SQA Adapted Digital Question Papers

Paul D. NisbetPaul D. Nisbet

CALL Scotland CALL Scotland

University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh

SQA Assessment Arrangements

““Assessment arrangements should Assessment arrangements should ensure that all candidates have an ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to show that they equal opportunity to show that they can achieve the national standards can achieve the national standards required for Units and Courses.”required for Units and Courses.”

Introduction to Assessment ArrangementsIntroduction to Assessment Arrangements

SQA, November 2008SQA, November 2008

SQA Assessment Arrangements 2009

Requests for Assessment Arrangements Requests for Assessment Arrangements made for 13,041 candidates made for 13,041 candidates (8% of candidates)(8% of candidates)

Requests made for 45,612 entries Requests made for 45,612 entries (6.2 % of entries)(6.2 % of entries)

2009 assessment arrangements (45,612 requests)

Extra Time 35,636 Digital Question Paper 1,167

Separate accommodation 26,381 Calculator 660

Reader 16,554 Transcription without correction 626

Scribe 14,197 PA referral 540

Use of ICT 6,253 Modified content 277

Prompter 2,099 Adapted certificate 119

Coloured Paper 2,050 Paper signed to candidate 57

Rest Period 1,434 Candidate Signs Responses 42

Enlarged Print 1,305 Tape recorder for responses 37

Transcription with correction 1,179 Braille 31

SQA Adapted Digital Papers

PDFAloud speech tools

Form fields for answers

Sentence being read and each word

highlighted

Supporting reading

Zoom in and outZoom in and outChange coloursChange coloursNavigate with Navigate with

keyboard/mouse keyboard/mouse Text-to-speechText-to-speech

Supporting writing Acrobat spellcheckerAcrobat spellchecker Word processor Word processor

spellchecker etcspellchecker etc Word prediction (e.g. Word prediction (e.g.

Co:Writer, Penfriend)Co:Writer, Penfriend) On-screen keyboardsOn-screen keyboards Switch accessSwitch access Speech recognition Speech recognition Screen magnificationScreen magnification

Answer Booklets

Only ‘Question and Answer’ papers Only ‘Question and Answer’ papers (Intermediate, SG Foundation and (Intermediate, SG Foundation and General) have red answer boxesGeneral) have red answer boxes

To answer most SG Credit, Higher and To answer most SG Credit, Higher and Advanced Higher papers use either:Advanced Higher papers use either:Answer booklets in PDFAnswer booklets in PDFA word processor, e.g. Microsoft WordA word processor, e.g. Microsoft Word

PDF Answer booklets are available from PDF Answer booklets are available from SQASQA

. Can I use a spellchecker in the examination?

SQA’s policy is that “all software such as spellchecks, predictive SQA’s policy is that “all software such as spellchecks, predictive software etc, must be disabled, unless it has been approved by software etc, must be disabled, unless it has been approved by SQA.” [1]SQA.” [1]

Spellcheckers can be requested for candidates who “potentially Spellcheckers can be requested for candidates who “potentially have the ability to achieve the national standards”, but are “unable have the ability to achieve the national standards”, but are “unable to do using the published assessment arrangements” [2]. to do using the published assessment arrangements” [2]. Spellcheckers should only be requested for candidates who have a Spellcheckers should only be requested for candidates who have a particular spelling difficulty due to, for example, dyslexia, and where particular spelling difficulty due to, for example, dyslexia, and where their poor spelling is likely to impact on their ability to demonstrate their poor spelling is likely to impact on their ability to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. their skills and knowledge.

[1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, [1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements

[2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, [2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangementshttp://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements

. Can I use a spellchecker in the examination?

If your candidate is eligible want to use a spellchecker (or any other If your candidate is eligible want to use a spellchecker (or any other technique that may help the candidate with spelling, like word technique that may help the candidate with spelling, like word prediction or speech recognition), you must request it using the prediction or speech recognition), you must request it using the standard Assessment Arrangements Request system. Use of a standard Assessment Arrangements Request system. Use of a spellchecker is regarded as a type of Assessment Arrangement.spellchecker is regarded as a type of Assessment Arrangement.

You can request to use a spellchecker in almost all subjects apart You can request to use a spellchecker in almost all subjects apart from the writing papers in Modern Languages and , Gaelic from the writing papers in Modern Languages and , Gaelic (Learners) and Gàidhlig. The Writing papers for these subjects (Learners) and Gàidhlig. The Writing papers for these subjects assess spelling and so spellcheckers are not allowed for any assess spelling and so spellcheckers are not allowed for any candidate.candidate.

[1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, [1] SQA 2008, Assessment Arrangements Explained, p.8, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements

[2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, [2] SQA 2008, Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, p.3, http://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangementshttp://www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements

Maths and drawing Basic drawing tools in Basic drawing tools in

Acrobat ReaderAcrobat Reader MS Word Equation MS Word Equation

Editor or other Editor or other equation tool can be equation tool can be used to create used to create maths/scientific maths/scientific notationnotation

But options for maths But options for maths and science are and science are limitedlimited

Software needed for ADPs

To access the papers:To access the papers:Acrobat Reader 7.0.9, 8 or 9 (free)Acrobat Reader 7.0.9, 8 or 9 (free)

www.adobe.com To have the paper read out:To have the paper read out:

Adobe Reader Read Outloud (free) orAdobe Reader Read Outloud (free) orPDFaloud (£295 site licence from PDFaloud (£295 site licence from LTS)

orAnother TTS program e.g. Read and Another TTS program e.g. Read and

Write Gold, ClaroRead etcWrite Gold, ClaroRead etc

www.theScottishVoice.org.uk

Not a panacea!

Digital versions of paper assessmentsDigital versions of paper assessments

Some questions may not ‘translate’ Some questions may not ‘translate’ particularly well to the screenparticularly well to the screen

Only ‘question and answer’ papers have Only ‘question and answer’ papers have answer boxesanswer boxes

See See http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/30030.html for a list of papers available for 2008for a list of papers available for 2008

www.adapteddigitalexams.org.uk

SQA Assessment Arrangementshttp://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/14977.html