do for most teachers. Turning off spelling and grammar checking is =
easy, and most teachers could do that with limited instruction. Asking =
a regular classroom teacher to figure out how to disable a major feature =
of a word processing program can lead to students not having the =
accommodations they need.
Renee Ramig
Seven Hills School
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators on behalf of Ross Lenet
Sent: Wed 4/29/2009 12:04 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: disabling Word features
=20
> Can someone tell me what the reasoning is for not having cut and paste =
in a=20
> testing situation? There must be something I'm not understanding =
here.
Let me see if I can do a better job this time. One of the College =
Board's=20
guiding principles is that test takers should experience roughly the =
same=20
environment, hear the same scripts, and generally take tests under the=20
same conditions as all other test takers.
Now, the College Board also tries to accommodate students with certain=20
disabilities, but the goal is still to minimize the differences in=20
test-taking conditions as much as possible. Because of certain types=20
of writing disabilities, some kids are approved to use a computer in the =
essay parts of some standardized tests.
So how do you allow a student to use a computer in a way that simulates=20
normal handwriting as much as possible? Well, normal handwriting does =
not=20
allow you to magically cut a passage and instantly paste it to a =
different=20
part of the document. So the College Board does not allow a computer =
user=20
to use the cut-and-paste feature of word processors.
Now, if you are saying this policy is stupid, you can take that up with=20
the College Board. My own feeling is until *all* students take these =
tests=20
using a computer, the policy is reasonable.
Ross Lenet
AP Coordinator
Sidwell Friends School, Washington, DC
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