Test Tools

This section provides an overview of the Test Delivery System’s available tools.

Note: Some tools are available for all tests, while others are only available for a particular test subject, accessibility feature, or type of question.

Table 3 lists the tools available in the global menu at the top of the page, while Table 4 lists the tools available for individual items and stimuli in the context menu. Table 5 lists any additional tools available in the Student Testing Site.

Table 3: Global Tools
Tool Name Instructions
Calculator To use the on-screen calculator, select Calculator in the global menu.
Formula To view the on-screen formula sheet, select Formula in the global menu.
Language Toggle

For items and stimuli on the test that have content in two languages, such as English and Spanish, you can select the language in which to display the content for easier readability. By default, the item will be presented in the language specified at the beginning of the test. To switch the language, select Language Toggle in the global menu.

For more information, review About the Language Toggle Tool.
Line Reader

To emphasize an individual line of text in a passage or question, select Line Reader in the global menu.

This tool is not available while the Highlighter tool is in use.
Masking

The Masking tool temporarily covers a distracting area of the test page. To use this tool:

  1. Select the Masking button in the global menu.
  2. Click and drag across the distracting area.

To close the Masking tool, select the Masking button again. To remove a masked area, select X in the upper-right corner of that area.

Notes

To enter notes in an on-screen notepad, select Notes in the global menu. These notes are available globally and can be accessed from any page in the test.
System Settings

Students can select the cog wheel icon cog wheel icon in the upper-right corner to adjust the following:

  • Audio volume
  • Text-to-Speech settings (including volume, pitch, and speed)
Test Clock To hide the Test Clock, select the Test Clock clock icon icon in the upper-right corner. The Test Clock continues counting while it is hidden. To display the hidden Test Clock, select the Test Clock clock icon icon again.
Zoom Buttons To enlarge the text and images on a test page, select Zoom In. Multiple zoom levels are available. To undo zooming, select Zoom Out.

 

Table 4: Question and Stimulus Tools
Tool Name Instructions
Highlighter

To highlight text, select the text on the screen and then select Highlight Selection from the context menu.

To remove highlighting, select Reset Highlighting from the context menu.

You cannot highlight text in images.
Mark for Review To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the context menu. The marked question number displays a flap in the upper-right corner and a flag icon flag icon appears next to the number on the test page. The Items drop-down list displays Item Marked for Review Flag for the selected question.
Print Item To send a print request for an individual question, select Print Item from the context menu. After sending the request, a printer icon printer icon appears next to the question number on the test page.
Select Previous Version To view and restore responses previously entered for a Text Response question, select the Select Previous Version option from the context menu. A list of saved responses appears. Select the appropriate response and click Select.
Strikethrough

For multiple choice and multi-select questions, you can cross out an answer option to focus on the options you think might be correct.

There are two options for using this tool:

Option A:

  1. To activate Strikethrough mode, open the context menu and select Strikethrough.
  2. Select the answer options you wish to strike out.
  3. To deactivate Strikethrough mode, press the Esc key or click outside the response area.

Option B:

  1. Right-click an answer option and select Strikethrough.

Text-to-Speech (TTS)

To listen to passages and questions, select a Speak option from the Text-to-Speech button Text-to-Speech button beside the context menu. Or, right click on the passage, the question, or an option and select a Speak option.

To listen to a response to a constructed-response item, use the TTS button in the item response area. For constructed-response items with a notepad, to listen to your notes, select the TTS button in the notepad. For more information, see the About Text-to-Speech section.
Text-to-Speech Tracking When this tool is enabled, words and the surrounding line of text become highlighted as text-to-speech reads them aloud.
Tutorial To view a short video demonstrating how to respond to a particular question type, select Tutorial from the context menu.

 

Table 5: Other Tools
Tool Name Instructions
Co:Writer Word Prediction When this tool is enabled, suggested words will pop up in a menu as students type a written response. Students can select a word in the pop-up menu instead of typing it out manually. For more information, review About the Word Prediction Tool.
Expand Passage To expand the passage section, select the double arrow icon double arrow icon in the upper-right corner of that section. The passage section will overlap the question section for easier readability. To collapse the expanded section, select the double arrow icon double arrow icon again.
Reading Mode

Reading Mode opens a pop-up window that lets you view two pages of a reading passage at a time. To open Reading Mode, select the open book icon reading mode icon below a reading passage.

To exit Reading Mode, select the close icon Exit Reading Mode icon in the lower-right corner of the pop-up window.

Speech-to-Text

This tool allows students testing with the appropriate accessibility features to dictate responses to constructed-response items. To use this tool, select the microphone icon Speech-to-text microphone icon in the formatting toolbar of the item response area and begin speaking. The dictated response will be transcribed in the item response area.

For more information, review About Speech-to-Text.