Special Provision for Tests and Examinations:

Lyn Robinson

Resource Teacher – Vision Impairment

Statewide Vision Resource Centre D.E.E.C.D.

What are special arrangements?

Any modification which is required to allow access to test materials and reasonable time to complete the test.

Tests and Examinations: When should special provision begin?

From Prep to Year 12: Benchmarking – Preps Classroom tests – throughout school life The National Assessment Program – Literacy and

Numeracy (NAPLAN) in Yrs. 3,5,7 and 9.There is an online application form for braille and large print.

VCE, VCAL, VET

Who Decides and How?

Class tests and school based exams Class teachers, VT, parents, student in senior levels

Based on: reading speed time taken to produce work time taken to complete work in class visual conditions such as visual fatigue

External tests and exams – *VCE Support Group – formal process for VCE VCE and NAPLAN – A written application process to

VCAA*Based on what’s happened for school assessments

NAPLAN

Request braille or large print from VCAA Fill in form online

Extra Time is allowed but not more than school usually gives student for

tests Guide, forms & more information available from:

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/pages/prep10/naplan/index.aspx

VCE Special Provision

Aim:• to provide students with the opportunity to participate in,

and complete their secondary years of schooling. • Available for VCE, VET and VCAL

Guiding Principals:• Students are expected to meet the requirements of the

study design for satisfactory completion.• The provision should not confer an advantage

Special Provision - Eligibility

Application form requires:• supporting evidence from EVAC or eye

specialist • There should be a history of the student

receiving special arrangements in the school.

Supporting Evidence

Student has attended the Educational Vision Assessment Clinic (EVAC) and has been found to have a vision impairment

(i.e. visual acuity worse than 6/18 and/or field reduction of less than 20 degrees).

Or

Medical Report from an Ophthalmologist:

stating that the student is in the partially sighted or legally blind range

And

A support statement with comments and recommendations from a specialist teacher (Visiting Teacher or Specialist Teacher)

Preparing for VCE: tips for VI students

Before Year 11• Seek career advice re: program selection and workload

requirements • Options include:

• Complete units over a longer period e.g. 2 years for Year 12• Complete fewer units • Complete some units 3/4 in Year 11. i.e. start in year 10• Do a combination of VCE, VET, VCAL units• Check exam timetable for possible clashes-will the student be

able to cope with 12 hours of exams?• Be aware of the Special Entry Access Schemes (SEAS)

VTAC http://www.vtac.edu.au/

Special Provision: External ExamsWhat can you apply for?

Extra Time for reading, production & rest breaks. • Consider fatigue, time for scanning, use of equipment,

format of paper (alternative format papers may be slower to read than regular print)

Alternative Format Papers• Large print, audio, braille, e-text • Treatment of Pictures and Diagrams

• Extra enlargement of Diagrams on a separate sheet• Written descriptions of pictures, cartoons, graphs etc. • Tactile diagrams and graphics

Readers and Scribes

Reader• Read to student as required e.g. exam paper, student

answers, written descriptions, calculator screen Scribe• Record verbal responses given by the student into script or

answer book• Plot/draw tables or graphs at the student’s direction• Enter data into calculator• Fill in mark sense answer sheets and student details

• Cannot advise or interpret questions in any way or make comments on the student’s work

Separate Room and Supervision

Supervisors and Reader/Scribes• Where permission to use a reader/scribe has been given a separate

supervisor must also be provided• (must not be anyone who has worked with the student in the past 12

months; must not tutor or teach VCE, must be approved by VCAA)

Separate Room – why?• Extra space for paper and equipment.• Flexibility e.g. rest breaks, setting up and managing extra equipment

and time.• Noise: reading aloud, computer with voice may disrupt other

students. Other students coming and going from exam room may distract VI student.

Computers…why ?

Many VI students cannot read or produce handwritten work• Computers are used to:

• Read an e-text copy of the exam paper • Type answers• Calculate in mathematics

• How to apply and conditions of approval:• Must apply for permission for student to use a computer• Student must only access word processing program and must not

access any other programs or files • Printer in room – may not use networked printer (security issues)• May use spellcheck

Note: VI students may need to use own computer…

VI Authorised Materials

May Bring into the Exam Room. • Enlarging or voice software e.g. JAWS or Zoomtext• Braillers or braille related equipment• Highlighter pens• Approved calculator with voice or large print output• Low vision aids• Bound notes where permitted e.g. mathematics• Reading stand• Desk lamp• CD player• Green line (bold) paper or graph paper• Large print dictionary

General Achievement Test (GAT)

• Students with a vision impairment

may apply for an exemption from the GAT

• Students can sit the GAT if they wish however special arrangements are limited (extra time/enlarged paper, not produced in braille)

• If a Derived Examination Score is applied for VCAA will use school based results to determine this score.

Derived Examination Score (DES)

A DES may be granted where exam performance has been adversely affected by:

• Illness – physical or psychiatric• Physical injury• Personal factors• These circumstances must have affected the student

immediately prior to the examination period or during the examination

Vision impairment is not an eligibility criteria for DES

When are applications due?

Applications for Special Examination Arrangements

must be submitted on the relevant form

during term 1 (a date in Feb or March)

The VCE co-ordinator or principal will have access to the form.

More Information:

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au