Menu Tools	Instructions
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 tools menu. The calculator is available for the following tests: Grades 6–8 Mathematics; Secondary Mathematics I, II, and III; grades 4–8 Science; Biology; Chemistry; Earth Science; and Physics.
Dictionary	To search the Merriam-Webster dictionary or thesaurus, select Dictionary in the tools menu.
Items dropdown list	To quickly navigate to a specific test page, select an item number from the dropdown list in the upper-left corner. Items that were marked for review display “(marked)” in this list.
Line Reader	To emphasize an individual line of text in a passage or question, select Line Reader in the tools menu. Note: The Line Reader tool cannot be used while the Highlighter tool is in use. 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: Select the Masking button in the tools menu. 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.
Notes	To enter notes in an on-screen notepad, select Notes in the tools menu. (Notes appear only for the test opportunity you are taking.)
Scoring Guide	To view the on-screen scoring guide, select Scoring Guide in the tools menu. Note: The Scoring Guide is available for Writing tests.
System Settings	When available, you can select System Settings 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) After making changes, select Apply. To reset your settings, select Reset All.
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.

Question Tools

These tools require you to select the context menu button for a stimulus (passage) or question or select a tool from beside the context menu. When you select the context menu, a list of available options appears. You can also right-click anywhere in a stimulus or question area to view the context menu.

Question Tools	Instructions
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 question menu. If only one ASL video is available, the video opens automatically. If multiple ASL videos are available, sign language icons appear next to the test content for each video. Select the icon for the test content you wish to translate into ASL. Note: This tool requires you to have the ASL accommodation turned on.
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 under the global menu. To collapse the expanded passage section, select the left arrow icon in the upper-right corner. To expand the question section, select the left arrow icon under the global menu. To collapse the expanded question section, select the right arrow icon in the upper-left corner.
Highlighter	To highlight text, select the text on the screen and then select Highlight Selection from the question 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 question menu.
Mark for Review	To mark a question for review, select Mark for Review from the question menu. The marked question number shows a flap in the upper-right corner. A flag icon appears next to the number on the test page. The Items dropdown list shows a for the selected question.
Notepad	To make notes or comments on a question, select Notepad from the question menu. After you make a note, a pencil 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.
Select Previous Version	To open and restore responses previously entered for a Text Response question, click Select Previous Version from the question menu. A list of saved responses appears. Choose the response you want and click Select.
Speech-to-Text (STT)	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 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.
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: To activate Strikethrough mode, open the context menu and select Strikethrough. Select the answer options you want to cross out. To deactivate Strikethrough mode, press the Esc key or select outside the response area. Option B: Right-click an answer option and select Strikethrough.
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. Note: This tool is available for ELA and Writing tests.

Test Rules

Navigation Rules

You cannot skip questions. You must answer all the questions on a page before you can go to the next page.
- Some pages contain multiple questions grouped together. You may need to use the grouped question navigation buttons in the upper-right corner to view all the questions.
You can mark a question for review and go back to it later to change the answer, if necessary.
You can navigate to test pages by selecting the Back and Next buttons or by selecting an option from the Items dropdown list in the upper-left corner.
You must submit the test after you finish answering all questions.

Pause (Log Out) Rules

You can pause the test at any time. Pausing your test logs you out.
When you resume the test, the first page with unanswered questions appears.
If you are idle for 20 minutes, the test automatically pauses and logs you out.
All answers are saved immediately. You do not lose them when the test is paused.

For Math, Science, and ELA:

If your test is paused for less than 20 minutes, you can review questions you already answered.
If your test is paused for more than 20 minutes, you cannot review questions you already answered. The only exception is if you pause on a page that has at least one unanswered question.

For Writing:

If your test is paused, your work is saved, and you can continue responding from where you left off.

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.

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

To listen to a passage, select a Speak option from the Text-to-Speech button beside the passage’s context menu. You can also select a portion of text to listen to, such as a word or phrase. To do this, select the text, select the Text-to-Speech button beside the passage’s context menu, and select Speak Selection.
To listen to a question or answer options:
- To listen only to the question, select the Text-to-Speech button beside the question menu or right-click on the question. Then select Speak Question.
- To listen only to an answer option, select Speak Option from the Text-to-Speech button beside the context menu and then select the answer option. You can also right-click on the answer option and select Speak Option.
To listen to Text-to-Speech read aloud from anywhere in a passage or question to the end of that passage or question, right-click where you want Text-to-Speech to begin reading and select Start Speaking From Here.

Contents

Overview of the Test Site

Test Rules

Navigation Rules

Pause (Log Out) Rules

About Text-to-Speech