. The level of difficulty of the evaluation situation is modified accordingly. For example, reading the instructions or text to a student during a reading evaluation would be a modification. Another example would be assigning a student with specific needs an easier task or a situation that is different from that assigned to the group as a whole. In the case of ministerial examinations aimed at the certification of studies, such modifications cannot be made for a student.

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