Contents


Overview of the Test Site

Sample Test Page

Sample Test Page

There are two types of test tools available:

Global ToolsInstructions

Help (?) Button

To view the on-screen Help Guide window, select ? in the upper-right corner.

Calculator

To use the on-screen calculator, select Calculator in the global menu. If you are using the Desmos calculator, you can use the Desmos calculator copy button button to copy the answer from the calculator. Then use the Desmos calculator copy button button on the answer box to paste the answer there.

Dictionary

To search the Merriam-Webster dictionary or thesaurus, select Dictionary in the global menu.

Formulas

To view the on-screen formula sheet, select Formulas in the global menu.

Graph Paper

To use the on-screen graph paper tool, select Graph in the global menu. You can use the buttons at the top of the graph paper window to plot points and lines on the grid.

Items Dropdown List

To quickly navigate to an item, select an item number from the Items dropdown list in the upper-left corner.

  • If an item has been marked for review, Item Marked for Review Flag displays next to the item.
  • If an item has been skipped or not answered, Item skipped warning icon displays next to the item.
Line Reader

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

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.

Multiplication Table

To use the multiplication table, select Multiplication Table from the global tools.

Navigation Buttons

To move between test pages, use the Back and Next buttons in the upper-left corner. If a test consists of only one question, selecting Next prompts you to end the test.

Notes

To enter notes in an on-screen notepad, select Notes in the global menu.

Number Table

To use the number table, select Number Table from the global tools. This tool lists the numbers 1 to 100.

Pause Button

To pause a test, select Pause in the global menu. Pausing the test will temporarily log you out.

Periodic Table

To view the on-screen periodic table, select Periodic Table in the global menu.

Print PageTo print the entire test page, select Print Page in the global menu.
Print PassageTo print a reading passage, select Print Passage in the global menu.

Ruler

To view the on-screen ruler, select Ruler in the global menu. You can move the ruler around the test page and drag the circle icon rotate ruler icon to rotate it.

Save Button

To manually save questions, select Save in the global menu. This is an optional feature and is not available for all questions. If you do not use this button, your answers are still saved automatically.

Scoring Guide
To view the on-screen scoring guide, select Scoring Guide in the global menu.
System Settings

When available, you can select System SettingsSystem 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)
  • Dyslexia friendly font
  • Zoom setting
  • Language used for buttons, labels, and messages
  • Background and text color
  • Mouse pointer size and color

After making changes, select Apply. To reset your settings, select Reset All.

Transcripts

To view a transcript of the audio content for the current test page, select Transcripts in the global menu. The text in transcripts can be read by screen readers, such as JAWS.

Zoom Buttons
To enlarge the text and images on a test page, select Zoom In. There are several zoom levels. To undo zooming, select Zoom Out.

 

Context Menu ToolsInstructions
American Sign Language

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

  • Select American Sign Language from 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.
Comments

To provide feedback for a question, select Comments from the context menu and select a comment option from the dropdown list that appears.

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 under 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 under the global menu. To collapse the expanded question section, select the right arrow icon Right Arrow Icon in the upper-left corner.
Generic ResourcesTo view any additional resources associated with a question, select Generic Resources from the context menu.
Glossary (Word List)

To open the glossary:

  1. Select a word or phrase that has a border around it. The glossary opens.

  2. Then select the word or phrase you want.

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.

Item Tutorials

To view a short video on how to answer a particular type of question, select Item Tutorials from the context menu.

Mark for Review
To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the context menu. The marked question number shows a flap in the upper-right corner. A flag icon flag icon appears next to the number on the test page. The Items dropdown list shows a Item Marked for Review Flag for the selected question.
Notepad

To make notes on a question, select Notepad from the context menu. After you make a note, a pencil icon note icon appears next to the question number on the test page.

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

Print ItemTo 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.
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.

Select Previous Version

To open and restore responses previously entered for a Text Response question, click Select Previous Version from the context menu. A list of saved responses appears. Choose the response you want and click Select.

Strikethrough

For multiple choice and multi-select questions, you can cross out an answer option if that helps you 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 want to cross 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

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

To listen to your whole written answer to a question, select the Text-to-Speech button on the formatting toolbar above the answer. To listen to part of your written answer to a question, select the text, select the Text-to-Speech button on the toolbar, and then select a Speak option.

Text-to-Speech TrackingWhen this tool is enabled, words and the surrounding line of text become highlighted as text-to-speech reads them aloud.

 

In addition to the global tools and context menu tools, there are additional tools that may be available to you based on your test settings.

Other ToolsDescription
Speech-to-Text

If the Speech-to-Text tool is enabled, you can respond to text response items by speaking your answer. To use this tool, select the microphone icon Speech to Text Microphone Button in the toolbar above the text box and begin speaking. Your spoken response will be written as text in the answer area.

Note: This tool is available for ELA and Writing tests.

Word Prediction

When this tool is on, suggested words pop up in a menu as you type a written response. You can select a word in the pop-up menu instead of typing it out. You can also use this tool when writing notes in the Global Notes or Notepad.

When Co:Writer Word Prediction audio is on, each word you select or type is read aloud. Each sentence you finish is also read aloud.


Test Rules

Navigation Rules

Pause Rules


About Print-on-Demand and Text-to-Speech

If you have Print-on-Demand or Text-to-Speech turned on for your test, read this section.

About Print-on-Demand

To send a print request to the Test Administrator, choose from the following options:

About Text-to-Speech

If you are testing with Text-to-Speech, you can listen to instructions, passages, and questions in the test. For ELA tests, some passages are not read aloud. If the Text-to-Speech Tracking feature is on, words are highlighted as they are read aloud.

To listen to content with the Text-to-Speech tool: