Assessing Students with Vision Impairment
Round Table on Information Access
for People with Print Disabilities Inc.
Guidelines for Accessible Assessment
Copyright © 2019 Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc.
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Published by Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc.
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Subjects: Educational technology.
Youth with disabilities--Education--Australia.
Children with visual disabilities--Education--Australia.
Other Authors/Contributors:
Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities
These guidelines are published by Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc. (Round Table). Round Table is an umbrella organisation that brings together producers, distributors and consumers of information in alternative formats such as blindness service agencies, tertiary institutions and government departments in Australia and New Zealand.
These guidelines are available from Round Table in accessible formats.
These guidelines were reviewed for the Round Table Executive Committee by Sondra Wibberley and Marcia Marcinkewycz with final proofreading undertaken by Brian Conway. Alternative formats produced by Sonali Marathe, Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities Inc.
The Guidelines for Accessible Assessment (2019) may be of benefit to:
education and training authorities
students and their parents/carers.
The Guidelines reflect current disability discrimination legislation, standards and protocols which seek to ensure that students with disability, including those with vision impairment, can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students. Equal access to information and online services is a:
right under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
requirement by lawunder Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005) (Australia). The Human Rights Act (1993) (New Zealand)
procurement standard under Australian Standard AS EN 301 549 :2016
professional standard for educators under the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1.5, 1.6, 2.6, 3.4, 4.1 and 7.2.
Recognised international standards and frameworks provide the technical and pedagogical guidelines for providing equal access to information and services which includes assessments. These include:
the principles of Universal Design for Learning
W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
Assessments should be designed to provide equal access from the start, not as an afterthought. Inclusive teaching and assessment may require reasonable adjustments and/or accommodations be made to ensure maximum participation for students with vision impairment. To ensure that students with vision impairment are assessed in a fair and equitable manner, it is important to consider:
input from teaching staff regarding the content to be taught and assessed
input from the relevant disability support personnel, e.g. Specialist Teacher (Vision Impairment)
input from the student and/or the family.
Compliance with these Guidelines cannot guarantee protection against disability discrimination complaints. Refer to the Australian Human Rights Commission or the Human Rights Commission of New Zealand for more detailed information.
This document consists of five sections:
Section 2: General Considerations address production issues such as security, timeliness and access to practice tests. Challenges with specific assessment types for students with vision impairment are also highlighted
Section 4: Accessible Format Papers relates specifically to the production and distribution of accessible format materials. It is relevant to blindness service agencies and education and training organisations that produce accessible format assessment materials for students with vision impairment
Section 5: Examination Environment and Conditions details special provisions that must be addressed to ensure there is no disadvantage to the student during examinations. The examination environment is a crucial element in the assessment process
Glossary : a Glossary is included to define vision specific terminology
Assessment is designed to examine a student’s knowledge and understanding. Assessment may be:
diagnostic – often undertaken prior to instruction
summative – measures a student's achievement at the end of instruction
formative – monitors a student's progress
norm-referenced – compares a student's performance against other students
criterion-referenced – measures a student's performance against a goal or standard
interim/benchmark – evaluates student performance at periodic intervals.
Assessment can be presented as a pen and paper test or via technology ( e.g. online testing).
For further information consult the Australian Human Rights Commission (https://www.humanrights.gov.au/human-rights-education-and-training) or the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00339).
All assessments should consider the nature of the student’s disability by:
providing materials in the student’s preferred format
maintaining the integrity of the assessment
providing reasonable time for students to read and interpret questions
Reasonable adjustment should take the following principles into consideration:
the nature of the adjustments should be determined through an established process
the needs of individual students may be unique to that student
the integrity and academic rigour of the assessment should be maintained
the adjustments should not confer advantage to the student
the student is familiar with the adjustments in the assessment.
Students with vision impairments may require one or more of the following examination arrangements:
assessment materials in a larger text size and nominated font e.g. Arial 18 point
assessment materials on a specific paper size and/or colour e.g. A4, buff-coloured paper
assessment materials in electronic format
additional time for examinations and assessments.
For further information see Section 5 : Examination Environment and Conditions .
Only authorised personnel may have access to the assessment materials during the production period or until advised by the assessor or assessment authority. To ensure appropriate security:
the existence and content of assessment materials must not be discussed with unauthorised people
The timelines for production should be negotiated and agreed in advance.
Assessment materials may include:
a clean copy of the original print paper including answer sheets, colour stimulus material etc.
an electronic copy of the original paper
a description of all non-text assessment material e.g. photographs
a list of agreed and/or approved adjustments for individual students.
Students should be provided with practice tests in their preferred format and at the same time as their peers. Students should have the opportunity to become confident with the necessary navigation tools to ensure as much familiarity as possible with the examination format.
Randomised assessments, e.g. spot tests, which are administered to students without prior notice, are increasingly being used in some education/training settings to monitor student performance at various stages of their learning. For students with vision impairment, this can cause disadvantage for the following reasons:
the student may not have brought all information, e.g. statistical tables needed to respond to specific questions on the day of the assessment
Given these issues, the use of this type of assessment is not recommended. Tests of this nature may breach DDA requirements for accessibility and could be considered inequitable. If, however, use of randomised assessment is imperative to skill/competency development, consideration of the above points and provision of timely reasonable adjustments must be provided for students with vision impairment by the education/training provider.
Specialist Teachers Vision Impairment (VI) and Disability Service Practitioners are qualified staff in the school/tertiary environment whose role is to work with students with vision impairment. Specialist Teachers (VI) make recommendations regarding reasonable adjustments required for particular assessment materials and tasks based on a student’s functional vision. In adult training and education settings, Teacher-consultants and Disability Service Practitioners negotiate provision of reasonable adjustments, for students with vision impairment.
The purpose of adjusting examination or other assessment materials for students with vision impairment is to ensure that the assessment is accessible and equitable. It is the role of a qualified educator in vision impairment to collaborate with examining bodies or school/department personnel in deciding what adjustments are needed to achieve this outcome.
In setting an assessment task, teachers, trainers and academic staff need to ensure they have supplied accessible and equitable materials. Assessment materials should only be altered by the examiner in consultation with Specialist Teachers (VI) or Disability Service Practitioners as appropriate.
All documents produced, including assessment materials, should be ‘born accessible’.
The following principles should be applied before any adjustments are made:
the question should be of an equivalent level of difficulty and weighting as the original
A Specialist Teacher (VI) or Disability Service Practitioner should be consulted by an education provider to advise on the degree of tolerance (accuracy) that would be reasonable to expect from a student with vision impairment in answering a question involving either measuring or drawing. The degree of accuracy expected of these students should not be greater than 0.5 cm or 5 degrees.
Some students with vision impairment have difficulty perceiving depth. Questions where students are required to draw complex graphics or 3D shapes should be avoided. Consideration should be given to assessing the students’ conceptual understanding and skills rather than the ability to construct the graphic.
Braille assessment materials should be made available according to the needs of the individual student. It is essential that all braille and tactile graphics assessment materials be made available to students at the time of the examination.
It is the education/training authority’s responsibility to ensure that the practice materials are provided so the student has access to the materials in appropriate format at the same time as the rest of the class. The purpose of adjusting examination materials is to make the assessment accessible and equitable to students. Specialist Teachers (VI) or Disability Service Practitioners may recommend to the examiner what action they need to take to achieve this outcome.
Assessment instructions may need to be amended to reflect any adjustments to the questions.
Papers should be formatted for efficiency of navigation
A blank line may be left between questions, this will assist in navigation
The marks assigned to the questions should be placed after the question number, e.g. Question 1 (5 marks)
Splitting questions across pages should be avoided wherever possible;
Diagrams may need to be produced in tactual form. Some graphic or diagrammatic material may be best presented in written form. All descriptions should be provided by the examiner in consultation with the Specialist Teacher (VI) or Disability Service Practitioner as relevant and, where appropriate, the producer. For further information on visual description, refer to the Round Table Guidelines for Conveying Visual Information
Diagrams may need to be simplified and unnecessary detail deleted or the information split over two or more diagrams. Changes may require negotiations with the examiner. It may be necessary to provide an alternative question where adjustments to diagrams are not accessible for a braille reading student
In some situations it may be appropriate for diagrams to be placed in a separate booklet, and in this case the diagram heading(s) should state the question number ( e.g. 'diagram for question 8'), as well as any other heading information present in the original. This practice should also be followed if diagrams are on loose or removable sheets
Concrete materials such as models may be necessary to supplement diagrams.
Meticulous proofreading by people with expertise in braille is essential to ensure accuracy. Wherever possible touch reader/s should be used in the proofreading process to ensure clarity of layout. It is essential that proofreaders are fully aware of the production guidelines for the format and have knowledge of any specialist codes used
Examination papers are bound and not stapled
Papers are bound in sections or as one volume (preferably no more than 40 braille pages)
Volumes are divided where a natural break occurs
A table of contents of the sections or options in the examination paper is provided; and
that the assessment material is clearly labelled in print
that all the assessment material is present and appears in the correct order
that references to the location of the diagrams have been amended to reflect the actual location in the braille copy, e.g. “diagram opposite”, “ diagram below” or “diagram following”
page numbers, including diagram sheets, to ensure that all the pages are identified
that the various sections and/or parts end according to the current Formatting Rules and Guidelinesproduced by the Australian Braille Authority (ABA) e.g. End of Section II; End of Paper
each page for the quality of the braille, e.g. all dots have been embossed satisfactorily and have not been flattened, and the cells have not been embossed out of alignment
that any graphics/diagrams are tactually clear and concise
that any special instructions concerning the collation of separate sections have been followed.
the print transcript of the braille paper
all elements of an examination paper that are required for the student to undertake the exam.
These guidelines only provide information that is relevant to the production of examination papers. There are many additional large print issues which need to be considered. For further information about large print, please refer to the Round Table Guidelines for Producing Clear Print.
Assessment materials in large print must be made available according to the needs of the individual student, as advised by relevant specialist staff,
e.g.
Specialist Teacher (VI), or Orthoptist.
Recommendations may include reference to:
use of colour or black and white only
When reformatting examination papers it is important:
to retain as much as possible of the content of the original paper, including visual stimuli
to consider whether lengthy passages of text or graphics need to be placed in a separate booklet to the accompanying questions. Reference to the location of text or graphics should be amended as necessary
Paper size should reflect the individual student’s needs:
B4 sized paper is also an option for students
assessment papers are to be printed on matte paper of sufficient weight to minimise show-through
the paper may be produced in either single-sided or double-sided format
generally papers should be bound on the left to enable them to be opened out flat. Materials that are in landscape orientation may need to be bound at the top.
references to the location of diagrams, tables, etc. should be amended as necessary
the font selected should be sans serif, such as Arial or Verdana
there should be an increase in spacing between lines to aid readability
italicised passages should be avoided where they only serve a visual function. Consideration should be given to indent the passage or replace individual italicised words or phrases with bolding, where bolding has not been used in the same context
colours or patterns must provide maximum contrast
the following symbols are of sufficient size and weight to be seen clearly by the student:
line numbers in plays and poetry (aligned on the left-hand side of the text)
subscripts, superscripts and operation signs
in general, more space should be left between questions than between sub-questions or paragraphs
questions that start at the bottom of a page should be moved to the top of the next page
grids or tables that form part of a response should also be produced in large print
all reference and stimulus material should be in the student’s required font size
for lengthy passages of text it may be useful to consider placing the questions and passages in separate booklets. Reference should be made at the beginning of the question as to the exact location of the stimulus material.
stimulus material may occasionally need an accompanying description (which should be provided by the examiner). The written description should not interfere with the integrity of the question
some questions will require special layouts or presentation of information. If descriptions are provided, care must be taken to avoid key words required for answers; and
All elements of a graphic need to adhere to the student’s large print requirements. Ensure that:
information obtained from cartoons, photographs, sketches, diagrams or graphs should be clarified by the examiner. This type of material should be accompanied by a written description
a layout with arrows and a series of pictures may need to be simplified and enlarged
graphics may be simplified as long as the answer to the accompanying question/s is not compromised
if the focus of the graphic is printed information it may be able to be converted to text
scaled diagrams need to be accurately represented. Diagrams cannot be enlarged without the scale being affected. To create a scale of equivalent standard to the original, it may be necessary to re-draw a scale diagram completely. Alternatively the relevant numerical values in the question can be adjusted so that the enlarged scale diagram (using the original scale) gives the correct results
ensure that visual/tactile versions of graphics are provided where necessary
supplementary material in the form of shapes or models to replace 3D diagrams may be helpful. The approval for the use of models should be sought from the examiner; and
the location of the graphic should first be indicated if different from the original
relevant caption and heading references should precede the graphic
arrange diagrams, tables and other ancillary material to appear on the same page spread as the question(s) that relate wherever possible. If this is not possible then consider repeating the graphic material with subsequent questions on following pages
If a whole page is left blank the words [blank page] should be placed near the top of the page. It is not necessary to retain redundant original blank pages; and
if diagrams are placed in a separate booklet, the diagram should state the question number ( e.g. 'diagram for question 8'). This practice should also be followed if diagrams are provided loose/unbound.
graphics headings should normally be placed at the top, whatever the position in the original
names, labels and captions should be at least the same size as the main text and horizontal wherever possible. On occasions labels may need to be placed differently to enhance clarity of the diagram
a complex diagram could be simplified by use of a key
A written description may be necessary to provide clarification of photographs and/or images.
A statement should be included indicating that a description has been provided where necessary
the assessment material is clearly labelled in print
the large print paper accurately reflects the original examination with any relevant adjustments
all the pages are reproduced and in the correct sequence
the quality and size of the font on each page meets the student’s requirements
any special instructions for binding the diagrams have been followed; and
that any special instructions concerning the collation of separate sections have been followed.
Any errors must be corrected; examination papers must be 100% correct.
The large print package should include:
any other materials or booklets which need to be supplied, e.g. maps, coloured photographs and machine-read answer sheets; and
It is important to note that all digital assessment material must be usable, functional and be able to be navigated efficiently with ease of operation by the student.
Student performance is increasingly being assessed online by schools, vocational education and training organisations and universities. Assessment and feedback on accessibility should be addressed in consultation with teaching/support staff and the student well in advance of the digital assessment task. The following steps can greatly improve access for a student with vision impairment undertaking assessment in an online environment:
ensure host sites conform to guidelines for producing accessible digital material
trial the accessibility of the digital assessment in order to avoid:
resolution causing unclear and pixelated images when enlarged
limited contrast between text and background
text displayed on a busy background image making it difficult to read; and
the movement between screens multiple times to answer questions
provide access to assessment feedback that ensures independence, privacy and dignity.
For those with vision impairment, information presented online must:
be controlled by keyboard shortcuts
respond to common commands in predictable ways
be easy to edit/correct input errors
maintain compatibility with current and future access technology devices.
Digital assessment should utilise the Principles of Universal Design. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides the pedagogical framework for inclusive assessments. When designing content, the following must be considered from the outset:
What is the purpose of the assessment?
What does a successful response look like?
Are there any barriers that may limit students perceiving, understanding and responding?
What strategies will be implemented so that all students can perceive, understand and respond?
The following factors affect accessibility and usability for students with vision impairment:
The assessment should be stable over various browsers and devices
The platform should provide for time allowance of rest breaks and extra time
The platform should allow for use of access technology, changes to colour contrast, text size etc.
The platform should allow users to increase text size without loss of content or functionality
All functionality, features and interactivity must be available from a keyboard
Ensure there is a logical keyboard tab order, i.e. the tab order follows the page reading order
Navigating to and interacting with form controls should not cause a change of context (for example, form submission, page reload, page redirect, etc.). All forms should include a “SUBMIT” button.
Use sans serif fonts, e.g. Arial and Helvetica
Avoid excessive use of italic, bold and all-capitals formatting
Use stylised headings rather than underlining to emphasise headings
The assessment should put instructions and key information at the top of the page
The stimulus material should be located close to the question
Use informative headings and lists to group information where appropriate
Column headers should be clearly identified. Cascading Style Sheets ( CSS ) should be used for websites. Ensure header cells are marked-up as table header <th> elements
Avoid complex tables (merged cells, nested tables, etc.). Instead, break-up complex tables into multiple, simple tables where possible
Avoid excessive use of blank characters or blank cells
Any web links should be up-to date and dead links deleted
Diagrams and stimulus should have an ALT<TAG description or text equivalent
There should be provision of tactual format and /or written description for diagrams and /or tables.
Avoid using colour alone to convey information, e.g. identifying a form field error by highlighting it in red font.
Align text to the left and avoid indenting paragraphs.
Reliability of bandwidth at the assessment site should be available
The student should be familiar with a variety of digital assessment styles
The student should be familiar with the range of technically enhanced items and response types that may be incorporated in a digital assessment. For example, drag and drop, hotspot, dropdown menus, etc.
The student’s navigation and keyboard skills should be sufficient to demonstrate their knowledge
tactile graphics (diagrams only)
electronic format ( e.g. Word doc, or online)
Where a student is utilising multiple formats, care must be taken to ensure the assessment materials are compatible across all formats. E.g. a student may be working from an exam paper in electronic text as well as using tactile diagrams in braille.
Check that any support materials, such as diagrams have been included and are correctly labelled.
Applications for disability provisions must be lodged with the examining body before the examination takes place. Specialist Teachers (VI) or Disability Service Practitioners should make recommendations to the assessment body regarding disability provisions appropriate for the student. Requests should be supported by appropriate medical and functional evidence.
The allocation of additional time for completion of examinations should reflect the content of the examination ( e.g. extensive reading and interpretation of graphics).
Readers and/or scribes should only be considered if this is the student’s preferred and familiar strategy. The use of a reader/scribe should never be considered an acceptable alternative to the provision of preferred formats.
Disability provisions include:
Students with vision impairment may be eligible for extension of time to accommodate:
navigation of the assessment materials
interpretation of tactile or enlarged graphics
reading descriptions of graphic material
low vision devices (hand held magnifiers, electronic magnifiers)
navigation of enlarged content on screen (scrolling, multiple tabs).
Applications for extensions of time should be based on evidence of:
a functional vision assessment
A reader is a person who reads the content of the examination paper to the student. It is the responsibility of the exam author to consult with the Specialist Teacher Vision Impairment (VI) or other specialist, to capture the critical elements required for a verbal description that is to be provided for the reader. A reader must never undertake interpretation of the material. It is recommended contact be made with relevant education authorities to determine the appropriate protocols.
produce an accurate and legible record of the student’s responses
read back and/or repeat what has been recorded at the student's request in order to ensure accuracy
should not give factual help or offer suggestions to the student
should neither give the student an unfair advantage nor disadvantage the student
ensure that the student is able to locate their designated work space within the examination area
be aware of the student’s disability provisions as approved by the examiner
liaise with the student and supervise any approved rest break provisions.
During the examination the supervisor should:
maintain professional management, ensuring that conversation, volume and behaviour are appropriate
assist the student if material appears to be omitted, damaged or unreadable. The supervisor cannot interpret the material.
be comparable to the conditions for the other students, ( e.g. have air conditioning, heating, be sufficiently soundproof with minimal disturbance)
have sufficient lighting and power outlets available (including desk lamp)
have seating for the supervisor and if approved, reader/amanuensis
have access to bathroom facilities.
Following the examination the supervisor should:
ensure that the relevant sections of the student’s responses are correctly collated, and secured.
The use of technology during examination should consider the following:
the student should use equipment with which they are familiar
back-up equipment should be available for the student to use in the case of a technology failure
devices used in exams must be locked down without access to browsers or other documents stored on the device. Refreshable Braille note-takers should be connected to a monitor to ensure security is not breached
decisions need to be made in advance regarding the access of computer functions. ( e.g. spell or grammar-check)
access to Digital materials are available in a secure environment during open book examinations.
3D Vision - the ability to see objects in a three-dimensional format.
Access Technology - a generic term that is also referred to as adaptive technology or assistive technology. It describes devices or products for people with vision impairment that enable access to information that might otherwise be inaccessible (some examples include hand-held optical magnification aids, screen reader and magnification software, video magnifiers, reading/writing stands, speech synthesisers, refreshable braille displays etc.).
Adjus tments- questions that have been altered in some manner ( e.g. through changed wording or graphics, modified lists) or replaced with an alternative question to accommodate the needs of a student with vision impairment.
Amanuensis - a person who writes or types a student’s dictated responses.
Braille - a tactile system of reading and writing invented by Frenchman Louis Braille for use by people who are blind. Braille symbols are composed of combinations of dots from a matrix of three rows and two columns.
Disability Provisions -practical arrangements designed to level the playing field for students with vision impairment so that they can demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in an assessment environment.
Graphics - illustrations, tables, photographs, diagrams, charts and cartoons.
ICT - Information and Communications Technology.
Low Vision - visual acuity less than 6/18 and equal to or better than 3/60 in the better eye with best correction. (World Health Organisation)
Overruns - where a line of text flows onto the next line of print.
Reader - a person who reads written material to a student or into audio format.
Read-Only File - computer file that you can read, but cannot change in any way.
Tactile Format - graphics produced in a raised form that can be interpreted by touch ( e.g. illustrations, slit tape diagrams, stereocopy diagrams).
ACARA website: https://www.acara.edu.au/
ACHIEVE website: http://www.achieve.org.nz/
Australian Braille Authority (ABA): http://brailleaustralia.org/
ADCET website: http://www.adcet.edu.au/
Australian Human Rights Commission: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/
DAISY Consortium provides information on the work of this international association which develops, maintains and promotes development and use of international DAISY standards for the production of digitised material for people with print disabilities.
DAISY Consortium: http://www.daisy.org/
ICEB website: http://www.iceb.org/
ICEVI website: http://icevi.org/
Human Rights Commission: http://www.hrc.co.nz/
SPEVI website: https://www.spevi.net/
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) website: http://www.w3c.org/wai
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Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department. (2006). Disability Standards for Education 2005. Commonwealth of Australia.
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South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment. (2016). SPEVI Principles and Practice Guidelines for quality education of learners with vision impairment . Second Edition. South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). (2018) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2. 1. W3