Accessibility Resources

Students with specific learning needs may require accessibility resources to fully engage and demonstrate mastery of content during instruction and on assessments. To better serve them, the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), including the Alternate ELPAC, provides a wide range of resources to ensure that the administration of the test meets the needs of all students, including those with disabilities. The California Assessment Accessibility Resources Matrix displays the embedded and non-embedded universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations allowed as part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and ELPAC systems for 2020–21.

Teachers are encouraged to review these resources early in the school year and provide opportunities for students to experience them throughout the year in classroom instruction and assessment. Some resources are embedded into the technology platform for computer-administered tests. Others are considered non-embedded, since they are provided by the local educational agency.

The Importance of Implementing CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility Resources: Voices from Educators (Video; 08:31) focuses on our conversations with California educators to learn more about the importance of implementing accessibility resources for assessments. This training video serves as a starting point for staff who are developing accessibility processes and deciding how to implement accessibility resources for students.

Types of Student Accessibility Resources

Universal tools are available to all students on the basis of student preference and selection.
Designated supports are available to all students when determined for use by an educator or team of educators (with parent/guardian and student input, as appropriate) or specified in the student's individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan.
Accommodations must be permitted to all eligible students taking CAASPP and ELPAC tests if specified in the student's IEP or Section 504 plan.
Unlisted resources are not universal tools, designated supports, or accommodations. Unlisted resources shall be made available if specified in the eligible student's IEP or Section 504 plan and only with approval from the California Department of Education (CDE).

To preview these student accessibility resources in the test delivery system, visit the Embedded Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations Video Tutorials web page.

Test Administration Manuals and Administrative Tools

CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility Guide for Online Testing
Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAP) Tool
2022–23 Student Test Assignment Template for Batch Upload (XLSX) (Updated 06/29/22)
2022–23 ELPAC Online Student Test Settings Template for Batch Upload (XLSX) (Updated 06/29/22)
ELPAC Accessibility Resources for Operational Testing (Updated 10/31/19)
ELPAC Test Navigation Assistant and Designated Interface Assistant Use Scenarios (Posted 12/05/19)
Effective Use of Accessibility Resources (Posted 10/18/19)
Unlisted Resources web page (Posted 01/22/20)
How to Enter Domain Exemptions (January 2021)
ELPAC Non-Embedded ASL Guidelines (Posted 02/04/20)
Guidance on Using Eye-Gaze as a Response Method (Updated 03/09/21)
Alternate ELPAC Accessibility and Accommodations Guidelines (Posted 04/26/21)

This document provides additional guidance for maximizing accessibility in the Alternate ELPAC, acts as a companion to the ELPAC Accessibility Resources for Operational Testing document, and is designed to provide educators with support for the selection of available accessibility resources and information on the resources available for test administration.

California Assessment Accessibility Resources Matrix and Student Assessment Accessibility Graphics

CA Assessment Accessibility Resources Matrix , a CDE web page, with information about universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations (embedded and non-embedded).
Student Accessibility Resources , a CDE web page, with information about California Student Assessment Accessibility graphics, available on the CDE include one-page graphics that show which accessibility resources are available on each assessment.

IEP Resources

Available Resources for the Individualized Education Program Teams That Support Student Participation in Statewide Testing

Accessibility Training Videos

How to Use the Online ISAAP Tool (Video; 10:30) (Posted 12/09/20)
Importance of Implementing CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility Resources: Voices from Educators (Video; 08:31) (Posted 04/16/20)
Configuring Student Test Settings One-by-One in TOMS (Video; 3:02) (Posted 11/20/19)
Configuring Online Student Test Settings By Batch File Upload (Video; 3:19) (Posted 11/20/19)
Requesting an Unlisted Resource in TOMS (Video; 10:11) (Posted 03/18/20)

Embedded Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations Demonstration Videos

Accessibility Resource Demonstration Videos

Configuring Testing Devices for Students with Visual Impairments

Translated Test Directions

Arabic (Posted 04/15/21)
Armenian (Posted 04/15/21)
Chinese Traditional (Posted 04/15/21)
English template (Posted 04/15/21)
Farsi (Posted 04/15/21)
Hindi (Posted 05/20/21)
Hmong (Posted 04/15/21)
Japanese (Posted 04/15/21)
Khmer (Posted 05/20/21)
Korean (Posted 04/15/21)
Mandarin (Posted 04/15/21)
Punjabi (Posted 05/20/21)
Russian (Posted 04/15/21)
Spanish (Posted 04/15/21)
Tagalog (Posted 04/15/21)
Telugu (Posted 05/20/21)
Urdu (Posted 04/15/21)
Vietnamese (Posted 04/15/21)

CAASPP and ELPAC Special Request for Paper Exams

Please visit the CAASPP and ELPAC Special Request for Paper Exams web form to request CAASPP and ELPAC braille, large-print, or paper–pencil assessments for students with an IEP or Section 504 plan.

View the Entering Student Responses and Scores into the DEI (Video; 08:17) for a demonstration on how to use the DEI for the following scenarios:

Initial ELPAC: Enter Scores for Speaking and Writing domains for all grade levels
Initial ELPAC: Enter Responses for Listening and Reading for all grade levels
Summative ELPAC: Enter Scores for Speaking for grades three through twelve
Summative ELPAC: Enter Responses for Listening, Reading, and Writing for grades three through twelve

Braille and Large-Print Instructions for the Paper–Pencil Exams

Instructions for Using the Initial ELPAC K–12 Paper–Pencil Braille Test Form (Posted 12/22/20)
Instructions for Using the Initial ELPAC K–12 Paper–Pencil Large-Print Test Form (Posted 12/22/20)
Instructions for Using the Initial ELPAC K–2 Braille Writing Test Form (Posted 12/22/20)
Instructions for Using the Initial ELPAC K–2 Large-Print Writing Test Form (Posted 12/22/20)
Instructions for Using the Summative ELPAC K–2 Braille Writing Test Form (Posted 12/22/20)
Instructions for Using the Summative ELPAC K–2 Large-Print Writing Test Form (Posted 12/22/20)