CIRCLE Progress Monitoring Accommodations Guide for Special Populations

Developmental Delays and Disabilities

CIRCLE Progress Monitoring was not designed or evaluated for use for children with disabilities (e.g., language delays, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, or Intellectual Disabilities). Additionally, it is a progress monitoring assessment, not a diagnostic test. Therefore, it should not be used to make determinations about whether or not children should be enrolled in Special Education. Data from CIRCLE Progress Monitoring could be used to help school officials make a determination about whether or not a child should be referred for a more comprehensive evaluation. For instance, if a child does not socially engage with peers or teachers, is not able to follow simple verbal instructions (even though the teacher is speaking in the same language that is used in the home), AND is not able to complete more than a few progress monitoring items, this information can be presented to the school administration as documentation that this the child would benefit from a more comprehensive evaluation. To date, there is not enough information to allow us to determine if progress monitoring could effectively be used as part of an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) for young children.

As those who work with children with developmental disabilities understand, assessment is a complex undertaking.  In terms of general guidelines, administrators, teachers, diagnosticians, and assistive technology specialists would be encouraged to consult TEA’s Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Taking State Assessments which can be located on TEA’s website.

Whenever possible, decisions about accommodations should be made by the ARD committee based upon the eligibility criteria documented in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). For students receiving section 504 services, accommodation decisions should be made by the section 504 committee based on their eligibility criteria that is documented in the students Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP).  As a general rule, teachers and administrators should allow accommodations for children in a manner that is consistent with their educational programming. For instance, accommodations that are routinely and effectively used within the classroom setting should be allowed when students complete CIRCLE Progress Monitoring. For instance, children with hearing impairments who use amplification devices should be allowed to use amplification devices during administration of all progress monitoring subtests. Other appropriate accommodations that could be utilized in working with children with disabilities might include individualized structured reminders, projection devices, signed administration, math manipulatives, braille, and extra time.

Districts or programs using CIRCLE Progress Monitoring should understand that the use of appropriate accommodations is encouraged. However, normative information about the performance of children who complete measures using accommodations is not available.

Expressive Communication Difficulties and Use of Alternative Communication

It is appropriate to use regular progress monitoring with students who have expressive communication difficulties that are not accompanied with a significant developmental disability. These students require the use of an alternative communication system to respond to others. An alternative communication system might be a switch or keyboard that the student operates and that produces a voice output response (for example “yes/no”). A system that allows the student to respond by pointing to the symbol or picture to indicate an answer (“yes/no” or a “1, 2, 3, or 4”) is also acceptable.

Application: For the Listening, Rhyming 1, and Alliteration subtests, allow the use of a device to give a “yes” or “no” answer.

For the Words in a Sentence and Syllabication subtests, allow the use of a device to give a “1, 2, 3, or 4” response.

Visual and Hearing Impairments

Extended Time on Subtests for Students with Visual Impairments or Processing Disabilities

Students with low vision or blindness need more time to process information and provide a response. Refer to your school district’s policies and specialists regarding how much time the student needs to complete the subtests as well as the amount of wait time the student needs. For example, braille readers have been found to need twice as long.

PDF versions of the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System and Score Sheets can be requested by district administrators. To request a PDF version, submit a help ticket.

Application: Print out the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring Score Sheet for the subtest being administered. Have a timer handy. At test time:

• Open the test as a PDF so that timing can be controlled. Follow instructions as accurately as possible based on appropriate accommodations
• Start timer
• Turn the page after each student response; if the student does not respond, turn the page every 3 seconds or as recommended by your district based on the accommodation
• Mark each answer correct or incorrect on the score sheet

After test time:

• Open CIRCLE Progress Monitoring, and find the previously assessed student
• Start the assessment
• Mark items as correct or incorrect in the application, using the results from the answer sheet
• At the end of the assessment, you will see the student’s results

Vision Impairment/Blindness – Rapid Vocabulary Subtest

If the student’s IEP provides for assessment through a system that enhances images (such as projection to enlarge), display the items and allow two times the amount of response time.

Vision Impairment/Blindness – Letters Subtest

Provide letters in braille and allow two times the amount of response time.

Vision Impairment/Blindness – Shape Naming, Shape Discrimination, Set Counting Subtests

Administer the subtest untimed and substitute objects for pictures.

Vision Impairment/Blindness – Number Discrimination, Number Naming

Provide numbers in braille. Administer the assessments using Extended Time accommodation above.

Deafness

Administer the directions to assessments in sign language. Do not administer the phonological awareness portion of the test.

Application: Do not administer the phonological awareness subtests. There are 2 options:

1. Click the “exclusion” icon on the student summary page to exclude the student from the PA *Note – If used during the pilot, data regarding language exclusion will not be valid.
2. Submit a help ticket for an ad hoc completion report to be Students excluded from the PA subtests will be manually excluded by CLI.

Students with Disabilities who are English Language Learners (ELL)

Allow the directions to be reworded in any format or language necessary (including sign language) to enable the student to understand the task(s) by repeating in English, using the native language, etc. No other part of the test may be reworded or translated. This rewording and/or translation of directions would not go beyond the scope and meaning of the written directions.

Before the test, translate each screen of directions into Sign Language or another language. Print the translation.

At test time:

• Assess the student as normal
• When you see a directions screen, read or sign from the translated document
• Note: The Book and Print Checklist requires translation; observables do not.