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, accommodation, 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.
Line Reader

To emphasize an individual line of text in a passage or question, select Line Reader in the global menu. If the enhanced line reader mode is enabled, all content except for the line in focus is grayed out for greater emphasis.

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. Select 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.
Pause To pause a test, select Pause button. If you pause the test, then you will be logged out.
Periodic Table To view the on-screen periodic table, select Periodic Table in the global menu.
System Settings

When available, students can select System Settings System Settings button in the upper-right corner to change some test settings. These may include:

  • Audio volume
  • Text-to-Speech settings (including volume, pitch, and speed/rate)
  • Background and text color

After making changes, students must select Apply. To reset the settings to default, students select Reset All.

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
American Sign Language

Students can watch videos that translate test content into American Sign Language (ASL). To view ASL videos:

  • Select the ASL button American Sign Language Icon next to the context menu.
    • If only one ASL video is available, the video opens automatically.
    • If multiple ASL videos are available, sign language icons American Sign Language Icon appear next to the test content for each video. Select the icon for the test content you wish to translate into ASL.
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 dropdown list displays Item Marked for Review Flag for the selected question.
Notepad

To enter notes or comments for a question, students select Notepad from the context menu.

Students can only access notes for a question on that question’s test page.

Depending on the tool’s settings, advanced editing features, such as word and character count, spell check, and text formatting options may be available. Table 6 section lists the different editing tools that may be available.

Furthermore, the text entered in this tool can be copied and pasted into text response areas of items displayed on that page as well as the notes tool in the global menu, if available.
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 select 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 their whole written answer to a question, students select the Text-to-Speech button on the formatting toolbar above the answer. To listen to part of their written answer to a question, students select the text, select the Text-to-Speech button on the toolbar, and then 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, refer to the About Text-to-Speech section.

Human Voice Recording (HVR) is used for WY-ALT Assessments in place of Text-to-Speech. HVR must be played for all questions and answers. To listen to the HVR, select the play icon for the audio next to each question audio tool and select the speaker icon next to each answer card speaker icon.
Tutorial To view a short video demonstrating how to respond to a particular question type, select Item Tutorials 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 Buttons

You can expand the passage section or the question section for easier readability.

  • To expand the passage section, select the right arrow icon Right Arrow Icon below the global menu. To collapse the expanded passage section, select the left arrow icon Left Arrow Icon in the upper-right corner.
  • To expand the question section, select the left arrow icon Left Arrow Icon below the global menu. To collapse the expanded question section, select the right arrow icon Right Arrow Icon in the upper-left corner.