Answer Document Survey

Dear Educators and Assessment Professionals:

A survey is being conducted by Accessible Tests staff at the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) in Louisville, KY. The participants in this survey are primary and secondary teachers, assessment coordinators, directors of assessment and accountability, test publishers, special educators, and vision professionals in the United States. As a professional in either education or testing, you are being asked to take part in this survey to help determine the formats of answer documents needed in classrooms and standardized test settings. These answer documents are needed by elementary, middle school/junior high and high school students who are blind or visually impaired and read either braille or large print.

This survey will take about 20 minutes of your time. Your answers will assist us in creating appropriate accessible test answer documents for students who are blind or visually impaired. Some sections of the form may not apply to you; give as much or as little information as you’d like. The information you provide, including your identity, will be confidential, and your responses will not be associated with you personally. Compiled results will be reported on our web site and to interested parties.

You may also request a hard copy in accessible media by writing to the email address or street address below.

Kerry Isham

American Printing House for the Blind

Accessible Tests Department

1839 Frankfort Avenue

Louisville, KY 40206

kisham@aph.org

1-800-223-1839, ext. 298

By completing and returning the Answer Documents Survey Form, you indicate your consent to take part in this study. If you have any questions about this research project, you may contact me. To receive a summary of the results, please provide your name and e-mail address or other contact information where indicated on the form.

APH values your time and expertise. Your input is essential in the development of our products. Thank you for your participation in this survey.

ANSWER DOCUMENTS SURVEY FORM MARCH 2008

Part 1 - Professional Information

1. Please indicate the number of years you served for the positions listed below:

Regular Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Teacher of Visually Impaired
School Administrator
Educational Consultant
Assessment Professional
Dept. of Education Staff
Test Publishing Staff
School Psychologist
Other (Indicate title and years served)

2. Grade levels you have taught in the past 5 years (Indicate all that apply)

Pre-K
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
N/A

3. Number of students with whom you have worked in the past 5 years who use braille as their primary medium for test responses on classroom or standardized tests.

4. Number of students with whom you have worked in the past 5 years who use large print as their primary medium for test responses on classroom or standardized tests.

5. Number of students with whom you have worked in the past 5 years who use a computer as their primary medium for test responses on classroom or standardized tests.

6. Number of students with whom you have worked in the past 5 years who use dictation/oral response as a primary medium for test responses on classroom or standardized tests.

Part 2 - Answer Documents for Classroom Use

7. Do you create your own test answer documents? Yes   No
Please explain:

8. Do you purchase pre-formatted test answer documents? Yes   No
Please explain:

9. What types of questions are on the tests? (Indicate all that apply.)

Multiple Choice
Short Answer
Essay/Open response
True/False
Fill-in-the-Blank
Other Please specify

10. How many answer choices are provided on classroom tests for multiple choice items? (Indicate all that apply.)

2
3
4
5
4 or 5
Other
Please specify

11. How are response choices labeled on the multiple choice items for your classroom tests? (Indicate all that apply.)

A, B, C, D or a, b, c, d
A, B, C, D, E or a, b, c, d, e
A, B, C or a, b, c
Alternating A, B, C, D with F, G, H, J or alternating a, b, c, d, with f, g, h, j
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Yes, No
Other
Please specify

12. How do your students give their responses to test items in a classroom setting? (Indicate all that apply.)

Writing in the test book
Using a braillewriter
On a computer
On a separate sheet of paper or answer document
On a Scantron bubble sheet
Verbally
Tape-recording responses
Dictating to a scribe
Other
Please specify

13. Do you have a need in the classroom for multiple choice answer documents which use geometric shapes (e.g. triangle, square, and circle) instead of letters or numbers as answer choices? Yes   No

Part 3 - Answer Documents for Standardized Tests

14. Do you create your own test answer documents for standardized tests?
Yes   No
Please explain:

15. Do you purchase pre-formatted test answer documents for standardized tests?
Yes   No
Please explain:

16. Do staff members typically transfer large print or braille readers’ answers onto Scantron sheets?
Yes   No
Please explain:

17. What types of questions are on the tests? (Indicate all that apply.)

Multiple Choice
Short Answer
Essay/Open response
True/False
Fill-in-the-Blank
Other Please specify

18. How many answer choices are provided on classroom tests for multiple choice items? (Indicate all that apply.)
2
3
4
5
4 or 5
Other Please specify

19. How are response choices labeled on the multiple choice items for your classroom tests? (Indicate all that apply.)

A, B, C, D or a, b, c, d
A, B, C, D, E or a, b, c, d, e
A, B, C or a, b, c
Alternating A, B, C, D with F, G, H, J or alternating a, b, c, d, with f, g, h, j
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Yes, No
Other
Please specify

Part 4 - Answer Documents for Pre-Readers/Non-Readers

20. How do your students give their responses to test items in a classroom setting? (Indicate all that apply.)
Writing in the test book
Using a braillewriter
On a computer
On a separate sheet of paper or answer document
On a Scantron bubble sheet
Verbally
Tape-recording responses
Dictating to a scribe
Other
Please specify

21. Do you have a need in the classroom for multiple choice answer documents which use geometric shapes (e.g. triangle, square, and circle) instead of letters or numbers as answer choices?
Yes No
Please specify

Part 5 –Marketing Information

22. If various formats of answer documents in braille and/or large print are made available from APH, what is the likelihood that you would purchase these for use by students on classroom tests?
I would not purchase
I am not likely to purchase
I am likely to purchase
I would purchase
Comments

23. If various formats of answer documents in braille and/or large print are made available from APH, what is the likelihood that you would purchase these for use by students on standardized tests?
I would not purchase
I am not likely to purchase
I am likely to purchase
I would purchase
Comments

Thank you for your participation in this survey.

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