EQAO - Education Quality and Accountability Office Accommodations and Special Provisions Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Grade 6 student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) specifies the use of speech-to-text software for all written assignments due to a learning disability. For the upcoming EQAO assessment, what is the most appropriate application of this accommodation?
- The accommodation cannot be used as it involves external software not provided by EQAO.
- The student may use the software for planning and organizing ideas, but must hand-write the final responses.
- The student is permitted to use the speech-to-text software for their responses, provided it is a tool they use regularly in the classroom. (Correct answer)
- The school must provide a human scribe instead of allowing the use of assistive technology.
Correct answer: The student is permitted to use the speech-to-text software for their responses, provided it is a tool they use regularly in the classroom.
EQAO's policy allows for accommodations listed in a student's IEP, especially when they are consistent with regular classroom practice. Assistive technologies like speech-to-text software are permissible to ensure students can demonstrate their knowledge without being hindered by their disability. The key principle is that the assessment should mirror the student's typical learning and assessment environment.
Question 2: Under EQAO guidelines, what is the key distinction between an 'accommodation' and a 'special provision'?
- Accommodations are only for the OSSLT, while special provisions apply to Grades 3, 6, and 9.
- Accommodations are supports for students with an IEP, whereas special provisions are typically for English Language Learners or students with temporary circumstances. (Correct answer)
- Accommodations change the performance expectations of the test, while special provisions only change the timing.
- Accommodations must be pre-approved in writing by EQAO headquarters, while schools can grant special provisions independently.
Correct answer: Accommodations are supports for students with an IEP, whereas special provisions are typically for English Language Learners or students with temporary circumstances.
EQAO defines 'accommodations' as supports for students with special education needs documented in an IEP. 'Special provisions' are adjustments, such as changes to setting or timing, available to English Language Learners or students facing a temporary issue (e.g., a broken arm) that is not part of a formal IEP.
Question 3: A principal is reviewing the case of a Grade 10 student who is an English Language Learner (ELL) and arrived in an Ontario school for the first time three months ago. Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action regarding the upcoming OSSLT?
- Exempt the student from the OSSLT, as it is not fair to assess them so soon.
- Require the student to write the test with no special provisions to get a baseline score.
- Allow the student to use an online translation tool for the entire assessment.
- Defer the student's participation in the OSSLT until a later administration. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Defer the student's participation in the OSSLT until a later administration.
EQAO policy allows a principal to defer an ELL's participation in the OSSLT if the student has not yet acquired a sufficient level of English proficiency to be successful. An exemption is only for students not working toward an OSSD. Requiring the test without provisions would be inappropriate, and full translation is not a permitted provision. A deferral is the correct procedural step.
Question 4: When a teacher is acting as a scribe for a student during an EQAO assessment, which of the following actions is strictly forbidden?
- Recording the student's dictated response verbatim.
- Asking the student to spell a word they have dictated.
- Correcting grammatical errors and punctuation to clarify the student's ideas. (Correct answer)
- Typing the student's response directly into the digital assessment platform.
Correct answer: Correcting grammatical errors and punctuation to clarify the student's ideas.
The primary role of a scribe is to record the student's exact words without any changes, edits, or corrections. The scribe must write the response verbatim, including any errors, to ensure the work being assessed is authentically the student's. Clarifying, explaining, or editing the student's response is not permitted.
Question 5: Which of the following is a permissible accommodation for a student with an IEP that documents significant attention difficulties?
- Allowing a parent to sit with the student to help them focus.
- Administering the test in a small group or individual setting. (Correct answer)
- Removing all questions that require multi-step problem-solving.
- Providing the student with a completed exemplar to guide their work.
Correct answer: Administering the test in a small group or individual setting.
Providing an alternative setting, such as a small group or individual space, is a standard and permissible accommodation to minimize distractions for students with attention difficulties. Using a prompter to redirect attention is also allowed. Accommodations do not permit the presence of a parent during the test, nor do they involve altering the content or difficulty of the questions.
Question 6: An exemption from an EQAO assessment is a special consideration that can be granted by the principal. Under which circumstance is an exemption most likely to be granted?
- The student is an English Language Learner who finds the test too challenging.
- The student's IEP indicates they are not working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). (Correct answer)
- The student has missed a significant number of school days due to a prolonged illness.
- The student's parents have requested an exemption due to test-related anxiety.
Correct answer: The student's IEP indicates they are not working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
According to EQAO policy, an exemption is primarily for students whose IEP explicitly states that they are on a modified curriculum and are not working toward earning an OSSD. In other cases, such as for ELLs or students with illnesses, accommodations and deferrals are the appropriate pathways to consider, not an exemption.
EQAO - Education Quality and Accountability Office Accommodations and Special Provisions Questions and Answers 1
A Grade 6 student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) specifies the use of speech-to-text software for all written assignments due to a learning disability.
For the upcoming EQAO assessment, what is the most appropriate application of this accommodation?