NCEO Data Informed Accessibility - Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) Project
Project Description:
The Data Informed Accessibility - Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) project is a collaboration of the State of Minnesota and eight additional states (Alabama, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Virgin Islands) and the National Center on Educational Outcomes. The projects goal is to improve the validity of assessment results and interpretations for students with documented needs by developing guidelines for making informed decisions about accessibility features and accommodations. It will promote a decision-making process that moves beyond the use of a checklist approach (which often results in the identifying tools and accommodations that do not provide access to the student), to an approach that relies on the use of classroom progress data and other measures charted over time to evaluate needs of all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and other general education students with accessibility needs.
The following are the project objectives:
1. Conducting an introductory survey and focus groups with educators to generate instructional and assessment strategies that inform the decision-making processes for accessibility features and accommodations.
2. Conducting teacher interviews and student demonstrations to highlight appropriate practices in implementing accessibility features and accommodations.
3. Conducting assessment data analysis related to accessibility features and accommodations in several member states to showcase the process of making data informed decisions.
4. Holding a forum with national experts to generate consensus on a set of guidelines and related comprehensive assessment instruments for making data-informed decisions about accessibility features and accommodations for students with documented needs.
5. Producing a training module and supplemental materials to summarize and exemplify the guidelines.
6. Piloting the professional development materials and revising them based upon pilot test results.
In the context of new technology-based assessments, various accessibility and accommodations options are available for students to meet their individualized needs and preferences. These new individualized approaches to accessibility place a much greater burden on educator teams and individuals who make decisions about which students need and should receive specific features among a variety of accessibility choices. Currently, teachers receive a multitude of information on accessibility and accommodations for students with documented needs from various sources. That information may not always be effective when it comes to empowering students with equitable supports so that they can show what they know and can do. The DIAMOND project is expected to benefit those educators who need professional development supports related to making data informed accessibility and accommodations decisions for their students.
Keyword(s):
accessibility, universal features, designated features, accommodations
Core Function(s):
Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Geographic Areas, Geographic Area - Other, Other
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
State, Regional
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
