Overview

1. Audio Guidelines & APIP Spoken Tags:Lessons Learned from PARCCCara LaitusisEducational Testing Service

2. Overview • PARCC approach to • Audio Guidelines • Lessons learned from • Developing alt text descriptions • Translating audio guideline to TTS delivery system

3. PARCC OWG and AAF • Reviewed Smarter Balanced • Math Audio Guidelines • ELA Audio Guidelines • Revisions made to balance: • mathematical precision • accessibility needs (e.g., working memory) • integration of existing policy and practice in PARCC states

4. Example of Revisions x<y<z Smarter Balanced “x is less than y, which is less than z.” PARCC “x is less than y is less than z.”

5. (3+x)(y-2) Smarter Balance Open parenthesis three plus x, close parenthesis, (pause) times (pause) open parenthesis y minus two, close parenthesis. PARCC Open parenthesis three plus x, close parenthesis, (pause) open parenthesis y minus two, close parenthesis.

6. Other Discussions • Quotation marks • Decimal place values • Decimal points • Parentheses vs. “the quantity of”

7. And More Discussions • Fractions • Infinity • Interpreting graphs and charts in “alt text”

8. Alternative text or “alt text” is a text based description of visual images. Critical element for 2 APIP spoken tags Text with graphics Non visual Requires knowledge of : content assessment, and accessibility Alt Text

9. Lesson #1 • Coding of alt text was needed to allow test developers to define when image was construct relevant. • Particularly important in mathematics to avoid interpreting graphs and charts.

10. Addition of Alt Text Coding [1] not construct-relevant and can be eliminated (e.g., it is only there for engagement purposes). [2] construct-relevant and can be represented using accompanying textual description. [3] construct-relevant and can be represented using accompanying textual description together with a tactile representation or physical manipulative.

11. In other words [1] Engagement [2] Critical to completing item [3] Critical to completing item AND requires tactile representation

12. The graph title is Roller Rink costs. Key, dashed line represents Roller Rink A, solid line represents Roller Rink B. The x-axis is labeled number of people. The y-axis is labeled cost in dollars. The dashed arrow starts at zero people, sixty dollars and points to a little less than sixteen people, midway between one hundred and one hundred ten dollars. The solid arrow starts at zero people, a little less than ten dollars and points to a little more than fourteen people, a little less than one hundred ten dollars. [2] EXAMPLE OF TYPE 2 ALT TEXTADAPTED FROM THE SMARTER BALANCED MATHEMATICS AUDIO GUIDELINES

13. The graph title is Roller Rink costs. Key, dashed line represents Roller Rink A, solid line represents Roller Rink B. The x-axis is labeled number of people. The y-axis is labeled cost in dollars. [3] Note: Type 3 alt texts may be less lengthy than type 2 alt texts. EXAMPLE OF CATEGORY 3 ALT TEXTADAPTED FROM THE SMARTER BALANCED MATHEMATICS AUDIO GUIDELINES

14. Added Benefits of Coding System • Identified which images could be excluded from non-visual spoken tags (code 1 engagement) • Allowed test developers to identify which images will require tactile graphics

15. Lesson #2 • How to translate audio guidelines to spoken tags for text to speech engine? • For example (pause)

16. Solutions • Place holders ; , . • Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) seems ideal • Follows W3C Web Content Accessibility Standards (WCAG) which is a PARCC delivery requirement • http://www.w3.org/TR/speech-synthesis/

18. Next Steps • Confirming SSML is APIP compliant • Would embedded SSML pass IMS APIP conformance testing? • Integration of IMS APIP item content standards with W3C WCAG standards for delivery system